# Good article about servicing small engines



## richg99 (Jul 23, 2019)

https://www.followingseas.media/blog/2017/1/30/fixing-that-pesky-outboard?fbclid=IwAR3aU6FB5YHVN9NrIyDSQmrWzcrdr6uB02WNXETJh3u78mplbu00tdtZ1bg


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## eshaw (Jul 23, 2019)

Moral of story, don't use ethanol in your small engines unless you're using it up all at one time.


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## LDUBS (Jul 23, 2019)

eshaw said:


> Moral of story, don't use ethanol in your small engines unless you're using it up all at one time.



Sadly, avoiding ethanol gaso is not an option here. 

I was a little surprised the article didn't mention use of fuel treatments. But I guess it was more about bringing the motor back to life.


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## richg99 (Jul 24, 2019)

Can't buy Non-Ethanol gas near many major cities. Thanks, EPA.


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## bplayer405 (Jul 24, 2019)

Casey's in my area is the only one I know of that has 91 octane ethanol free fuel. I use it in every 2 and 4 stoke small engine I have. My old Mariner 48 runs great using it.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk


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## turbotodd (Jul 24, 2019)

Outboards manufactured since ROUGHLY 2010 are rated for use with E10. Too many put too much emphasis on ethanol content; and the fact of the matter is there is no getting around it. The federal government mandates that gas pumps be labeled "up to 10% ethanol" if the fuel mix is above 7%. Below 6%, it doesn't have to be labeled. A lot of times you "think" you're getting non-ethanol and you're really not. How do you know? Grab your test strips or buy expensive racing or aviation fuel which is probably better anyway, as long as it's unleaded or low lead.

85% of the work I do is fuel system related but so far, one or two out of hundreds have been directly related to ethanol; and those were obvious and all of those were questionable as to whether the owner had put E85 in them. It's not a big deal really, but people still blame ethanol as the sole contributor to all these fuel system problems when the root cause is simply the fuel sitting without being used. Typically you get about 2 weeks out of fuel before it starts to degrade. So those of us with 4hp outboards and 12 gallon fuel tanks are hit hard because the engine doesn't use much fuel to start with and the tank just sits. How do you solve that? 3 gal tank. Same thing I did and my fuel system problems disappeared. My little 25hp uses a maximum of 2.3 gph at 6000 RPM, and I rarely run full throttle and running one hour at full throttle/6000 is a LONG boat ride (about 30 miles) with a tiller steered outboard. I suppose some could do that but man, I can't imagine going that far with a tiller on a flat bottom.


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## richg99 (Jul 24, 2019)

Turbo. I agree but the fact is...if we didn't have to use that crap, we wouldn't.

My engines are both older than 2010, as are millions of others. 

Paid off politicians forced it on us and the EPA made it worse .


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## wmk0002 (Jul 24, 2019)

My local station has pure 87 gas at every pump thankfully. And another station relatively close has it in 89. I'm not sure of anywhere locally where they have pure 91 though. It's good to have handy and I do try to use it when I can but I do sometimes wonder if it is worth the extra cost.


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## eshaw (Jul 24, 2019)

I don't know what got ethanol usage going to begin with but if I were to guess I'd say it was supposed to reduce reliance on imported oil. I know the farmers are for it because it subsidizes their crops.


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## LDUBS (Jul 24, 2019)

turbotodd said:


> Typically you get about 2 weeks out of fuel before it starts to degrade. So those of us with 4hp outboards and 12 gallon fuel tanks are hit hard because the engine doesn't use much fuel to start with and the tank just sits. How do you solve that? 3 gal tank. Same thing I did and my fuel system problems disappeared.



Shoot. I have a 12 gal tank feeding my 50 HP. Figure I average 3 to 4 gallons on a typical fishing trip. So will recycle the tank every 3 or 4 weeks assuming I get out every week. I top off the tank after every trip and I do use Honda's fuel additive. And, while my outboard is compatible with E10, I still think it is a PITA to have to deal with this.


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## CedarRiverScooter (Jul 25, 2019)

Is it better to run the carb bowl dry if you aren't going to use the motor for a while? Or does this just make needle sticky?


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## richg99 (Jul 25, 2019)

*"Is it better to run the carb bowl dry " * Great question. I, too, am awaiting a response from the engine guys. I do know that my mechanic answered that question with "it depends". 

It seems that my two engines (1996 Johnson and 2007 Mercury, both 50 hp & both two-cycle) are different.

I can run the '96 dry with no issues. However, If I try to run the 2007 dry, the auto oil feed system will fill my cylinders with oil. Anyhow, that is how I understood his explanation. Listening here for more info.


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## kofkorn (Jul 25, 2019)

As a general rule, it's not great to run multi-carb motors dry. The fuel will run dry in the top carb first and you'll be running the top cylinder without oil for however long it takes for the lower carb to run dry. 

If I"m concerned about leaving the motor for a while, I'll pull the drain plug on the front of the carb with a rag to soak up the fuel. I normally only do that when I winterize.

Good luck!


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## richg99 (Jul 25, 2019)

Good point Kofkorn. thanks


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## wmk0002 (Jul 25, 2019)

kofkorn said:


> As a general rule, it's not great to run multi-carb motors dry. The fuel will run dry in the top carb first and you'll be running the top cylinder without oil for however long it takes for the lower carb to run dry.
> 
> If I"m concerned about leaving the motor for a while, I'll pull the drain plug on the front of the carb with a rag to soak up the fuel. I normally only do that when I winterize.
> 
> Good luck!



Great points. Can ruin an engine fast that way...especially when the cylinders getting fuel begin to lean out and the rpms start climbing.

I only run the bowl dry if I'm transporting the motor in a way that will cause fuel to leak everywhere...so on its side in say a truck bed.


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## jojo (Jul 27, 2019)

turbotodd said:


> Outboards manufactured since ROUGHLY 2010 are rated for use with E10.


My motor was made in 1999 and it says it's compatible with e10 in the manual.


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## 86tuning (Oct 12, 2019)

Great tips in that article. My browser had a problem with that link, but it's fine with a shortened version. 

https://www.followingseas.media/blog/2017/1/30/fixing-that-pesky-outboard

Super Lube and Tef Gel are great products. I use Super Lube for almost everything from wheel bearings to bicycle chains  great stuff.


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