WOT when outboard is not on the water ok?

[Bustedknuckle84]

I have a 03 Honda 200 HP 4 stroke fuel injected. Is it ok to run the rpms to the highest point for a second or 2? Will the rpms go up to max when out of the water (of coarse with water hooked up) or is there a safety measure limiting to 3k and below. Seems like my rpms do not go above 3k.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: WOT when outboard is not on the water ok?

NOT a good idea.............start engine, apply wot, count to 2, shut down motor, haul to scrap yard, install new motor.........

 

[F_R]

Re: WOT when outboard is not on the water ok?

I don't know if it has a rev limiter or not, but if it does it is there to protect the motor from anybody that would pull such a trick.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: WOT when outboard is not on the water ok?

there is phenomenon known as "run away motor" where a revved up motor with no resistance takes off and won't shut down until it flies to pieces, killing all who stick around to watch. I'm not making this up.

Same goes for revving in neutral when trying a cold start on a cranky motor.

 

[robert graham]

Re: WOT when outboard is not on the water ok?

I believe a maximum of 1500 RPM's is generally accepted practice for motors not under load....

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: WOT when outboard is not on the water ok?

To test at wot and gear will need a special test prop to run engine on water tank, don't know if same applies using muffs ? To run out at water at wot and in neutral is the worst idea of all...

Happy Boating

 

[JB]

Re: WOT when outboard is not on the water ok?

All of the above apply to 2 stroke outboards; revving without a load is an invitation to thermal runaway and explosion. I never heard of a 4 stroke doing that, but I wouldn't risk such a large investment finding out.

Honda may have put safety features in your outboard to save it. I don't know this, but it makes sense.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: WOT when outboard is not on the water ok?

To test at wot will need a special test prop to run engine on water tank at gear, don't know if same applies using muffs ? Tu run out at water at wot and at neutral is the worst idea of all...

Happy Boating

running in a tank with a "wheel" is OK but not the same as on muffs as there is no resistance. The muffs only provide a small amount of water for cooling and lubricating the impeller; the lack of water is important for all speeds but the lack of resistance is important for speeds above idle.

while we're at it, don't run the motor on the built-in hose attachment, either. Flush with the motor off. Otherwise you fry your impeller.

 

[Bustedknuckle84]

Re: WOT when outboard is not on the water ok?

This motor to my understanding has a rev limiter however all of your advice makes sense. Ill wait till i get to the water. I know this is the case for cars as well never max the rpms out without a load.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: WOT when outboard is not on the water ok?

there is phenomenon known as "run away motor" where a revved up motor with no resistance takes off and won't shut down until it flies to pieces, killing all who stick around to watch. I'm not making this up.

Same goes for revving in neutral when trying a cold start on a cranky motor.

I had that happen to me on my current 90 3 cyl Merc. I was working on the carbs and had the spark advance linkage off and did something to cause this phenomenon. Tach peaks at 7k. Pegged the tach hard and it took me a couple of minutes to get it shut down, key to Off was a useless exercise. Am running the engine today with no detected discrepancy. Lucky? You bet. My engine does not have a rev limiter. When running in the driveway, I will "goose" it 2 or 3 times, but that's it.

HTH,
Mark

 

[sutor623]

Re: WOT when outboard is not on the water ok?

Poor little Honda.

 

[sschefer]

Re: WOT when outboard is not on the water ok?

It's generally not an accepted practice since the engine would not be under load as it is designed to be when it reaches the RPM's of WOT. A four stroke would not normalyl run-away after a quick run up to max RPM unless it is running extremely lean or is already in an overheated state. As mentioned above, the motor would likely exceed the max RPM's unless it had a rev limiter on it and that would put the internal components in a state that they are not intended to be. Motors today tend to be built with much higher prescison then those of the past so the geometry would probably remain stable well beyond the recommended max RPM's.

In all honesty, I see nothing to gain by running it at WOT out of the water. Even a poorly running outboard will seem like it's running decent without a load on it. It all changes when you get it in the water and start trying to push a brick of a boat around. Save the WOT test for then.

 

[Philster]

Re: WOT when outboard is not on the water ok?

There's no practical way w/out a rev limiter to rev it up to WOT briefly without incurring too much risk.

In other words, it's theoretically possible to do it without harm, but there are too many variables and downsides for anyone to ever recommend it.

I would file this idea under: Nothing good can come from it.

 

[dingbat]

Re: WOT when outboard is not on the water ok?

there is phenomenon known as "run away motor" where a revved up motor with no resistance takes off and won't shut down until it flies to pieces, killing all who stick around to watch. I'm not making this up.

There is no such thing as ?run away? in a four stroke. It's a 2 stroke phenomenon

 

[BonairII]

Re: WOT when outboard is not on the water ok?

Out of curiosity.......WHY do you want to go WOT in the driveway? Assuming that you're trying to figure out some problem with the motor, Revving the throttle that high in the driveway will be of no diagnostic help that I know of.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: WOT when outboard is not on the water ok?

to scare the cats

 

[Texasmark]

Re: WOT when outboard is not on the water ok?

Out of curiosity.......WHY do you want to go WOT in the driveway? Assuming that you're trying to figure out some problem with the motor, Revving the throttle that high in the driveway will be of no diagnostic help that I know of.

To see how it will take throttle. If it won't take a "goose" in the driveway, how would one expect to accomplish a satisfactory hole shot. Not saying passing a goose passes the hole, converse: if it won't it surely won't.

Mark

 

[aerobat]

Re: WOT when outboard is not on the water ok?

how would one expect to accomplish a satisfactory hole shot.

i understand... ok.

the engine has a rev limiter when in neutral. so you have to put it in forward gear - then , standing on muffs, push the lever on the table and leave it there. please report how the engine ( or the rod ) came "out of the hole" . :facepalm:

 

[tpenfield]

Re: WOT when outboard is not on the water ok?

Well, we all have probably rev'd an engine up with no load a few times during our lives . . . just to wake up the neighbors or something.

. . . I would not recommend it . . . because the way I look at it, nothing good can happen.

 

[JB]

Re: WOT when outboard is not on the water ok?

Revving an outboard, 2 or 4 stroke, with no load tells you nothing useful. Many will sound great with half of the cylinders dead.