Do you empty the fuel line on your outboard

Piotr · May 31, 2013

foursail22701 said:
In another thread, several posters mentioned disconnecting the fuel line from your outboard and emptying the fuel each time. I had not heard this advice before and curious how this will help protect my outboard?

My previous boats had inboards. This is my first outboard, so thanks for the advice and any other tips to keep the outboard running smooth are appreciated. How frequently do you check or add oil?

I had only 2-stroke motors before and never had to do it. However, 2 years ago I bought my first 4-stroke from West Marine. Based on my experience, the first time I run it I left fuel in the line and in the outboard itself. 2 weekends later I tried to start the OB and it took me 10 minutes (brand new OB!). Then, it run horribly and lack power. after abour an hour of motoring, it seemed to work better. Later, I found out that ethanol in gas left in the OB collects moisture and causes trouble I encountered. I run fuel cleaner through it and all troubles dissapeared. I burn off all the fuel in my OB after each sail ever since (just disconnect the fuel line and let it idle - takes about 3-4 minutes). Apparently, 2-stroke OBs do not have that problem.

Steve Dion · May 31, 2013

I would agree that it is best to clear the fuel line when you empty the carb. If it sits for several weeks/months it can build up crud and that will end up in the carb.

We have had this issue with our Tohatsu.

Winkfish · May 31, 2013

I asked that very question of mechanic who services my fishing boat outboard (Merc 90HP 2 stroke 6 cyl). He said he used to tell people to do it, but he's found over his many years that it really does not make a difference. Sometimes I do it, sometimes I don't, and I haven't had any problems.

rodbrown · May 31, 2013

I'm still look'en for a NEW 4 stroke with, e. start and gen and old style snifter that will fit in my 1976 Catalina 27, bet no one reply's

Charlie Jones s/v Tehani · May 31, 2013

Two words

StaBil and SeaFoam

I never empty the fuel line itself. If the engine is not gonna be run for a while, I do run the fuel out of the carb. If just a week or so, I don't bother.

Just cranked my Yamaha 4, which hadn't been started since Jan 7th. Second pull and it was running.

StaBil and SeaFoam ALWAYS, because non ethanol fuel can be difficult to find. I found it in a lot of marinas around the coast, but not always. And that's from Washington DC, around to Port Isabel Texas.

Erieau · May 31, 2013

Honda BF15 4-stroke, ethanol-free fuel, StaBil mixed in every tank.
Used to disconnect and run dry. Idle adjust needle kept gumming up, giving poor idle and stalls.
Now I leave fuel line connected. Have had no outboard troubles at all.

JerryA · May 31, 2013

No gas problems

I've had no problems leaving the gas hooked up and in the carb in 7 years with my 4-stroke 8hp Yamaha. I do use it almost every weekend though during the summer. I'm glad I haven't had the same issues as some others with 4-strokes. Oddly I've had gas in a generator for 3-4 yrs and had it start on the first pull. So maybe we get a different blend of gas in Ohio.

JerryA

oldiesrocker2001 · May 31, 2013

I used to empty my 2 st by upending it at the end of the season(pretty small motor) and then pull the drain/float setting at the bottom of the carb and re-set. didn't have a problem.
Then got a 4 strk, relatively new, ran the carb dry every time but still wasn't using fuel stabil. Second season gave me fits the whole season. wound up with a new carb. Now I use stabil and make sure the last batch of fuel goes thru the carb before the season ends is the freshest (with stabil) I have. No problems since then.

stevec22206 · May 31, 2013

Had an older model Honda 4 stroke and always ran the motor dry at the end of the day. Also advise using Stabil. We had a 6 gal. tank and never used enough gas to empty the tank. Use to take it home and use it in the lawn equipment every 2 months and put fresh gas in the boat tank. Very particular about the gas and wouldn't run well with fuel 45 days or older.

caguy · May 31, 2013

Joe vandenEnden said:
Honda BF15 4-stroke, ethanol-free fuel, StaBil mixed in every tank.
Used to disconnect and run dry. Idle adjust needle kept gumming up, giving poor idle and stalls.
Now I leave fuel line connected. Have had no outboard troubles at all.

I had a BF100 on the Mac 25 and had notihing but trouble until I switched to airplane fuel AV 100LL. It's difficult to get and cost a little more but well worth the effort.
I haven't had any problems with the Tohatsu 18 2 stroke on the Cat 27 with regular gas. I try to get out at least once a week.

Indysailor · May 31, 2013

It's pretty hard to drain all the gas out of the fuel lines and carb by running it dry. You'd still have to drain the bowl, and then there is bound to be fuel left in the filter.

Ward H · May 31, 2013

i didn't run my Tohatsu 4 stroke 4 Hp out of gas and haven't run my Yamaha 9.9 out of gas. Been told I should and been told I shouldn't. Reason I was told not too was some gas will always remain and fresh air entering the carb will allow the remaining gas to gum up more quickly.
Just another reason to go sailing more frequently.

Ray Bowles · May 31, 2013

The marinas in our area all sell standard regular gas. Not ethanol. This helps but I also mix in a little Sta-bil. I only run the fuel out of the motor at the end of the year. I have never had any problems in over 40 years on the water.
Ray

rgranger · Jun 1, 2013

Put a shut-off valve in the line (like the one that is on your lawnmower). Then instead of turning off your motor... starve it off by shutting off the valve. That will clear the line and empty out your carb.

And use seafoam (already mentioned above).

Erieau · Jun 1, 2013

Reason I was told not too was some gas will always remain and fresh air entering the carb will allow the remaining gas to gum up more quickly.

Exactly what was happening. Every Saturday sail had to start with partial disassembly and a few squirts of carb cleaner into the idle-jet port.

notihing but trouble until I switched to airplane fuel AV 100LL

Avgas! Good idea! The municipal airport is on my way out to the boat: serendipity at work.
No lead deposits in ports or cylinder?

sailaway78 · Jun 1, 2013

Ethanol

If all you can get is ethanol I would strongly recommend you run the engine dry every time. With bigger motors it may not be necessary, but the small dinghy motors have very tiny jets, and ethanol evaporates quickly. Leaving crud which which will cause hard starting, or no starting problems, as well as poor performance.

caguy · Jun 1, 2013

Nice N Easy said:
If all you can get is ethanol I would strongly recommend you run the engine dry every time. With bigger motors it may not be necessary, but the small dinghy motors have very tiny jets, and ethanol evaporates quickly. Leaving crud which which will cause hard starting, or no starting problems, as well as poor performance.

I suspect that it is not the evaporation of ethanol because that would solve your problem. The problem with ethanol is that it absorbs water from the atmosphere. The more ethanol in the bowl the more water, and water is the one that reacts with the aluminum in the bowl.

tommays · Jun 1, 2013

The fuel line is a sealed unit when you disconnect it and should NOT cause problems

The next issue is how much the motor is tilted during storage as the more it needs to tilted for storage the more weird things can happen

Most if not all fuel bowels have a drain screw now that allows for a completely empty fuel bowl

The only problem is catching the fuel ,on my generator a tube is on the drain and it is EASY to catch the drained fuel MOST outboards do not have this so it gets messy and and is and environmental problem

Piotr · Jun 1, 2013

Nice N Easy said:
If all you can get is ethanol I would strongly recommend you run the engine dry every time. With bigger motors it may not be necessary, but the small dinghy motors have very tiny jets, and ethanol evaporates quickly. Leaving crud which which will cause hard starting, or no starting problems, as well as poor performance.

exactly what happened to me.