i did it again. dry start

[ziggy]

well, i did it again today... grrrr. ya know, start up the i/o w/o turning on the hose. i just can't go a season w/o doing it at least one time it seems. this time i caught right on so only ran it 10-15 sec. any run is too much. but at least i got hip to water fairly fast.

anyone else gonna fess up to the mistake, even though we all know better....

wish i could go a season doing it right every time though...

 

[kelscrusader]

Re: i did it again. dry start

I'll fess up, did it for the first time a few weeks ago. Like you i realized it quickly and turned the engine off. Turned the water on and ran the engine, all seemed fine.

 

[waterinthefuel]

Re: i did it again. dry start

Well, all is going to *seem* fine unless you totally destroyed it. The problem is, you can't see the damage done. I have never dry started an engine and hopefully never will but if I do I would no longer trust that impeller and would have it replaced. You did significant damage to the impeller, you just can't see it. It can now fail prematurely taking your powerhead with it. Is it really worth it to risk it?

That is a personal choice. I say no, but others say yes.

 

[Sean-Nos]

Re: i did it again. dry start

I don't recommend it but have a look at this it might put your mind at ease.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsCCPUUXbGE

 

[adamjr]

Re: i did it again. dry start

I don't recommend it but have a look at this it might put your mind at ease.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsCCPUUXbGE

I don't know about anyone else that watched it but the creases on the impeller and the "polished" areas look like signs of imminent failure.

 

[Beefer]

Re: i did it again. dry start

I just got a sterndrive, and I can't see whether or not it's in the water unless I walk to the stern and look. I've dry started it about 5 times in the last 3 weeks. Luckily, I know as soon as she starts, as the sound is much louder. Haven't run it for more then 5 seconds before she was back in the water. It drives me nuts.

That video gave me a little, just a little, peace of mind.

 

[shaneb0422]

Re: i did it again. dry start

We bought the boat this summer, had to replace head gasket and all sorts of stuff. We didn't even know it would ruin the impeller running it dry. So we did.
Also have launched boat with hose ears still on - this summer. Thus another ruined one. Ran for like 3 minutes across the lake going "why is the thing running so retarded like?"
Then buddy goes, "did anyone take off the clamp?"
Yep.

 

[Todd157k]

Re: i did it again. dry start

When I bought my boat, the seller wanted to "fire it up" for me.. without any water. I quickly declined the offer but made me wonder how many times he'd done that before. errrr!

 

[TimBobCom]

Re: i did it again. dry start

I just ran my engine out of the water the other day for the first time. I had my GF drive my truck to pull the boat out at the end of the day and I forgot to shut the engine off until she had pulled me out of the water. Luckily I caught it quick and it only ran for about 3 seconds before I was able to shut it off and raise the lower unit. Oops, but that's what happens when I vary my routine at times, I just get ahead of myself. Hoping I am OK, I think I probably will be since I didn't run it long.

 

[lonesouth]

Re: i did it again. dry start

I saw a guy run his 200 up to about 3k after pulling out...he did this intentionally...I couldn't believe it. The PO cranked mine up for about 3 seconds. When doing a wet trial, he also ran the prop across the concrete on the launch ramp. Brilliant.

 

[rayodunne]

Re: i did it again. dry start

I watch some older guy's going out fishing all the time at the trailer park. They start the outboard and then lower the tilt droping it into the water.

 

[SigSaurP229]

Re: i did it again. dry start

Yep I did it sort of.

I slid the muffs onto the lower unit and didn't have them in proper position
45 seconds later I am wondering why the merc isn't shootin any water. I destroyed the impeller.

 

[milehighboater]

Re: i did it again. dry start

My wife wasn't so happy when I tried to disassemble my LU on the kitchen table.

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: i did it again. dry start

I watched a guy launch two boats last night - he started the motors on both, while his buddy backed the trailers down the launch ramps. I think people do this because they like to hear the motors "growl," much the same way that some people who ride motorcycles "rev" them at stoplights. There really isn't any reason to do either one, but I guess some people just have a need to be noticed.



???

 

[Mark42]

Re: i did it again. dry start

I wouldn't worry too much about running for a few seconds after pulling out of the water because a lot of the water in the motor is trying to drain out through the pump, keeping the impeller lubed. I have spun the motor over with the starter doing a compression test, and after, thought "DOH!" I probably should have had it on the hose even for that!!! But the water pump was unaffected and engine temp stayed the same as always the next time out.

Bottom line is the impellers are a lot tougher than people have been lead to believe. But continued running dry will take its toll as pre-mature wear.

 

[Mark42]

Re: i did it again. dry start

I don't know about anyone else that watched it but the creases on the impeller and the "polished" areas look like signs of imminent failure.

I finally got to watch the video (youtube is blocked at work). To me most of the creases are actually mold marks. There was some wear, but if you noticed, the motor was run at a high RPM for one full minute, and the pump did not shred, no missing chunks, etc. In fact, it showed practically no wear at all from that torture test. So a few seconds dry at idle will probably not do much damage. Also note the impeller was well used before the test, it was not new, so it had some wear. Still, I will avoid running my motor dry.

BTW, He should be more worried about a warped head, blown gasket, or warped cylinder walls from a full minute of running and no coolant in the power head!!!!

 

[wnaplay]

Re: i did it again. dry start

I do it all the time and have done it with all my boats. I have never(knock on wood) needed to replace an impellor.

 

[Kiwifisher]

Re: i did it again. dry start

When I used to live in South Africa, I belonged to a boat fishing club that used to fish of the rugged and remote coast. We had to usually launch through heavy surf off the beach. There was never any hosing facilities available and under no circumstances could you just dump your boat on the beach and push it into the waves without knowing for sure the motors were going to fire 1st time.

Our routine used to be to get the boat ready to dump into the water line, dry start each engine and run for 10 seconds then cut motors and proceed to launch. As soon as the boat was floating, the engines would be fired up and you would proceed through the breakers to calmer waters. Some sphincster clenching moments for sure.

The point I'm trying to make however is that in 4 years I replaced my impellors once, and the old one's hardly looked worn at all. So as Mark42 said, they are a lot more durable than people imagine. The main thing however is not to run it dry for more than 10 seconds or so.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: i did it again. dry start

while it's not a good idea to do on purpose, it's not that big a deal. The stories above prove that. Motors are tough.
We have to be in the habit of raising our motors almost any time we stop (on ESVA)due to shallow water and tides, so its not unusual to forget, start the motor while up,and then hit the tilt. Always do a 2 second bump before launching to see if the battery is OK. No problems in the past 35 years.

 

[liketofish]

Re: i did it again. dry start

Just saw a video on running an out board dry for 60 sec. and it didn't hurt the impeller at all.