fuel line disconnect for winterizing

[import_robj]

If I was going to winterize a boat by spraying a fogging material into the carburetor bores and disconnect a fuel line so that the engine dies and I can spray in alot at the end when it dies what line and where should i make the disconnect. Is it the place where the fuel line enters into the carburetor or should I do it in another place like where the fuel line enters into the fuel tank or another. Thank you

 

[fishingdan]

Re: fuel line disconnect for winterizing

Disconnect the fuel line fromt the front of the engine only. There is a quick disconnect thingy at that point.

 

[gss036]

Re: fuel line disconnect for winterizing

:/ removed

 

[import_robj]

Re: fuel line disconnect for winterizing

The instructions say to first disconnect the fuel line. then start engine, then go to 1300 rpm and spray about 8oz in the carburetor bores then as it dies (due to lack of fuel) spray the remaining 2 oz in the carburetor bores.

No quick disconnect on mine though. The fuel goes from the fuel tank to the water separating fuel filter then to the fuel pump and then to the carburetor. I think that is it. All they say in the instructions is disconnect the fuel line. Any point in this can be that so I have no idea where they say to do it. thanks

 

[fishingdan]

Re: fuel line disconnect for winterizing

What engine do you have?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: fuel line disconnect for winterizing

Spraying into the carb bores after the engine quits does absolutely nothing. The idea is to get the fogging oil throughout the engine. That can only happen with it running. Treat the fuel in the tank with stabil or SeaFoam. Start the engine and spray the fogging oil into the air intake for each cylinder until it kills the engine. Your done.

 

[import_robj]

Re: fuel line disconnect for winterizing

easy enough. That is how I did it last year but the instruction manual on this one indicated to remove the fuel line and when it starts dying (you notice they say starts dying) then spray the remaining 2 oz in the carburetor bores. Perhaps that is overkill though. If I can do it your way Silvertip then why should I do it that way when it just adds another step on the process. Mayby I will just have 1 bottle in each hand and spray in each carburetor bore ( Have I 2 bottles and 2 carburetor bores) to help even more. Thank you.

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: fuel line disconnect for winterizing

That's what I do as well, I have a 2003 115 2 stroke with no easy way to disconnect the fuel line from the built in tank. I dump in Stabil before the last ride to ensure it gets through the system and then I have 4 cans of fogging oil and with my other 2 hands I spray it into all 4 carbs at once until it dies, don't see any need to remove the fuel.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: fuel line disconnect for winterizing

One other thing to remember is that when removing the fuel line on a running engine all carburetors do not run out of fuel at exactly the same time. While that may seem like an insignificant point, consider that when no fuel is being delivered to the cylinder(s) that run out first, neither is any lubricant. I don't like that procedure and besides, the carbs are not completely drained anyway. One last point, some engines may not even die at 1300 RPM while fogging.

 

[WillyBWright]

Re: fuel line disconnect for winterizing

Do NOT disconnect the fuel line on an oil injected 2-stroke and then run it out of gas! As the gas is running out, oil is still pumping full tilt. That fills the fuel lines with oil (because there's no gas being pumped for it to mix with), and when you pump the primer bulb in the spring, the oil in the lines goes into the carbs first and settles to the bottoms of the bowls. It doesn't harm anything, but it's about impossible to start them. I run into this every spring with people that bring in motors that won't start after they winterized it themselves. That's true for both Mercury and JohnnyRude motors. Exceptions would be most Japaneese motors that inject the oil straight into the motor rather than mix it with the fuel. Run the motor long enough for stabilizer to get into the entire fuel system including the carbs. Drain the carbs if you like, but in the spring you'll be pumping striaght gas into the carbs and that's not good either. It's best to leave stabilized gas/oil in the carbs on such motors.

 

[import_robj]

Re: fuel line disconnect for winterizing

Probably doesn't matter but mayby I should've mentioned that it is a mercury mercruiser sterndrive 4-cycle engine. If it doesn't die at 1300rpm while fogging then what do you suggest I do. Ooops didn't see at first but mayby I started this thread in the wrong place. Thank you

 

[Silvertip]

Re: fuel line disconnect for winterizing

It doesn't need to run at 1300 RPM. Start the process at that rpm but bring it back to normal idle and simply spray the fogging oil until it quits. You can always turn the key off too as you are spraying. Yes -- this really belongs in the I/O forum and yes -- its nice to know what engine we are discussing. There are some good heads here but none of them are mind readers.

 

[fishingdan]

Re: fuel line disconnect for winterizing

I thought you might be talking about an I/O.

Put a good fuel stabilizer in the fuel tank and run the engine long enough to get the stabilized fuel into the carb. Don't run it out of fuel as mentioned above. You can't really get all of the gas out of there.

After you shut it down and it cools off, pull plug and spray fogging oil into the cylinders.

Change the crankcase oil.

Change the outdrive gear oil.

 

[import_robj]

Re: fuel line disconnect for winterizing

Is it absolutely necessary to pull all 8 plugs and spray fogging oil in them or can I just spray in the carburetor bores until it dies. My spark plugs are kinda hard to access and sense this will be done each year I wanna make this as simple as possible. Of course if it is necessary and the risk that I will be taking in not doing it are not worth it then I would much rather do it the safe way and remove the spark plugs and spray in each cylinder. Thank you

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: fuel line disconnect for winterizing

Your choice, I don't pull the plugs in my I/O either, I use 2 cans and spray down both bbls, not enough to kill it yet, I wait until I see the white smoke coming out the exhaust and then give it a healthy shot to stall it.

ps...about the oil change above, I do mine before I fog it as I want to run it for a bit and let the fresh oil circulate and then fog it.

 

[import_robj]

Re: fuel line disconnect for winterizing

As with everything there seems to be quite a few exceptable practices. I just wanna keep it as simple as I can but without hurting anything though. Anybody else wanna give an opinion on what they do would be interesting to hear. Thanks all for the generous help.