Shut off fuel or not?

[Bains]

2003 Suzuki 115 HP 4 cylinder outboard.

Very little use ? maybe less than 60 hours total. Engine was running very erratic when it was started ? would cough/sputter and hesitate for first 15 minutes or so. Eventually it would start to run OK and continue so until left unused for a month or so.

Next time it was used the same problem ? first 15 minutes it had no performance.

Colleague suggested that the fuel injectors/ports were ?dirty? because of lack of use. Drained all gas. Fresh 10 gal of gas and a can Sea Foam additive.

Installed an external fuel/water filter and a fuel shutoff valve.

Ran it for a while and it started to perform like new.

Let it sit and next time it hesitated only for about 30 seconds and then started working well.

Let it sit and now it will not start.

Local dealer says it is the fuel pump ? cannot hear it when ignition is turned on.

Local dealer also says that fuel shutoff should not be used because if the fuel pump is dry all the seals will dry up and it will fail again. Normal procedure in the winter is to run it out of fuel which would be the same thing.

Is he correct that running the gas out of the system will lead to fuel pump failure?

If so, what should be done with the fuel in the boat tank and in the fuel lines during the winter months?


Any of you experts care to offer an opinion on draining the fuel from the system?

 

[yamamarinetech40]

Re: Shut off fuel or not?

If you had varnish, trash, etc the problem would not go away until taken apart and cleaned out....sounds like the old fuel in line had degraded(fuel degrades fastest in rubber lines/vst tanks)....now for the bad news....letting fuel sit in vst tank(where elect. fuel pump is) is bad news, but also there is argument for not letting it sit dry as residue will freeze up pump(fine powder coating)....so only real answer to me(and there are lots of opinions here) is to keep fresh fuel in vst even if not run...have someone if you can't, cycle key and drain vst, pump gas through system or best of all run engine...if you can't do or have done, sell motor.