MacGregorSailors.com

Water Whiz as a backup?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZQlkFjfIHM&app=desktop

Was there a motor in that clip, I didnt notice

Interesting idea. I bought and used a small air-cooled outboard that was essentially a "Weed Wacker" with a propeller. Got it new in 2009 and paid $525 for it. Used it with my dinghy several times. Once the engine vibrated off the stern and fell into the water. Stern is Starboard and admittedly slippery. Luckily, I had it tied to the cleat and did not lose it. Replaced carburetor and kept using it. My biggest complaint centered around it not being reliable. I would try to use it about once every few months, and it seemed like it only ran well about 50% of the time. I have since learned more about carbureted small engines and their need to be run frequently. I eventually sold my little "Weed Wacker" (not the actual brand) back to the company for $75. Soon after, I was gifted a 2 H.P. Honda. I have used it several times a year, and it runs very well and is reliable. BUT, I keep it in the back yard on a special drum set up for it, which I fill with water every three weeks (religiously) and run the engine for 15 minutes, cutting off the gas and letting the gas in the carburetor run out. My best advice is that if you go this way, run that "sucker" frequently so you know you can count on it when you want it to perform. Using non-ethanol gas is a given.

I think thats pretty much with most motors Herschel

I run my 75Hp every 3 or for 4 weeks for about 15 minutes to let the thermostat open and get the engine moving.

Im pretty sure that lack of use is what kills many engines while they are still reasonably newish

Herschel wrote:... cutting off the gas and letting the gas in the carburetor run out...

When you run it dry like that there is still gas in the bowel under the jet level that can dry and leave deposits. Most of these carburetored outboards have a screw at the bottom of the bowl. Loosen it or if needed take it out and drain the gas into a couple paper towels,

Sumner

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Don't ever let a 2 stroke run out of gas by cutting the fuel, they get their lubrication from that fuel and running it out of fuel runs it out of oil, the last gasp of life is wearing the cylinder out. Always just kill your engine and if you must empty the carb do it like Sumner said.

Sumner wrote

When you run it dry like that there is still gas in the bowel under the jet level that can dry and leave deposits. Most of these carbureted outboards have a screw at the bottom of the bowl. Loosen it or if needed take it out and drain the gas into a couple paper towels,

I am envious of you guys that have the technical knowledge to do the right thing, seemingly so effortlessly. Would you believe I don't even know where the carburetor is on my 2 h.p. Honda. Much less the screw at the bottom of it. Since I have retired from a career in mental health services, I have had more free time and energy to put into learning technical stuff, and I have learned more about how to fix things, but my interests remain mostly in other areas. So, I try to find "management" type rules to live by that reduce the most obvious and preventable mistakes. I have two vehicles (both aging), one travel trailer (also aging), four boats (average age 23+), two outboard engines, one electric motor, and one swimming pool, plus yard and landscaping...and that is just the stuff outside that I have to maintain. Sometimes it just seems insurmountable to learn everything you need to maintain things correctly. Yet, we do stumble on and mostly have fun doing it. Guess we should just be thankful for what we can learn and do in the time we have available. I'll get back to you when I find that damn screw!

You can learn just about anything on YouTube, when I have issues the first place I look for an answer is Youtube and 99% of the time there is a video to show you how

sailboatmike wrote:You can learn just about anything on YouTube, when I have issues the first place I look for an answer is Youtube and 99% of the time there is a video to show you how

You are, of course, absolutely right. There still remains a learning curve, though. For example, last year I decided it was time to replace/repack wheel bearings on my dual axle Mac trailer. I watched several U-tube videos on the how to do it. Then I went to Northern Tools and bought the necessary tools to get it done---driver and adapters, new races, bearings, and seals, plus grease. Did all four wheels, felt really good about it. "Topped off" the grease in the bearings with my grease gun. Nice. Wanted to make sure my surge/disk brakes were working properly so I took the trailer to a reputable trailer service store. Got there; tech took one look at the grease that had splattered in the wheel wells and informed me I had blown my seals by putting too much grease in. Had all four wheel seals replaced and repacked by the pro. Very discouraging. On the other hand, I was able to switch my trailer lights to LEDs and they work perfectly. So, we win some and we lose some in our DIY projects. My point is that for many of us, we have only so much skill/aptitude for DIY stuff given the whole lives we are trying to live. For me, I need my boat to be a "de-stressor" not a stressor in my life. And DIY projects can cross that line sometimes. But, thanks for the reminder about the U-tube resource. I do use it often. But, back to the original point of this thread. My experience is that when you try to beat the cost of a dedicated marine outboard engine for our small boats, the DIY work to keep it going is counter productive. Better to get you a good used marine engine and stick with it. That is my experience.

sailboatmike wrote:Was there a motor in that clip, I didnt notice

yep its on u-tube not Boobtube u silly old fella

J