should I run all the fuel out of my motor ?

[fisherguy123]

I don`t use my boat and motor on a daily basis but got in the habit of disconnecting the fuel line after using it and running all the fuel out of my lttle 9.5 johnson . I did this because I took it off and put it in the boat in the back of my truck and didn`t want any fuel leaking about out of the bowl when it was laid down. I now have a trailerable boat and a 50 merc on it. Should I continue to run it dry or is this a waste of fuel and time..? Is there any advantage to do this now ? I use the boat about every second weekend in the summer.

 

[444]

Re: should I run all the fuel out of my motor ?

The advantage is you don't have old gas sitting in your carb and evaporating out of it. The bad side is I don't like leaning out any engine to shut it off, especially a 2-stroke. On my 80's merc engines most of the fuel drains out and leaks everywhere when I tilt the motor up for storage/transport anyway!

 

[emoney]

Re: should I run all the fuel out of my motor ?

There's no question it would probably be better in the long run, however, it's so much easier not to do it. I'm like you, and always ran my little kicker motor out of fuel because it came off the sailboat after every use. Now that I can a 140 on a powerboat, however, much different story.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: should I run all the fuel out of my motor ?

It is IMPOSSIBLE to run ALL of the fuel out of a carbureted engine so it is a waste of time with one exception. If you have a small engine that is removed from the boat for transport then run it until it quits. But there will still be a small amount of fuel in the carb. For larger engines, treat the fuel with a fuel stabilizer and you won't have to worry about the fuel sitting in the carb as the treated fuel is good for at least six months.

 

[DJ]

Re: should I run all the fuel out of my motor ?

It is IMPOSSIBLE to run ALL of the fuel out of a carbureted engine so it is a waste of time with one exception. If you have a small engine that is removed from the boat for transport then run it until it quits. But there will still be a small amount of fuel in the carb. For larger engines, treat the fuel with a fuel stabilizer and you won't have to worry about the fuel sitting in the carb as the treated fuel is good for at least six months.

Agreed.

In addition, the mixed fuel keeps the shiny parts, in the crankcase, coated to help fight corrosion.

 

[fisherguy123]

Re: should I run all the fuel out of my motor ?

Agreed.

In addition, the mixed fuel keeps the shiny parts, in the crankcase, coated to help fight corrosion.

thanks for the advise....I will not run it out anymore until the end of the season !

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: should I run all the fuel out of my motor ?

I would continue to run it out. When the engine starts to die, tickle the choke over and over until it will not stay running. That will drop any remaing fuel down below the float valve and jets...And that is the critical part about the process.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: should I run all the fuel out of my motor ?

Fuel is almost always below the foat needle/jet and many carbs have jets in the bottom of the float bowl, so no amount of running it until it stops will change their status when it comes to being in or out of the fuel.

I never run them out of fuel and have no issues, many people run them dry every time and have no issues, a small percentage of people that do it either way have issues. You decide from there.

Running it dry will help reduce the amount that leaks out if you lay it down though.

 

[scooper77515]

Re: should I run all the fuel out of my motor ?

When the engine starts to die, tickle the choke over and over until it will not stay running. That will drop any remaing fuel down below the float valve and jets...And that is the critical part about the process.

This is a better way to pull more fuel out of the bowls, but as stated above, I would NOT do this on a two-stroke. Each time that piston goes up and down when it is starved for fuel, it is nearly dry and unlubricated.

A four-stroke, no problem, but on a 2-stroke, I would definitely NOT do it.

Your better bet would be to use a fuel stabilizer, and do yearly carb clean/rebuild for long life.

 

[1946Zephyr]

Re: should I run all the fuel out of my motor ?

Agreed. Running your two stroke out of fuel is also running it out of oil. I would run the fuel down till the first sneeze then shut 'er down.

 

[TOHATSU GURU]

Re: should I run all the fuel out of my motor ?

I guess the ten's of thousands of different outboards I have had run dry should be damaged...I must be the luckiest guy in the world that none of my dealerships have ever had an issue from running them dry over the last 47 years

 

[JimS123]

Re: should I run all the fuel out of my motor ?

I guess the ten's of thousands of different outboards I have had run dry should be damaged...I must be the luckiest guy in the world that none of my dealerships have ever had an issue from running them dry over the last 47 years

My take exactly.

 

[JimS123]

Re: should I run all the fuel out of my motor ?

Agreed. Running your two stroke out of fuel is also running it out of oil. I would run the fuel down till the first sneeze then shut 'er down.

The inside of a 2-stroke is all oiled up and sticky greasy. You justr ran it all day with the proper amount of oil in the gas tank. Do you think the last 4 seconds when it runs out of gas will eat up all that residual oil?

 

[ondarvr]

Re: should I run all the fuel out of my motor ?

I use the boat about every second weekend in the summer.

When using it that frequently it will make no difference what you do.

 

[Fed]

Re: should I run all the fuel out of my motor ?

2 stroke premix motors seem to start a lot easier if you run them dry but it's no good for oil injected motors.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: should I run all the fuel out of my motor ?

2 stroke premix motors seem to start a lot easier if you run them dry.

They do not, it makes no difference, especially short term like this.

 

[Monte1961]

Re: should I run all the fuel out of my motor ?

My little 1976 6hp jhon/rude kicker motor gets ran out of fuel every time we leave the lake and has for the last 5 seasons without any issues. I take it off and lay it down inside the boat that has carpet. Except for a little water, it hasn't,hurt anything! As far as over revving, leave it in gear in the water. It wont over rev. As far as the big motor goes, only at the end of the season and it starts up just fine in the spring!

 

[ondarvr]

Re: should I run all the fuel out of my motor ?

My little 1976 6hp jhon/rude kicker motor gets ran out of fuel every time we leave the lake and has for the last 5 seasons without any issues. I take it off and lay it down inside the boat that has carpet. Except for a little water, it hasn't,hurt anything! As far as over revving, leave it in gear in the water. It wont over rev. As far as the big motor goes, only at the end of the season and it starts up just fine in the spring!

Does this mean anything...no.

I have over 40 years of owning 5 to 10 outboards at a time and not running them out of fuel, does that trump your 5 years...no, it only means there is little difference between how each method works. When I find 2 methods that yield similar results I always choose the easier or simpler of the two.

 

[fisherguy123]

Re: should I run all the fuel out of my motor ?

Wow...lots of replies here.....It does run about 2 minutes after the line is disconnected so if I leave the gas in and I get 20 trips out that gives me 40 minutes of idle time over the boating season.....if I live another 20 years that would give me 13.33333333333333 hrs of idling.....that convinces me to leave the fuel in it....who can afford to give up all that boating with the price of gas nowadays !!!!!

 

[foodfisher]

Re: should I run all the fuel out of my motor ?

I wouldn't run an engine dry. For storage, empty the carb. bowl. Brief inbetweens, stabil.