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Motor storage between outings

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glghome

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"I have a 2005 merc 90 outboar

"I have a 2005 merc 90 outboard and 1995 merc 6 hp outboard. My preference is to run engines out of gas at end of each trip. Mercury's recomendation is to add cleaner and stabilizer to each tank of fuel, seems like extra expense that could be avoided. are there any issues with running the motors dry. i have a 1973 evinrude that i have done this to for many years."
 
"I will always pay attention t

"I will always pay attention to the manufacturers recommendations unless there is an alternate method that makes the job easier or less costly and more effective. That's general statment if you ever heard one. Being a boater since 1970, and mostly had carburated outboards (Mercury & Evinrude), I'd been told over the years that running the gas out of the engine helps prevent unnecessary residue and gum/resin from forming due to petroleum products. In teh case of Ethanol use today, it probably makes equal or greater sense to avoid the moisutre content. As for a cleaner I would use it periodically or continued use if needed for fuel injection outboards. Fuel stabilizers are usually to prevent fuel seperation and resin build-up residue and moisutre absorbsion and use is recommended if you are not using fuel at its freshest. Mainly, I believe its all how you use yoru engine as well as how you care for it ongoing. If its something I can maintain on my engine/boat at a resonable cost, I do it myself and use the savings eventually to pay those mechanics for work I can't do. A Happy Engine is a clean engine."
 
"As JIT said, drain the carbs,

"As JIT said, drain the carbs, but first "flood" the motor. Pump the bulb and use primer switch to do this. You'll have plenty gas in the motor with lube. Can also rev the motor up, no more than 3k on muffs and pull kill switch whist "flooding" her. No spark will mean no burn and sleeves will also be lubed nicely. Mitgh foul plugs slightly, but this will burn off on re-starting."
 
"as far as running engine out

"as far as running engine out of fuel right or wrong? when I owned outboards,I always pulled up to the dock, pulled off the fuel line with the engine running and waited until it ran out of fuel and put it on the trailer. now to my understanding the fuel is what lubricates the pump so when run dry it shortens it life span? and agree with adding stabilizer, I use marine grade sta-bil with ethanol treatment, 1oz. to every 10 gallons fuel, keep tank close to full also, beats water in the fuel."
 
"Don't run an engine out o

"Don't run an engine out of fuel if it has oil injection.

The reason is, after you disconnect the gas line, the oil pump still keeps pumping oil causing a possible cylinder flood.

Now I do use that to get oil into the cylinders on the last day of the season when I'm going to store the motor, but at any other time it can make for a very tough time restarting since the oil does not fire up very well on it's own.

You are always better off to always run stablizer and if you are going to lay the motor(s) up for more than a couple of weeks, remove the bowls to drain the carbs - because even stablized ethanol blend can phase separate on you and leave some water in the carbs."
 
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