Motor trouble????

[Jetsledder]

I ran my boat out on the lake the other day and got up on plane then my motor died on me after starting and dieing a couple of times it wouldnt start again.. Had somebody tow me back to the dock. After getting the boat back on the trailer I looked in the gas tank and found it on empty so problem solved why motor wouldnt run. What i was wondering does it hurt the motor to run the gas tank on dry. My motor is a two stroke mercury 115.

[ampersat]

short answer: yes.

it will hurt your motor. however, you most likely didn't destroy your motor. probably not even close. folks make a common practice of disconnecting the gas line and running the motor out to empty the carbs and prevent varnish from building up. the only thing you did differently was you were actually running the boat when you did it.

since two strokes rely on the oil you mix in with the gas for lubrication, you'll get some scoring of the cylinder walls and maybe the crankshaft as it leans out then dies. you only did it a couple of times so the damage is minimal. if you notice A LOT more smoke the next time you run it, then you've got problems. i'm betting you won't even notice a difference though.

[TundraIII]

Exactly the reason I hit the gas station every time I head out. Luckily have never run out of gas! But I have had a couple of buddies who have. I'm willing to bet you wont notice one bit of difference once you get her fueled up again.

[zipper]

I would remove and clean the inline fuel filter -often times you can suck some crap off the bottom of the tank when you run empty. If you don't already have one, now may be the time to install a screw on filter for added insurance! Good Luck! zip