Running the Outboard

[zippy83]

Hello,

Lets say you are busy and cant make it out for the next 6-7 months due to young family and a new job. Should one be taking the boat put of the garage and run it for like 15 min with ear muffs on? I have a buddy that rearly takes his boat out, and when he does he has all kinds of problems.. Would running it for like 15 min every month help that issue?

Thanks
Zipp

 

[Grub54891]

Re: Running the Outboard

I'd get some fresh non ethanol fuel,add a good stabilizer,run it on muffs for 1/2 hour. Should be fine to. Let er sit during that time. If ya like you can still run it occasionally. Doesn't hurt to fog it also for storage.

 

[IllesheimVet]

Re: Running the Outboard

Mine's a 4 stroke and I run it on muffs once a month when not used in the winter months. I don't winterize it, but still use a fuel stabilizer and non-ethanol gas. It seldom gets below 32 deg. where I live and boat is in an enclosed garage. This works well in my situation, yours may be different.

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: Running the Outboard

If it's a 2 strokes pre mix engine, runing on muffs at least once each 15 days for at least 5 minutes would be fine, run carb dry untill engine drops dead (2 strokes oil issues) Don't winterize my engines ever.

Happy Boating

 

[zippy83]

Re: Running the Outboard

run carb dry untill engine drops dead (2 strokes oil issues)

Happy Boating

What do you mean by that? Disconect the fuel hose and the ear muffs?

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Running the Outboard

I run mine periodically when idle, like now the lakes are all down with the drought and all. I used to run em dry and never had a problem but quit when I bought an oil injected engine 2 cycle. As stated by one of the guys who keeps us behaving (Administrator), you never know which cylinder will quit first and yes there is residual oil in the cylinder but it's still running low. Course at idle, the engine requires very little oil, especially for the time it takes for the engine to die.

So, suit yourself.

Mark

 

[barrynfla]

Re: Running the Outboard

What do you mean by that? Disconect the fuel hose and the ear muffs?

Disconnect the fuel hose but leave the muffs on until the motor stops. You still want the water intake as long as it's running. Leaving as little gas as possible in the carb helps keep the jets, etc. from getting gummed up.

 

[WN2712NJ]

Re: Running the Outboard

Disconnect the fuel hose but leave the muffs on until the motor stops. You still want the water intake as long as it's running. Leaving as little gas as possible in the carb helps keep the jets, etc. from getting gummed up.

I've been following this advice and it just cost me $250 for replacing the float needle valve in a 4 stroke Merc 9.9HP kicker.

Even if you run the engine "dry" there will still be gas in the bottom of the carb. If that gas has ethanol in it, look out!

Tohatsu Guru (frequent poster here) has advised that you have to repeatedly choke the engine while running it dry, or simply give up on that approach and instead remove a drain screw at the bottom of the carb bowl.

Now I never use gas with ethanol in it!

-dm

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Running the Outboard

Leaving "a little" gas in the carbs is what causes the gumming issue. It takes "air" to create the problem. If the carb is left full of TREATED fuel you will not have an issue. Air on internal parts of a carb is not a good thing. Running the engine on muffs is a good thing. It is not necessary to drain the carbs. Adding any of the fuel system stabilizers (SeaFoam, Stabil, StarTron etc) and then running the engine long enough to get the mixture into the carbs is all you need. Fogging the engine si also not necessary for that short term storage but it won't harm anything. Besides, if you plan to run the engine periodically (the all around best approach) why bother fogging it as you just burn off the stuff and it may even have a problem starting.

 

[zippy83]

Re: Running the Outboard

ok all s clear now, but one question remains: do I run it in idle, or put in in forward and reverse for some time? This is an older 50HP 2 cycle Mercury.

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: Running the Outboard

Run at idle or fast idle in neutral, if wanting to drop engine dead, disconnect engine fuel hose and let die, will have about 5 minutes flushing before dying. Runing carb dry on 2 strokes pre mix engines is ideal for boaters that doesn't know when will be their next outing or boating sporadically. Fuel evaporates and remaining oil clogs internal small carb gas passages, bad music.

Happy Boating

 

[roscoe]

Re: Running the Outboard

I vote for winterizing, fogging well, and letting her sit.
Been doing this for 50 years. no problems.

The only motors we ever ran the fuel out of, were the ones that were hailed the the car trunk, or stored in the basement.


If you have 1 ounce of fuel in your float bowl, it will contain 1/2 ml +/- of oil.
And IF the gas all evaporates, the oil will be a small smudge on the bottom of the bowl.
It doesn't climb, or magically jump up into the jets.

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Running the Outboard

There are a thousand ways to store an engine, most yield the same results...no issues, this is what creates all the controversy, everybody has "their way" to do it and they all have very few, if any, problems, so they think they’ve found the only way to do it.

Me...I stop the motor and leave it, nothing else is done, it’s only worked for 50 years of using outboards. I'm lazy and it’s simple.

Running it periodically will be fine, if you are, don't bother running it out of fuel (this doesn't do much to help), whatever fuel that's left in the carb will just evaporate sooner and possibly leave some scum that much faster. If you want to leave it empty just drain the carb. Fuel stabilizers work and will help, I still have a bottle or two from about ten years ago that I haven’t gotten around to using yet.

 

[pootnic]

Re: Running the Outboard

There a thousand ways to store an engine, most yield the same results...no issues, this is what creates all the controversy, everybody has "their way" to do it and they all have very few, if any, problems, so they think they’ve found the only way to do it.

Me...I stop the motor and leave it, nothing else is done, it’s only worked for 50 years of using outboards. I'm lazy and it’s simple.

Running it periodically will be fine, if you are, don't bother running it out of fuel (this doesn't do much to help), whatever fuel that's left in the carb will just evaporate sooner and possibly leave some scum that much faster. If you want to leave it empty just drain the carb. Fuel stabilizers work and will help, I still have a bottle or two from about ten years ago that I haven’t gotten around to using yet.

Woohoo,someone does it close to my way..lol
Take my motor off for the winter,put them in the basement...3/4 months later,put them back on the boats.
Smell the mixed gas that was sitting in the shed,skunky save for brush piles or ant hills...smell good--add more gas/oil,last few years some seafoam,go to the lake and start.
20+ years,not a problem(probably just jinxed myself).
All carbed 2 strokes...

 

[zippy83]

Re: Running the Outboard

if the outboard that I have was any newer (10 yrs or so) I wouldnt run it periodicly, but since its an 78 Model (older then me by 5 years) I am a litle nervous not running it periodicly. Since this is my first setup I wanted to get some experiance out of it before I get something newer. I appreciate all the suggestions, and I will try to keep it running (the mechanic I had it work on said: it can go for another 10 years if taken care of, I personaly find that hard to belive, any bigger repair that would have to be done on it I will debate that move)

Zipp

 

[ronboonville]

Re: Running the Outboard

I think you should go ahead and start it up every now and then for your own peace of mind. muffs yes. Here in Missouri you never know if the water levels maybe too high or low, too hot or cold to go play. Or work or soccer games may prevent you from playing with your toys. If nothing else could be good karma. So go out and play with your boat in the driveway!

 

[zippy83]

Re: Running the Outboard

Right On!!!!

 

[ondarvr]

Re: Running the Outboard

if the outboard that I have was any newer (10 yrs or so) I wouldnt run it periodicly, but since its an 78 Model (older then me by 5 years) I am a litle nervous not running it periodicly. Since this is my first setup I wanted to get some experiance out of it before I get something newer. I appreciate all the suggestions, and I will try to keep it running (the mechanic I had it work on said: it can go for another 10 years if taken care of, I personaly find that hard to belive, any bigger repair that would have to be done on it I will debate that move)

Zipp

Why would the age make any difference. I have 4 motors older than that and they may go years without being used, just sitting on the rack. On a days notice they are put into use as backups, or loaners. Again, no issues.

 

[zippy83]

Re: Running the Outboard

I dont know... that is why I asked... But it wont hurt to run it eather..

 

[Home Cookin']

Re: Running the Outboard

The main thing is to use good gas at each step.

when you last run it, run good, treated gas through it.

If you run it occassionally while sitting, use fresh gas, treated, not the old stuff.

when you start up after sitting a long time, use fresh gas.

I used to run the gas out; now I don't, although we had a Yam 25 at the hunt club that if you didn't run it out, it wouldn't start a month later.

do not rev it on the muffs--it is not under a load and that can have serious repercussions.

run it outside. Bake your neighbors some cookies. You will not be popular.

Draining the carbs makes the most sense. Pulling the string every now and again is a good idea even if you don't start it.