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Question-Can I Dry Start Boat?


PTM

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I'm in the northeast and selling my boat- The buyer want to see the boat run but the boat is winterized and we still have potential for freezing weather.

So my question- can I start the engine without the fake-a-lake for a couple seconds to prove it runs without hurting the boat??

Thanks

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I'm in the northeast and selling my boat- The buyer want to see the boat run but the boat is winterized and we still have potential for freezing weather.

So my question- can I start the engine without the fake-a-lake for a couple seconds to prove it runs without hurting the boat??

Thanks

Its not recommended, thats for sure. It only takes a few seconds to burn up an impeller without water flow. I sold my sunsetter a month ago with snow on the ground, and hooked up my fake-a-lake in the driveway when it was 5 degrees outside. The boat warmed up in about 10 minutes, and I took a short break before re-winterizing it. All in all, it only took an hour.

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I would not. Hook it to the FAL, start it and run it with confidence. You are more likely to make a sale that way. It only takes 15 minutes to drain...or put a heater in it if you happen to get that cold night.

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Plus if you use the FAL, it'll show that you actually care about your boat and take steps to prevent damage. It'll make a positive impression as a selling point to a potential buyer.

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How serious is your buyer? You could explain the situation and make sure there is a high level of commitment on his end before you expend labor and possible money on your end to prove the boat runs. You can't run it and re-winterize for every tire kicker that stops by. I think any reasonable buyer would understand this. Or take a deposit worthy of you un-listing your sale and make the deal contingent on a sucessful lake test later.

I may be going against the grain here, but I've always hit the key and made sure the boat fires up as my boat prep ritual before heading to the lake. I never want to be one of those knuckleheads that tie up the launch ramp with either a dead battery or other issue that renders the boat dead. And I've never had a problem with it. I've used both the Globe and OEM impeller. But it is literally only running long enough for me to know when I hit the key at the launch it will start. My gut feel is that if a buyer wants to hear it run, he'll want to hear it for a minute or two. You can't do that on an OEM impeller. Another thought if you are mechanically inclined is to pull the impeller out and run it that way for 30 seconds or so.

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Thanks all-

Going to use the FAL and re-winterize - don't want to take any chances

Thanks again.

Hook up a line with anti-freeze. You can run it for a short while and don't have to worry about re-winterizing or having it freeze

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Use a Globe impeller & you have up to 15 minutes of run dry time over the course of the impeller's life span. I pump start the engine all the time in our re-winterize process to blow out the last remainder of the water from the engine & mufflers. Don't run the engine long (1 or 2 seconds) as there is nothing keeping it cool.

If your using the Johnson impeller, you'll bake it pretty quickly.

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I'm in the northeast and selling my boat- The buyer want to see the boat run but the boat is winterized and we still have potential for freezing weather.

So my question- can I start the engine without the fake-a-lake for a couple seconds to prove it runs without hurting the boat??

Thanks

Short answer is yes it won't cause any harm. You litareally have to start it up and shut it off just to prove it turns over and runs.

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