Carb varnish

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jcwlbw

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Feb 20, 2006
10
hunter 26 cave run
my yamaha 9.9 keeps getting gummed up due to lack of use. Should I run the engine dry after use or leave fuel in the system?
 

KD3PC

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Sep 25, 2008
1,069
boatless rainbow Callao, VA
welcome to ethanol...

keep the tank full, use the additive of your choice. Turn the fuel petcock off to the carb, run till dry.

What ever fuel is left from last season may have separated, the only option is to drain and dispose. There is no way to "re=phase" the fuel at that point. If you use plastic tanks, make sure they are safe for alcohol fuels...many of the old ones dissolve in alcohol, and then you have plastic goo in the fuel as well.

All the best
 
Apr 27, 2010
1,279
Hunter 23 Lake Wallenpaupack
I add Stabil to every tank of gas, and also run the carb dry at end of each day (no petcock, I just unplug the fuel hose from the motor and let it idle til it dies, maybe 5 mins). Most of the experts (guys who do outboard mechanic work for pay) on the iboat.com forums recommend running it dry.
 
Aug 11, 2011
1,015
O'day 30 313 Georgetown MD
"just unplug the fuel hose from the motor "

IMHO I would recommend detaching the hose at the tank, this way you avoid leaving gas in the fuel line and primer embolizm. Unfortumnately I am still running a 2 stroke Evenrude at a 50:1 ratio. It is loud and thirsty. I am considering the Nissan/Tohatsu/Mercury line at a range of $2200 with a three year warranty but have my eyes on both Yamaha and Honda at a range of $3200 which has a 5 year warranty. Here is my question: Is it worth the difference? Is the HONAYA line quieter than the NITOME brands. At 1/2 a gallon an hour, it will sure save money. My 2 stroke runs at about 2 gallons per hour.
If you wish to provide your feedback to my quest via a private message, please go ahead. I am really serious about the change, just need convincing.
 
Oct 26, 2005
2,057
- - Satellite Beach, FL.
jcwlbw,
Is you motor a 2 stroke? Gas and oil mix will sour over time and should be changed, along with draining the carb and hose.
The rule of thumb used to be 60 days for mixed gas and I stick with that. I dispose of old mix by adding 1 gallon per tankfull in my Dodge PU.
 

bakes

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Nov 16, 2011
15
Hunter H-240 Brainerd, MN
Can someone explain why Minnesota gasoline does not seem to need filtering, does not phase seperate, and does not gum up? I posted once that I left mixed gas in a tank for at least 11 years and the 55 hp Evinrude ran fine. With at least 13 gasoline engines(some 2-cycle), I do not change filters, change old gas, drain carbs, fix carbs, or put in additives. The Artic Cat started on the second pull after 10 months with fuel in the unmixed tank. Other engines also are left untouched for many months. The Briggs on the leaf mulcher goes at least 11 months. On the Volvo-Penta, I started using non-ethanol gas because of postings and of course, after spouting off here, maintenace will probably be required on most of my engines.

I do highly recommend the Honda 8 electric start.

Bakes
 
Aug 9, 2005
825
Hunter 260 Sarasota,FL
Run it dry if it'll be sitting more than 30days. I also like the idea of disconnecting the fuel line at the tank. The goo might be coming from anywhere in the entire fuel system as the solvent(ethanol) slowly works its insidious magic on everything it touches.

Yeah, wait until you buy one of the newest 2012+ certified ethanol quality fuel tanks....omg. My wife works at a marine store(lucky me) and I just paid wholesale cost on a 3gl dingy tank and it was $55 2wks ago(previously $20). The owner was as shocked as me.

Corn subsidy $$ for lower quality fuel that lowers my mpg while slowly wrecking my older reliable eqt and then raises the price of everything I eat(and many things I buy otherwise) just seems like a cruel irony. This is the frikken USA and that's the best solution we can come up with?? What a damn boondoggle.:cussing:

Sorry, hit a nerve right when my meds wore off;)....
 
Aug 5, 2009
333
Hunter h23 Dallas Tx.
I only run premium fuel. Only burn 3-4 gallons a year
One gallon at a time to keep it fresh
Treat with Stabil every time, I just switched to Marine Stabil last spring
No problem with either
I disconnect the fuel line and run dry every time
New 3 gallon fuel tank, fuel line and bulb 2 years ago. Ethanol rated
Start and run for 5 min. every week or two. Mines in a slip so this is part of my winter routine. I get to sail at least once a month all winter so when I do it gets a 10 min run.
This routine has worked well for me
My Nissan 5hp 4stroke starts most times on the first pull and always on the second
Good luck wih yours
 
Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
I would suggest that you run it dry after each and every use (overnight not necessary). I like the idea of removing the hose from the tank vs. the engine (which I normally do).
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,532
-na -NA Anywhere USA
There is alot of good advice. Since I have rebuilt many carbs due to this issue, then let me explain.

Some gas stations still sell straight gas vs. a mixture of ethanol. Buy that first. If using ethonal in the gas, there are products that can be bought at marine supply houses that will counter the affect of ethanol. I am not sure which is the best but try West Marine.
Add it to the gas.

No mater if you have a 2 or 4 stroke engine, the best advice is to detach the gas line from the engine and let the engine run out of gas. Basically you are getting the fuel out of the carb and fuel lines as it is the fine jets or holes that gum up preventing the engine to run or run rough. All the other advice is good but at the end of the season as the one respondent said, he used it in his car vs. spilling it on the ground.

Once one person did empty his gas can on the ground and the Coast Gurad caught him in the act and was fined heavily.

crazy dave
 
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