Is it bad to run a motor in your driveway by hooking up the hose to the water pump inlet? I know it is the only option for some maintenance, but what are the limits to this? Can you run it too long without it being submerged? Can you run it to hard, such as in higher gear while testing to see if it can run at higher speeds? Just making sure that my driveway work isn't going to be causing more problems. Thanks guys

You really shouldnt run it at anything faster than a fast idle without having it in the water. With no load on the prop high revs will hurt it.

Ralphy's right, don't rev it up. It can tear itself apart. Also be aware that with no load it'll idle at higher RPM's than when you put it in the water.

Only time limit is how much your neighbors will tolerate.

I like to do it at 6:00 AM on a Saturday morning, you know, to "test" it before going to the lake.


j/k by the way

1)Buy a muffler for it, elst you'll have the wrath of your neighbors breathing down your neck!

2)Not recommended to put it in gear while running out of water on the 'muffs'. Not to mention it's VERY dangerous!

Thanks guys

fishmagnet, anything dangerous about it other then the stress on the motor?

It can run at high RPMs on a hose in your drive way, then when you put it in the water and put a load it, if there is a problem ,it may not run at high RPMs. For example if you have bad plugs, with out a load on the motor it might run at home o.k. Or if your high speed jets are plugged it will run at home at high RPMs but when you put a load on it at the lake it will not.

Does anybody drop the motor into a garbage can filled with water? I don't see a problem with that but I never hear much about people doing it. Is it okay to do?

Thanks,
Greg

My grandpa used to run his in 55 gallon drums filled with water.. but they were smaller hp motors..

Spinners,

The danger I'm referring to is having that prop spin freely where others, including animals, could come in contact with the prop when you least expect it.

As others have mentioned, it best to have the prop and gearcase under load, ie. in the water, unless you just plan on dropping it in idle or staying in neutral.

My .02

A 2-stroke motor is subject to run-away - where you can't turn it off with the key or the kill switch because the cylinders fire from heat & pressure with or without spark - it revs out of control until parts start separating. I've never experienced it & hope I never do.

I've run a 6hp in a garbage can before, in gear, no problems. Don't plan on doing that with my 70 though - pretty sure it would blow all the water out pretty quick. But if you just want back pressure to set the idle, it ought to be okay.