The Debate is run it empty or not ?

[Tony T.]

Ok my mechanic buddy has instructed me that when I'm through boating at the lake or pretty quick soon after arriving home to dis-connect my fuel line from the tank and run all the fuel out of the line and the carbs because of this cheap ethanol gas we have to use these day's. The closest place for me to get ethanol free gas is 30 miles away or I would use that, what I call good regular gas like the old day's. I just watched a You Tube video, an the boat engine mechanic recommended running the gas out of line and carbs when done boating (unless you are going right back out very very soon). One of the guys commented below on his video saying this is wrong, that by doing this you can score a piston wall because there is no lubrication when re-start that your carbs need to stay full of gas/oil mixer, what do you say ?


Tony

 

[ondarvr]

Lots of misconceptions on both sides.

​If you have oil injection you'll fill the carbs with oil if you run it dry like that.

​While there's a possibility you could score a piston, I've never heard of it happening, and there's a bit of extra oil that hangs out in the crankcase anyway, so it would take a little while to use it up.

​Running it dry doesn't empty the carb, it only lowers the fuel level, so it helps, but it's not perfect.

Removing the drain plug in the carb will typically be the only way to get all of the fuel out.

​You'll have people say, "I never run it dry and I never have issues".

You'll have people say, "I always run it dry and I never have issues".

​You'll have people say, "I do it both ways and always have issues".

​You'll have people say, "I only run E-0 and never have issues".

​You'll have people say, "I only run E-10 and never have issues".

​You'll have people say, "I run both and always have issues".

​You'll have people say, "I always run XXX miracle in a can gas additive and I never have issues".

​You'll have people say, "I never use a gas additive and I never have issues".


I could go on and on

​So do whatever it is that works for you, or makes you feel good, then move on to the next major life decision.

 

[boobie]

Listen to your mechanic buddy !!!

 

[F_R]

Very controversial subject and sure to start an argument. My take is that it will not score a cylinder from lack of oil because when it runs out of oil it also is out of gas and will quit running. And you cannot re-start it without filling the carb. OK the other side of the story, and was started by OMC, is that on multi-carburetor engines, the upper ones do run for a bit with no fuel until the lower ones run out.

Myself, I run mine out.

 

[flyingscott]

What motor are you talking about? Does it have a working VRO?

 

[jimmbo]

We used to just drain the fuel the bowl(s) and blow some low pressure air through the fuel line to evacuate.

 

[Tony T.]

What motor are you talking about? Does it have a working VRO?

My Evinrude 60hp has a dis-connected VRO, but I was mainly referring to my Evinrude 6 hp and Johnson 15 hp & 9.9 hp outboards here lately. I guess in a nut shell any 2 stroke outboard.

Tony

 

[Joe Reeves]

My Evinrude 60hp has a dis-connected VRO, but I was mainly referring to my Evinrude 6 hp and Johnson 15 hp & 9.9 hp outboards here lately. I guess in a nut shell any 2 stroke outboard. Tony

You're going to hear some other members state that and engine with multiple carburetors can be run out of gas repeatedly with no harmful effects to the engine's bearings, cylinder walls, etc.... Frankly I don't buy that story.

(Running Engine Out Of Gas)
(J. Reeves)

If the engine has but one carburetor, it's unlikely that running the engine out of gas would do any harm. When the carburetor runs out of the fuel/oil mixture, the engine stops running.

However, a engine that has more than one carburetor should simply be shut off. The reasoning is that the top carburetor will run out of fuel first due to gravity and the engine will continue to run on because of the still existing fuel in the other lower carburetors.

This results in having at least one aluminum piston running up and down a steel cylinder wall with improper or no lubrication. Not a good idea!

 

[interalian]

I always disconnect then run my x-flow until it stumbles (not outright shuts down), then cut the ignition. The original 90 was done like that since '82 and its innards were pristine. Never had any crud in the carbies either - actually only rebuilt them for the first time after 25 years of occasional use.

 

[racerone]

Running motors out of gas is the best way to keep the carburetor clean.---But there are many who will argue all day long.--It is impossible for the oil that is inside the engine and coating all the parts to disappear once fuel stops going into a cylinder.---Folks just do not grasp the concept of 2 stroke lubrication and how long oil stays in the engine !!----Have never seen any warnings on fuel tanks or in manuals either !!

 

[jimmbo]

I know my inline 6 ran out of gas repeatedly at WOT, those 5 gal tanks just don't last too long, It was still running 14 yrs later when I traded it.

 

[fhhuber]

Do you disconnect the fuel line and run the gas out of your car's fuel system?

Game over.

 

[racerone]

???----Why toss in the comment on cars ?-----The issue is MIXED fuel / oil sitting in a carburetpr for extended periods.

 

[flyingscott]

The only time I drain my carbs is for extended storage periods over winter. I have a 70 hp with a working VRO so disconnecting the fuel line is not an option for me. I run BRP 2+4 in my tanks and have never had a problem. So 2 schools of thought on the subject and I don't think either one is wrong it is up to you.

 

[Fed]

Pre mix motors definitely start easier if you run them dry imo.

 

[gm280]

I always disconnected the fuel line and let it run until it stopped. Never a problem in any engines I ever owned. And I kept my O/B engines for decades. JMHO

 

[F_R]

I know my inline 6 ran out of gas repeatedly at WOT, those 5 gal tanks just don't last too long, It was still running 14 yrs later when I traded it.

Exactly. If it was going to harm the motor, then portable tanks would be death on them. People habitually run it till the tank runs dry and then switch tanks. Often at wide open throttle.

 

[Tony T.]

In the You Tube video that I watched, I mentioned at the start of the post the boat motor mechanic also showed a gas/fuel line where the inner clear liner was coming apart due to this ethanol fuel being left in the line. and he also showed all the built up crud in the carbs from ethanol fuel. I use a fuel stabilizer myself, but I also do run out gas/oil mixture for extended periods of time of no use.

All the gas pumps in my area has a sticker on them stating contains 10% ethanol.


Tony

 

[interalian]

I know my inline 6 ran out of gas repeatedly at WOT, those 5 gal tanks just don't last too long, It was still running 14 yrs later when I traded it.

This.

Our boat has always run on 5 gallon tanks, and we always drained them before switching. Kinda forgot about that.

 

[ondarvr]

In the You Tube video that I watched, I mentioned at the start of the post the boat motor mechanic also showed a gas/fuel line where the inner clear liner was coming apart due to this ethanol fuel being left in the line. and he also showed all the built up crud in the carbs from ethanol fuel. I use a fuel stabilizer myself, but I also do run out gas/oil mixture for extended periods of time of no use.

All the gas pumps in my area has a sticker on them stating contains 10% ethanol.


Tony

​I've run E-10 for 25+ years, still waiting for all the horror stories to come true, same with all my friends. Is it the same as the other stuff...no, but just get used to it and move on.

​By the way, I do nothing, I turn off the key at the end of the day and the next time I use the boat I turn it to start, no gas additives, no running it out of fuel or draining the carb, nothing.

​The boat I normally use the most hasn't been started in almost 2 years, so I'll see how it goes when I do start it. My longest length of time was 7 years, hooked up the battery and fresh gas can, it started and ran fine for the rest of the season.

​There were plugged up carbs and aged fuel lines around long before E-10 was on the scene, the E-10 just destroyed the cheap components quicker, the better quality stuff appears to hold up fine.