running carbs dry or not ?

hugo · #1 02-28-2013, 07:34 PM

so i was wondering after a talk with another boat owner, should i be running my engine dry of fuel after every use or just leave the carbs full? i have a 94 mercury 200XRI that has been converted from fuel injection to pre mix carburated....its possible for the boat to sit up to two monthes between uses, possibly......

NoBones · #2 02-28-2013, 08:44 PM

No, No, NO,......
It runs the motor to lean as the gas runs out
in the carb!!

If you are pre-mixing and only use her every two months you
have nothing to worry about..

Use the TCW-III Merc oil, it has the best metal protecting
properties of all the oils out there.

Now you are going to ask me how I know this?

Well a close friend of mine worked at the space center when
the shuttle was still flying.. He did a full break down
analysis on all of the leading manufactures of 2 cycle oils.

Mercury had the most maliptinum properties of all!

That means better metal protection!!

hugo · #3 03-01-2013, 07:36 AM

Thanks Ken, i feel much better!

Beaver · #4 03-01-2013, 04:36 PM

I have done it both ways but I aways found that my boat starts a lot better if I run it dry. It seems like the carbs dont get as gunked up. I usually do it.

Stauter99 · #5 03-07-2013, 12:43 PM

I have a 1992 70 Johnson that I use religiously in the summer so I never do it then, but in the winter when it is in the lift and I only use it maybe every 2-3 months I will run the gas out. I just disconnect the fuel line and let it die. There is still a little fuel left in there but not a ton. I have been doing this for about 6 years with no ill effects. That old Johnson fires up first time, every time.

Bushwacker · #6 03-07-2013, 01:47 PM

If you use Stabil or equivalent, I think it's ok to leave the gas in the carbs for a month or two, but if it's gonna sit for longer than that, probably best to just run the gas out while also fogging the motor, which will put plenty of oil on the crank and bearings. With my old '75 vintage 2 stroke which ran 50:1 premix and had a choke, my normal shutdown proceedure was to rev it up a bit while flushing and then kill it with the choke, which dumped a bunch of gas (and oil) into it at shutdown! Don't know if you can do that with the enrich system on newer motors of if that would be as effective as using the choke.