Boat maintenance questions

[justletmein]

No additives, only times I've ever had fuel related issues in my boats were after using additives. Once I quit using them I've not had any fuel related issues in my last several boats.

[justletmein]

Looks like I won't be able to use it for 5-7 months.

I'd let it be as is personally, run fuel as low as possible if you have the chance then top off before using it again. You'll probably get a lot of dissenting opinions on that though. Closer to a year I'll start considering other options. I had an old Mercury 2 stroke that would sit for 9 months every year, only used it in the fall for duck hunting. I never did anything with that fuel system and never had issues.

[Killer]

2 stroke with oil and gas mix that will stabilize the gas, the oil has them built in. Four stroke or oil injection 2 stroke where the gas sets in the tank for weeks or months I would always add fuel stabilizer to it. It works like a champ.

[sahunter]

tagged

[RiverRat1]

I'd let it be as is personally, run fuel as low as possible if you have the chance then top off before using it again. You'll probably get a lot of dissenting opinions on that though. Closer to a year I'll start considering other options. I had an old Mercury 2 stroke that would sit for 9 months every year, only used it in the fall for duck hunting. I never did anything with that fuel system and never had issues.

Mine is 4 stroke. So additive or none?

[justletmein]

Mine is 4 stroke. So additive or none?

I think most here would tell you yes, but me personally I'd say no. The only time I've ever had issues in the past was when using additives (mainly Sta-Bil Marine). I've left trucks at camp and boats with fuel only routinely for 6 months at a time and can't say I've ever had issues, except for way back when I used to put additives in. Generators and 4 wheelers (carb'd) I always run out of fuel just to be safe though. With ethanol the more empty the tank is the more moisture it attracts, so if you can do ethanol free that would be awesome to leave the tank empty, with normal fuel usually you'd leave the tank full for less air in there to add to expansion/contraction for moisture, however fresh fuel shouldn't "go bad" in 6 months, at least it hasn't for me.

[RiverRat1]

Yep, I run out the fuel from log splitter and generators.

So in your opinion it doesn't do any good to fire the boat up once in a while just in the driveway?

I just need to find a place to go fishing once per month so there's no worry

[justletmein]

Yep, I run out the fuel from log splitter and generators.

So in your opinion it doesn't do any good to fire the boat up once in a while just in the driveway?

Oh most definitely. I didn't realize you had access to it. Yeah fire that puppy up and let her warm up to keep the carbs/injectors from gumming up and roll on without additives for sure then.

[STX_Shooter]

Thanks man!

Luckily I won’t really have an “off season” because I’ll be using to duck hunt as well and I like fishing in winter down here anyway. Of course since it’s deer season, the frequency of use will decrease but should be able to use it all year!

Yea living down here you can fish basically all year, the winds are high sometimes but that’s about it.

[CabezaBlanca]

If one has a boat sitting around and can't launch due to low lake levels, what's best to do?

Just put Stabil in gas (non ethanol) and run for a couple minutes with the water muff things? How long to run 2 minutes, 5, 10?

Anything else? Looks like I won't be able to use it for 5-7 months.

Non-ethanol fuel and a bottle of sea foam. 16 ounces to 3 gallons. I've let my river boat sit for 10 months and it fired right up. 4 stroke fuel injection though.

I'd run it for at least 15 minutes. It'll run 10 minutes with the fuel line off!

[Quackerbox]

Mine is 4 stroke. So additive or none?

I run blue sta-bil in all my lawn equipment and both boats. 2 and 4 stroke.

I run the 2 stroke in the yard when I remember and always unplug the tank a bit before I'm done. Not completely dry but close. I unplug the tank and vent the cap every time it gets on the trailer

Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk

[BowPro73]

I was told by a pretty meticulous, superb outboard mechanic, who has since passed away, to flush a running outboard on the muffs. The hose is for flushing with the motor off. The hose isn't pulling water through the impeller. I never did the contrary after he threw me on a new powerhead. Whether the new outboards have changed anything up with that I don't know.

[Leemo]

Best advice I can give you on boat maintenance........run the motor

[Capt Glenn]

Best advice I can give you on boat maintenance........run the motor

And run it often.

[KY2TX]

Flush after every use with the side hose hookup no running. Muffs if your gonna idle it. Non ethanol fuel and stabilize if your letting it sit. Empty room in the fuel tank is where condensation builds and ruins gas. I do recommend Yamaha ring free in the gas for the motor