Running out of fuel

[dozerII]

The marine shop I use to tune my outboard, recommended I disconnect the fuel line at the end of my outing to run the carbs dry, if I am not going to be using the unit for mor than a month. He says the gas we are buying is crap and will gum things up very quickly. Do you see any problems with this, will it hurt the engine?
Thanks

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Running out of fuel

Actually that is questionable advice. A carb that sits empty is more likely to develop varnish than one that is full. Besides, you cannot run a carb dry. There will always be a fair amount left inside. Less air -- less varnish. The real solution is to use a fuel system treatment like Stabil or Sea Foam in every tank of fuel. I am currently running a test on Ethanol blended fuel to demonstrate that there is a lot less to worry about than uneducated/undertrained techs are professing. Phase separation is the operative "clause" that the so called experts are tossing about. I'm four months into this demonstration and will wait until after the first of the year to publish pictures of what six month old untreated fuel looks like. Since I live up in the tundra, I just pulled my snowblower out of the shed where it has lived since last April. Treated fuel resulted in it starting on the first tug of the cord as it has for the last umpteen years. Treat the fuel and stop worrying.

 

[steelespike]

Re: Running out of fuel

Excellent advice ^^

 

[OldMercsRule]

Re: Running out of fuel

I'm not gonna second guess Silvertip, as I have learned a lot of what I know from reading his posts here and I respect him a great deal, and readily corncede his superior knowledge 'bout engines.

That said: n' as an untrained non tech back woods pseudo wrench banger, (that only werks on his chit when he has to or fer maintenence), n' with only one functional brain cell I very rarely rebuild carbs and I run many carbed outboards n' other machines and have fer many years as an' old fart.

I have always run the gas out of me outboards, chainsaws, gennys, lawnmowers et al as me father also did and he also didn't have to rebuild carbs either n' both of us had many many years of trouble free service outa gas fired toys n' tools. I also use the choke to get as much fuel out as I can when I do run 'em out, n' I tip the Black girls up to help drain any residual as well.

I do go outa me way to get non e-10 fuel, butt it is getting very hard to avoid e-10 these days in the Soviet Union where I live.

When I'm runnin' the last fuel through the outboard, toy or tool, (at season end), I do treat the fuel as Silvertip recommends.

I always treat all the gas I put into me 4x4 Nissan pick up that always sits out on RR island, (over 100 inches of annual rain fall), ta pull me boats in and out of the Lake. The high milage 160,000 plus, (butt good shape) small truck sits outside all the time in a very wet, humid environment, (that the rest of me outboards also sit in), with me toys n' tools that are inside one of me sheds or some such.

The truck never goes anywhere butt a short trip down the ramp to launch one of the fleet or retrieve 'em. I've had ta R & R the starter n' altinator n' change the 8 plugs, rotor n' cap on the four banger butt never any carb work ater the initial tune up I gave if when I bought it n' floated it out to RR island ten years ago.

So from the warped perspective of an unwashed fool with one functional brain cell who has had a great deal of success avoidin' carb rebuilds over the years: RUN 'EM OUTA FUEL.

Me overpriced $.02. JR

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Running out of fuel

Just keep in mind that if the gas is also supplying the oil, as you run out of gas you're also running out of oil.

I'd also agree to leave the carbs with treated fuel or simply drain them. Once they are drained you can clean out the residue by spraying the bowls thru the drain hole with something like Brake Kleen or Electra Kleen.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: Running out of fuel

Up and out there, Summer is the nicest day you have. Gasoline simply will not evaporate from the carbs during the cold weather; varnish and gum usually form as the fuel evaporates. Leave them full and if it makes you feel better, add some stabilizer to the fuel before the last run.

 

[OldMercsRule]

Re: Running out of fuel

Just keep in mind that if the gas is also supplying the oil, as you run out of gas you're also running out of oil.

I'd also agree to leave the carbs with treated fuel or simply drain them. Once they are drained you can clean out the residue by spraying the bowls thru the drain hole with something like Brake Kleen or Electra Kleen.

I knew one of you resident "big guns" would say that.

I always run a little heavy on the oil in me premix; and I fog at season end every year. Non of me engines are oil injected either.

I believe that there is plenty of residul TCW-3 oil in the crank case after the fuel is run outa the carbs, (butt I only have a single functional brain cell).

All I can say is it has werked fer my now deceased Father, my now deceased Uncle (both fished commercially in Alaska), me Brother who now fishes commercially in Alaska, my Cousin who did fish commercially in Alaska, and me fer many MANY years on many Many different outboards that have given trouble free service.

Never ever had any problems runnin' 'em outa fuel causin' crank, bearin', or rod problems n' none of us mentioned above rebuild very many carbs over the years.

Jus' an opinion from a mentally challenged feller who luvs Black girls.

"Yer milage may vary". JR

 

[pecheux]

Re: Running out of fuel

Up and out there, Summer is the nicest day you have. Gasoline simply will not evaporate from the carbs during the cold weather; varnish and gum usually form as the fuel evaporates. Leave them full and if it makes you feel better, add some stabilizer to the fuel before the last run.

I second that ...

 

[OldMercsRule]

Re: Running out of fuel

I second that ...

Yup n' I third it.

I run me outboards outa fuel everytime I leave 'em sit fer a most of a week or more. That means almost every time I leave 'er tied to the slip fer a few days.

Only one brain cell. JR

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Running out of fuel

Up and out there, Summer is the nicest day you have. Gasoline simply will not evaporate from the carbs during the cold weather; varnish and gum usually form as the fuel evaporates. Leave them full and if it makes you feel better, add some stabilizer to the fuel before the last run.

I'm with Frank.
Good advice sir. (in my opinion)

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Running out of fuel

I run Seafoam in every tank and run my carb (singular) dry before I pull the boat out...don't know why, I just do it. No probs so far. Guess it boils down to preference...kinda like blondes, brunettes, redheads.

 

[pecheux]

Re: Running out of fuel

I run Seafoam in every tank and run my carb (singular) dry before I pull the boat out...don't know why, I just do it. No probs so far. Guess it boils down to preference...kinda like blondes, brunettes, redheads.

Yep, I tried both methods and had no problem either way but I just feel (IMO) that an oil/gas mix is a natural environement for all carburators internal parts ... air is not.

 

[BaDucK]

Re: Running out of fuel

Guess it boils down to preference...kinda like blondes, brunettes, redheads.

MMMMMMM neopolitan

 

[dozerII]

Re: Running out of fuel

Turns out to be a great discussion, and pretty much boils down to personel preference. I quess if I add a stabilizer and run the carbs dry I will get the best of both.
Thanks
Glen

 

[tmcalavy]

Re: Running out of fuel

Neopolitan...yummm. But back on topic, running my motors out of gas at the ramp before I pull the boat out is my preference because I get to boat maybe 6-8 times a year...generally less. There is no gravity drain on my Big Twins, or I'd be temped to shut them down and drain them by hand. Our local gas supply is iffy...so I buy only what I can use in one trip out...bad results with separation when I tried storing a tank. And since my baby shares the garage with wifey's car (I put the boat in my bay), I can't have a vented tank full of gas in there making the garage smell like a fuel pump...SWMBO doesn't like that. So I run my Big Twins outta gas using Sea Foam and a richer fuel mix.

 

[OldMercsRule]

Re: Running out of fuel

I run Seafoam in every tank and run my carb (singular) dry before I pull the boat out...don't know why, I just do it. No probs so far. Guess it boils down to preference...kinda like blondes, brunettes, redheads.

LOL...LOL Yup n' I like blondes, brunettes, redheads....butt most of all: BLACK GIRLS!!!! JR

 

[jasper60103]

Re: Running out of fuel

Now you guys got me worried. Last weekend I drained the gas from the carb bowl and changed my fuel lines. Should I pump her up?

 

[jay_merrill]

Re: Running out of fuel

I grew up running carbs dry after using a boat. That's what "everyone" did. The difference between now and then, is that most had two cylinder engines with one carb.

These days, most engines are multi-cylinder, multi-carb setups (if they have carbs at all), so the "run it out of fuel" scenario isn't quite the same. The thought of dragging a cylinder or two that is/are not getting premix, with a couple that are, is not a stress free thought, IMO.

I am usually in my boat at least once a week, so this isn't much of an issue to me, but even when I can't get out as often, I just hook the hose up to a muff, slap it on the engine and run my motor for about ten minutes or so. That doesn't deal with the issue of "old fuel," but I don't see fuel that is a few weeks old as being a big deal.



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