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Run Engine Dry?
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| wjsherid |
Posted on 09/14/09 - 11:58 AM
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Question: I don't use my boat that frequently unfortunately (Once every 3-4 weeks) so it ends up sitting for 3 weeks between uses. I have been disconnecting the fuel line each time I haul it out of the water and letting it run dry so i don't get carburator build up etc. Is this a good practice? Usually if I have the boat in for a weekend, I don't do it at the end of the day knowing I am going to run it the following day...but if it isn't going to run for a few weeks...I usually disconnect and run dry. Anyone do something simiilar? Is this hard on the engine?
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| CES |
Posted on 09/14/09 - 12:57 PM
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I used to do it all the time until this season. It won't hurt your engine at all and is a pretty sound practice, especially if you're not sure when you're going to use the boat again.
Cliff
1966 13' Sport with a 1993 40hp Yamaha 2 Smoker |
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| MW |
Posted on 09/14/09 - 2:27 PM
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Put a little bit of "Sea Foam" in the fuel tank, it has a fuel preserver in it, as well as other additives preventing "gumming" in the carb. Use it all the time for trouble free start up.
Matt |
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| JohnnyCW |
Posted on 09/14/09 - 4:22 PM
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Back in the 90's, the use of my Outrage was unpredictable for a couple of years and sometimes it sat longer than I thought it would between outings. Unfortunately it resulted in me having to have the carbs on my 115 Merc serviced and rebuilt a few times. I've used STA-BIL fuel stabilizer since about 2000 and never had a problem since. I've not done any research to see if the use of STA-BIL has consequences but I've either been dumb lucky or the stuff works very well at helping prevent a lot of the problems I had in the past. I use it in my gas cans for my lawn equipment and generator as well.
I haven't gotten around to using the marine formula of STA-BIL because I had a large quantity of the original to burn through which is now about done.
Edited by JohnnyCW on 09/14/09 - 4:22 PM |
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| Tharsheblows |
Posted on 09/14/09 - 5:28 PM
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I recently was in a discussion on a local fishing fourm where I was told that was a bad practice. They said that the engine was starving for lubrication and could be damaged. I was a little concerned but a little confused you see I have a 1974 9.9 Hp Merc that my dad bought new and he always said to run it out of fuel at the dock. Once after being stored for 15 years it started with the second pull and to this day has never had any carb work or added cleaners put to it. While working on the Whaler for 2 years when I finally got it ready for water I found the previous owner had not drained the carbs so it was pretty gummed up. It went to a independant outboard mechanic upon return I noticed the fuel line removed and the carbs were run dry. The little Merc is 35 yrs old with no spun bearings or thrown rods so I will continue to do as my dad taught me.
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| RevengeFamily |
Posted on 09/14/09 - 6:53 PM
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Run the carbs dry. My dad always did as well. Never ever a problem. Matter of fact as my old outboard would start to starve for fuel I always pulled the choke half closed and this would allow the engine to really drain the carb bowl.
Norm
1999 280 Conquest w/twin 225 Mercs
"When the people fear their government there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty."
Thomas Jefferson |
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| Tom W Clark |
Posted on 09/14/09 - 7:10 PM
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Fellas, it depends on *WHAT* outboard we are talking about here. Running the fuel out every time you use the boat can be disastrous on some motors.
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| jollyrog305 |
Posted on 09/14/09 - 7:12 PM
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For any span a week a week or more, I run the engine dry. Like Bob’s dad, mine taught me to always flush the engine and run it dry (and also pull the choke) if it is going to sit for a while. It’s just part of my routine - my wife says it’s my OCD kicking in. All I know is that I haven’t had any issues with the motor since it was purchased in 1981 – starts every time.
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| brorobin |
Posted on 09/14/09 - 7:13 PM
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Tom W Clark wrote:
Fellas, it depends on *WHAT* outboard we are talking about here. Running the fuel out every time you use the boat can be disastrous on some motors.
I've been reading this thread with interest. My dad always did this.
Tom can you elaborate on WHICH outboards that this should not be done.
Robin Chaplin
1972 13 Sport - 1994 25hp Mercury
It was my Dad's, now it's Mine, one day I'll pass it down, 'til then it's Happy Whalering. |
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| Binkie |
Posted on 09/15/09 - 3:49 AM
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I don`t see how running the engine dry can hurt any outboard or engine for that matter. A 2 stroke won`t loose lubrication as the engine does not run without oil in the gas or in the tank. The engine simply runs out of gas and stops. same in a four stroke. Same in your car, or your lawn mower or weed wacker or whatever.
I have done this since the beginning of time with no bad results. with outboards.
Recently I let my 13 footer sit for 3 months with its 25 4 stroke. The gas in the tank smelled OK and I didn`t see any water separation, but it had turned the color of urine. I dumped the gas into my car, pumped out the fuel lines into a jar and changed the water separator. I didn`t want to run that stuff through my new outboard, but since I had run it dry, I knew there was no gas in the fuel rails or injectors.
Started right up almost instantly on new gas. Not saying the yellow gas was "bad", my car is still running too.
I would like to know what engines Tom thinks will be hurt by this practice. I never had to have any carbs cleaned in my life.
Rich |
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| awayland |
Posted on 09/15/09 - 5:05 AM
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I also do this and always have on my Johnson's, Evinrudes, and now my Merc. Since the gas has such a short lifespan now. I was thinking of setting up a shutoff for my Mercruser v8 on my larger boat to run it dry. I trailer both of them and sometimes don't use them for a few weeks at a time. I also plan on draining the fuel system and tanks completely on both for the winter.
Tom what engines is this harmful to?
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| arthureld |
Posted on 09/15/09 - 6:01 AM
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Binkie wrote:
I don`t see how running the engine dry can hurt any outboard or engine for that matter.
The reason it can be a problem is because the cylindars might not all run out of gas at the same time and the first one out runs a few strokes in a lean condition. Which causes heat and lack of lubrication.
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| ioptfm |
Posted on 09/15/09 - 6:12 AM
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I have never done it on a 4 stroke, but every 2 stroke that I have ever owned, I always did it and never had any problem whatsoever by doing it...........I always did it with either muffs on or the motor still in the water.
Tom
1979 Sport 15' |
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| arthureld |
Posted on 09/15/09 - 7:25 AM
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Yea, it's not likely to do anything, but I was just passing on the theory as I heard it.
It would be a big problem if every motor that ran out of gas burned up. lol
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| JohnnyCW |
Posted on 09/15/09 - 8:04 AM
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I know when I ran my Merc 115 out of gas on the trailer with muffs, it would idle up significantly the last 30-45 seconds before actually completely quiting. This would indicate a lean mixture to me which in itself increases cylinder temperature then throw in the fact that if its running lean, its not getting the oil it should at that speed. Probably not too detrimental a few times but perhaps as a regular practice, there could be some worry.
I don't do it as a regular practice with my motors but my dad always did. Does it run the carb bowls completely dry? Seems to me some fuel would remain anyway.
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| CES |
Posted on 09/15/09 - 8:18 AM
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Some residual fuel always remains when you run the carbs dry. You're correct about the engine running at a higher RPM when it's about out of gas. This isn't a problem at all becuase you're not at a higher RPM and also it's not running lean for an extended length of time. The short time the motor is running lean isn't enough to get the EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature) high enough or long enough to cause ANY damage at all. Outboard motors are much tougher than that.
Edited by CES on 09/15/09 - 8:22 AM
Cliff
1966 13' Sport with a 1993 40hp Yamaha 2 Smoker |
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| wjsherid |
Posted on 09/15/09 - 8:26 AM
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Thanks all for the replies, my dad taught me this and with our old outboards we did this frequently, but I wasn't sure with new outboards. I have a 2007 Yami 90TLR (Repowered with a 2 Stroke) Just wanted to make sure i wasn't causing any issues...Thanks again to everyone for the replies.
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| Tom W Clark |
Posted on 09/15/09 - 8:35 AM
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Running an outboard dry is almost universally not recommended by manufacturers.
It is a big no-no on oil injected motors and EFI motors that use a fuel pump should not have their fuel pumps run dry either.
Old-fashioned conventional two strokes do not much care one way or the other, though you end with less lubrication of the cylinder walls and crank during storage if you run it dry.
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| JohnnyCW |
Posted on 09/15/09 - 8:35 AM
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CES wrote: The short time the motor is running lean isn't enough to get the EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature) high enough or long enough to cause ANY damage at all. Outboard motors are much tougher than that.
I've never monitored the EGT of any of my outboards but I was involved in kart racing for many years. I can tell you from first-hand experience it is possible to raise the EGT a couple hundred degrees in just a few seconds with a lean running condition even at idle speed with at least some 2-stroke engines. The larger mass of most outboards likely help keep that in check for short periods but I believe its noteworthy while on the subject.
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| number9 |
Posted on 09/15/09 - 8:49 AM
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Have to agree with Tom. It's not recommended to run electric fuel pumps with out fuel even for a short period. Same with fuel injectors. Fuel helps to cool and lubricate both. The vapor separators should have a drain as most carbs have. May be other issues on on some 2-strokes with injection?
Did the same thing after every use with small Chrysler OBs years ago. To get the most gas out of the carbs I'd keep it running by using the choke just prior to quitting.
Bill...On the Ogeechee
1984 Outrage 18...Yamaha T50...that's right, 50hp |
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