Running your motors out of fuel

[hydrascott]

Do you guys run your motors dry (out of gas when still in the water) before taking the boat out of the water? If so then why? Does this cause any damage to the motor?

I don't practice this but have seen lots of people doing so. I just cant seem to figure out why they do this unless they are planning on storing their boat.

[troutski]

I never run my engine out of gas (on purpose anyway) I fish my at least once a week so I don't see any need for it, if you put yours up for the winter like some do it might make a difference, I don't know. If your really concerned as the boat doc in the Boat forum.

[Chrome Bumper]

Tear down you carbs for cleaning a few times and you will understand. Don't do it if you have fuel injection.

[Ifishwhisper]

My thoughts are and what I do is use good fuel conditioner and run the engine long enough to get the condioned fuel throughout the system and shut it down. Leave the fuel system full and if you have any evaporation the carbs will still be wet. If you run the fuel out, the gaskets can get dry and when the little remaining fuel evaporats it will leave deposites that can and will clogg your carbs.......
IFISHWHISPER

[Ethical hunter]

My boat is in the water year round and I use fuel conditioner and choke the motor off after using it. I like to make sure all the moving parts are awash with fuel/lube (two stroke). I have yet to have trouble getting it started.

EH

[KingFisher85]

I read on some two stroke thing, if you mix your gas/oil, do not run it till it dies. Run it till it starts to run ruff and then shut it down. If you run it till it dies, it won’t get the lubrication that it needs and then you have another problem.

[RiverMan]

I have always run all my 2 stroke kickers dry and have had no problems whatsoever.

RM

[1pump]

:yeahthat:

I usually run mine dry unless I know for sure that I'm going to be using it again real soon. I don't want the gas to evaporate and leave the oil behind. I noticed a long time ago that if I don't, the motor won't start as easily as it usually does.
I bought my Merc new in '87 and have always done this. Letting it run out of gas at an idle won't hurt it. If I did it repeatedly at high speed then there would probably be some damage.

[Wildswede]

I was taught as a kid by my mechanic Father to always run the fuel out of a carburated motor if you were not going to use it in a day or two. The rational for this is that as the fuel evaporates it will gum up the jets in the carb. I have practiced this faithfully for the past 40 years and have never had any trouble with my motors, big or small. In fact my motors have always started right up, even after sitting for a couple of months. I work with a guy that was an outboard motor mechanic for about 10 years and he confirms this philosophy. Hope this helps.

[BrotherWolf]

I was taught as a kid by my mechanic Father to always run the fuel out of a carburated motor if you were not going to use it in a day or two. The rational for this is that as the fuel evaporates it will gum up the jets in the carb. I have practiced this faithfully for the past 40 years and have never had any trouble with my motors, big or small. In fact my motors have always started right up, even after sitting for a couple of months. I work with a guy that was an outboard motor mechanic for about 10 years and he confirms this philosophy. Hope this helps.

:yeahthat:

[Sometimeslucky]

I run some stuff in my fuel called RACOR. It is a fuel conditioner, and stabilizer. Works great. I even use it in my lawn mower, truck, and chain saw. It will not allow the fuel to form a laquer. Just a thought.:smirk:

[Ethical hunter]

Choke it until it dies.

EH

[biederboat]

I have been told, but have never actually verified, that running it till it dies DOES NOT remove all the old fuel. However, I can say that wether or not it does, on some motors you are foolish to not drain the carbs (open up the bowl drain screws with motor tilted all the way down). On my Suzuki, which has very small jets (2-stroke, oil injected) if I don't drain the carbs (assuming I won't use it for a while, say over two weeks), it will build up a cruddy residue in the bowls and I have to disassemble ALL the carbs, clean-out and reassemble. Actually, I got to where I could do the whole process in about an hour, but not without some cussing and swearing!!:mad:

Biederboat

[spooner]

if u have a carb with oil injection dont run it dry untill the end of the season i learned the hard way runinbg it dry every time it fouled the plugs every time and filed the cilenders fill of oil that was a pain and lots of spark plugs and stranded a few times. just fog it at the end of the season and call it good.

[Fish Mode]

I was taught as a kid by my mechanic Father to always run the fuel out of a carburated motor if you were not going to use it in a day or two. The rational for this is that as the fuel evaporates it will gum up the jets in the carb. I have practiced this faithfully for the past 40 years and have never had any trouble with my motors, big or small. In fact my motors have always started right up, even after sitting for a couple of months. I work with a guy that was an outboard motor mechanic for about 10 years and he confirms this philosophy. Hope this helps.

:yeahthat:

another thing, I've actually have found some more gas in my carbs after running the engines until they've died...I guess if you want to do it right, DRAIN the carb out of its fuel after running them dry. BTW, my motor is a 9.9 honda

do your oil changes!!!