Outboard Motors

[Blaine]

I've always pulled the gas line after I finished and let the motor run dry before taking it out of the water. A couple of people I would normally trust said I should run Stabil all the time, and NOT run the carb dry, just leave everything hooked up......I've never had a problem with my way. Any opinions on this?

[J Miller]

Yeah, a simple opinion. If your way has always worked for you, don't change it.

Joe

[86er]

I disconnect my tiller motors from the gas line and empty the gas filter after each use. I do not run it dry though. I have Marine Sta-bil in my tanks. Now my on-board tanks that are direct hookup to engine I leave hooked up and do not do anything after use. They have Marine Sta-bil in them too.

[Blaine]

Yeah, a simple opinion. If your way has always worked for you, don't change it.

Joe

Simple....indeed

[Pitchy]

I don`t use stabil, if i won`t be running an engine for six months or more i always drain the carb. Forgot to on my generator and had to go through the drop the bowl clean the main jet procedure to get it running.
No gas in the bowl means no varnish in the bowl.

[adirondakjack]

If the engine is in good shape, no leaks, and I know this is the last use for a while (makes no difference if it's a snowblower, outboard, or lawnmower), I CHOKE IT TO DEATH rather than kill the ignition and let it coast down, and leave the choke closed. That leaves the carb and lines wet. Never have used stabil, and especially on 2 strokes, see no need for it IF I can store the engine out of direct sunlight (which causes condensation cycles).

Even large RC planes that ran on chainsaw engines, I would disconnect the fuel lines (supply and return) and plug em off with golf tees, leaving the carb wet, then drain the tank (for in house storage).

[bdhold]

I've always drained them - sit on the trailer until they sputter out

[Marvin S]

I use stabill for off seasons and run the float bowl/bowls dry choking it when it starts to run dry.

[rossim92]

used to run stabil in fuel when i winterized the motor for the winter. Fogged the engine till it quit.. Never used marine stabil during the summer till i had to spend $650.00 for a new fuelpump/oilmixer. Mechanic told me the ethanoyl in fuel what messed up the diaphrahm in the pump. One good thing about stabil. if you overdose the treatment, it won't hurt anything. Now i use marine stabil at every fillup. I do not run my engines dry. But make sure motor is sitting in level mode to keep the flots level when in dry dock. I still run the two stroke carbs in mine. Might go to fuel injected four stroke on my next engine.Hope to bring boat out next weekend to waxon/ waxoff for the summer.

[adirondakjack]

Oh, just a little note. I recently watched as a man helplessly drifted away from the dock on the Gulf of Mexico, ending up a mile out b the time he got his Honda Four Stroke on his 19 ft boat started after it quit. He'd stored it 6 mos in the yard, after pulling the lines and running it dry. His FUEL PUMP diaphragm had gotten dry and stiff, and failed to flap like it is supposed to when the vacuum is applied. Smart thinking, he took the pump apart, did not lose the balls and springs, and used grease scavenged from a steering fitting to grease it up and make it work well enough to get back to the dock. I told him (store em wet, and cover em, even if only tarp over the motor to keep the sun off, and yes, get ya TWO fuel pump diaphragms (one spare) if yer gonna run a single engine boat on the Gulf....

[madman4570]

Can tell you with the Stihl chainsaws/weed/brushtrimmers (per service dept.direct conversation)
Use gas less than 2 months old/and NO Stabil.

If you know ahead of time and expect that unit will not be run within the next 2 months do the following:
Start unit/let it run until it has warmed up well/unscrew fuel cap tilt unit sideways to allow fuel tank to drain fuel into whatever.
Let engine idle(not reving it)until unit stops running.)Do at your own risk!(probably better idea to dump fuel while not running and unit is not excessively heated.

If you know the gas in unit is almost 2 months old but plan on using that unit right now------------
Use/operate that unit that day/week with mixture in it/or in mixture container for that week.(after that week/make up new mix)

Everything I have heard about 4-strokes (use Stabil additive unless you know you will use that gas up within 2 months)
Then even with Stabil(after 12 months)change fuel.

Truthfully,my lawnboy(2-stroke) and my Cub(Honda 4-stroke engine) lawn mowers I put up in November with normal fuel or fuel-mix required for each,then starting actually this week(first mow)will just drain tank add new fuel and off we go.(were talking push mowers/small tanks here) now, my WheelHorse GT14 (Stabil was added back then and will use same gas as was put up with)

I have found that especially with chainsaws(wanna avoid problems)use em!(don't let them sit with/without fuel for extended periods)?

[2ndovc]

I've had outboard engines from 2 hp Johnsons all the way up to 200 horse Evinrudes with a few others in between. All we ever did was disconnect the fuel line and on the larger
motors change the lube in the lower unit.

jb

[Marvin S]

Avoid ethanol in the fuel, it draws moisture and creates acid. Most all manufactures recommend fuel stabilizer. Watch for water in the lower unit as it can freeze and crack the housing.

[Griff]

Turn the fuel line off and let it die. IF it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[Rimfire McNutjob]

I run ethanol free gas in my small motors, outboard, and JetSki. Only the cars suffer through E-10. I'll put in some Stabil in the small cans in late fall when I know I'm not going to be going through the gas very quickly for the yard work.

[Chas.]

I run 2 '56 Johnsons, a '57, and a '76 and I NEVER run them dry and I always use Stabil. If you run it until it's out of fuel, you're leaving the internals dry and they depend on the oil in the fuel for lubrication.

[Blaine]

I run 2 '56 Johnsons, a '57, and a '76 and I NEVER run them dry and I always use Stabil. If you run it until it's out of fuel, you're leaving the internals dry and they depend on the oil in the fuel for lubrication.

Mine is a 4 stroke....any different?

[Beaker]

I run 2 '56 Johnsons, a '57, and a '76 and I NEVER run them dry and I always use Stabil. If you run it until it's out of fuel, you're leaving the internals dry and they depend on the oil in the fuel for lubrication.

Mine is a 4 stroke....any different?

Yeah Blaine, i guess different strokes for different folks.

[GonnePhishin]

For those who run ethanol gas try using Sea Foam. It is much better IMO than Stabil.

[Chuck 100 yd]

Stabil is just one brand of the many gas stabilizers out there now.
They are developing some now that are much better so one needs to try them out too.
We are selling mixed fuel in the shop that has a shelf life of 4 years and is good for 3 years after the can is opened up.
Briggs and Stratton has a stabilizer that will keep fuel fresh and usable for over 1 year.
We mix stabilizer in every drop of fuel that goes through the County Stihl saw shop.

[Blaine]

I run 2 '56 Johnsons, a '57, and a '76 and I NEVER run them dry and I always use Stabil. If you run it until it's out of fuel, you're leaving the internals dry and they depend on the oil in the fuel for lubrication.

Mine is a 4 stroke....any different?

Yeah Blaine, i guess different strokes for different folks.

[Old Time Hunter]

Since my boat is now considered an antique, still uses 50-1 pre-mix. I fill the 20 gal gas tank with unleaded non-ethenol 50-1 and two bottles of Stabil, start it up and then heavily fog the engine till it stalls. Change the lower unit. Then put it away for the season. In spring, hook the trailer up to the pickup and bounce the boat around the back forty a couple times to mix up all the gas, put the battery in, prime and start. No issues in 35 years I have owned the thing. It has an old inline six Mercury 150HP engine.