end of day fuel clear?

[Panhead Jim]

I've owned outboards up to 55HP since 1980. Currently have a 50HP Johnson. I was told when buying my very first one to always run it out of fuel at the end of the day, would prevent all sorts of old fuel related problems. Now I do this still - go get the truck, back it in, jump in the boat, pull the fuel at the motor, and use the last bit of fuel to put the boat on the trailer. I leave the boat in forward while hooking up the bow hook, usually runs out within 30 seconds of final secure. Then I just turn off the key and pull 'er out. Have, of course, never had an "old fuel problem." Does anybody else do this? I run my boat regularly, usually 2 or 3 days a month, sometimes more, rarely less. I go out of my way to buy non-ethanol fuel. What are your thoughts or experiences, good or bad with this program?

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: end of day fuel clear?

You're never going to get all the fuel out of the bowls without physically draining them.
Never done this, and I use the evil ethanol fuel that some people get hysterical about.
No problems....

What ever works for you though...

 

[pckeen]

Re: end of day fuel clear?

If you are using premium gas, I wouldn't think you need to do this. You are basically doing a partial winterize every time you use the boat. If you were going to let it sit longer than a month, running the fuel out is a good idea. If fuel sits in the carburettors for too long, it will eventually evaporate, leaving residue behind that can clog the carbs - by running it out, you are preventing this for happening.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: end of day fuel clear?

Runing the fuel out of a multiple carb 2 cycle motor can be a bad idea, as one carb always runs out first, which means part of the motor gets no oil. In addition, running the fuel out is unnecessary. I have never run my motors dry, not even for winter storage. I use stabilizer over the winter, which I make sure gets into the carbs, before lay-up.

In your case 2-3 weeks is not an issue. You do not need any additives, you can use whatever kind of regular gas in your fuel, E10 or E0.

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: end of day fuel clear?

opcorn:

 

[pootnic]

Re: end of day fuel clear?

Theres been a few posts on this same question,gets entertaining at times...
All I'm going to add is,I don't run my outboards dry(if you even can get them totally dry),never any problems.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: end of day fuel clear?

Up here in the tundra our collector cars, yard equipment, and yes -- our boats sit for six months out of the year with fuel in them. Treated with any of the usual fuel system treatments that fuel will go bang in the spring. It makes no difference if it is ethanol blended fuel or whatever you consider "good" fuel. The only issues in this regard is when people simply ignore the fuel system. Those same folks probably ignore all other general maintenance as well and then blame the ethanol when things go wrong.

 

[roscoe]

Re: end of day fuel clear?

The only motors we ever rans dry, were small portable motors that had to be transporting in the trunk of the car.
We just didn't want the gas to leak out inside the car.
That was back in the day when you could put a 12 or 14' boat on the roof of a car, and pull a camper at the same time.

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: end of day fuel clear?

my conclusion from many discussions here and among friends, is that is one of the things we used to do, but don't do any longer. I did and I don't.