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Author Topic:   Running Cold Engine At Maximum Throttle

weekendwarrior posted 02-19-2010 01:50 PM ET (US)
Do any of you with four-cycle outboard engines open the throttle with a cold motor? Have you seen any bad side effects? I know oil pressures run high with cold oil and the thickness can cause lack of lubrication. I am always meticulious with warming up my motor before putting significant load on it or allowing high engine speed, but I know somewhere out there is someone who just floors it and I am curious if you had and problems from it. Anyone ever cold-seize a two-cycle or four-cycle outboard motor by loading a cold engine?
jimh posted 02-21-2010 12:14 AM ET (US)
I think your practice of allowing your engine to warm up to operating temperature before running the engine at its maximum engine speed is a wise one.
deepwater posted 02-21-2010 07:18 AM ET (US)
The warm up time for a small motor is not much and should not be much more than once started you can turn on the needed electronics a quick look to be sure loose items are good where they are and remove the mooring lines ,,2 to 4 min tops observe the slow no wake zone and your ready for any amount of throttle needed
macfam posted 02-21-2010 10:39 PM ET (US)
I've seen this done on several occasions, but have no idea on any damage.
In all of the cases I've seen, it has been with emergency/rescue vessels. Specifically, several with the Falmouth Harbormaster, 27 Whaler commercial with twin Evinrude 225 (Ficht I beleive) recently replaced by twin Honda 225's.
Perhaps the reason they were replaced was the cold start accelerations, although I have NO eveidence of that.
The other instances is from the Martha's Vineyard, Vineyard Haven Harbormaster in real rescue situations. (Parker 25 with twin 225's, Yamaha I think)
The Falmouth Harbormaster covers more territory that any I know. 15 seperate harbors in one town. That must hold the record of any town in the US. And from the ones furthest apart, the distance must exceed 15 miles.
When he is in a hurry...he moves.
Vineyard Haven also has more than one harbor, and to get to Tashmoo, he needs to run in open high current ares, and he screams out the harbor like he stole the boat.
Homeland Security in Falmouth also has a Coast Guard-like RIB with twin 225 E-TEC's. Although I've only seen them in a troll speed or cruising speed, never going flat out.
I don't think I know of any other situations where someone accelerates to full throttle with no warm up.
But.....the above situations are unique...and who pays the bill if things do breakdown......yup...the taxpayer!
weekendwarrior posted 02-21-2010 11:02 PM ET (US)
I should add that what spawned the question is the fishing here. We frequently drift fish the gulf stream which goes about 3-6mph depending on the day. So after an hour of drifting (now cold motor) you run against the current back up stream several miles as fast as you can to start another drift. I always give the motor several minutes at slower speeds to warm back up, but lots of people just crank and go.
BQUICK posted 02-22-2010 10:04 AM ET (US)
Reminds me of a boat I once looked at to buy. The guy was in the Coast Guard Auxiliary and was boasting that it runs good and that he could fire it up cold (Chevy I/O) and nail it and get up to top speed by "that buoy over there".
I said "well that explains the rod knock then". He started lecturing me that he had been running boats for 40 years and that doesn't hurt them.
Parts need to expand and oil needs to warm to get proper lubrication. Running thin oil can help but can be at the expense of protection once it gets hot.
Tohsgib posted 02-22-2010 11:47 AM ET (US)
When I first started running 4 strokes I would let them warm up a few minutes before putting it in gear to go out my canal. Then I realized this aint no automatic trans like in a car, it is a gearbox. I then, and still am, trying to get in the "habit" of starting it, untying and sticking it in gear for the 5-6min idle out to the river. It is the same idling in gear than it is in neutral with a boat.
fno posted 02-22-2010 10:59 PM ET (US)
Well said, Nick. In my case it's the time it takes for Sandy to park the truck and load up the herd of dogs. Plenty of time for a 4 stroke to warm up. Oil actually has better lubricating qualities when cold (not ice cold, just 50-70' cold) A couple minutes to let your pistons, cylinders, connecting rods, and crank to warm up and expand in size is just a wise move before you put the throttle down for some wind in your face.
deepwater posted 02-23-2010 04:35 AM ET (US)
Up here the people work year around and play the same way and I see almose everyone letting engines idle for a few seconds before putting the throttle down

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Author	Topic: Running Cold Engine At Maximum Throttle
weekendwarrior	posted 02-19-2010 01:50 PM ET (US) Do any of you with four-cycle outboard engines open the throttle with a cold motor? Have you seen any bad side effects? I know oil pressures run high with cold oil and the thickness can cause lack of lubrication. I am always meticulious with warming up my motor before putting significant load on it or allowing high engine speed, but I know somewhere out there is someone who just floors it and I am curious if you had and problems from it. Anyone ever cold-seize a two-cycle or four-cycle outboard motor by loading a cold engine?
jimh	posted 02-21-2010 12:14 AM ET (US) I think your practice of allowing your engine to warm up to operating temperature before running the engine at its maximum engine speed is a wise one.
deepwater	posted 02-21-2010 07:18 AM ET (US) The warm up time for a small motor is not much and should not be much more than once started you can turn on the needed electronics a quick look to be sure loose items are good where they are and remove the mooring lines ,,2 to 4 min tops observe the slow no wake zone and your ready for any amount of throttle needed
macfam	posted 02-21-2010 10:39 PM ET (US) I've seen this done on several occasions, but have no idea on any damage. In all of the cases I've seen, it has been with emergency/rescue vessels. Specifically, several with the Falmouth Harbormaster, 27 Whaler commercial with twin Evinrude 225 (Ficht I beleive) recently replaced by twin Honda 225's. Perhaps the reason they were replaced was the cold start accelerations, although I have NO eveidence of that. The other instances is from the Martha's Vineyard, Vineyard Haven Harbormaster in real rescue situations. (Parker 25 with twin 225's, Yamaha I think) The Falmouth Harbormaster covers more territory that any I know. 15 seperate harbors in one town. That must hold the record of any town in the US. And from the ones furthest apart, the distance must exceed 15 miles. When he is in a hurry...he moves. Vineyard Haven also has more than one harbor, and to get to Tashmoo, he needs to run in open high current ares, and he screams out the harbor like he stole the boat. Homeland Security in Falmouth also has a Coast Guard-like RIB with twin 225 E-TEC's. Although I've only seen them in a troll speed or cruising speed, never going flat out. I don't think I know of any other situations where someone accelerates to full throttle with no warm up. But.....the above situations are unique...and who pays the bill if things do breakdown......yup...the taxpayer!
weekendwarrior	posted 02-21-2010 11:02 PM ET (US) I should add that what spawned the question is the fishing here. We frequently drift fish the gulf stream which goes about 3-6mph depending on the day. So after an hour of drifting (now cold motor) you run against the current back up stream several miles as fast as you can to start another drift. I always give the motor several minutes at slower speeds to warm back up, but lots of people just crank and go.
BQUICK	posted 02-22-2010 10:04 AM ET (US) Reminds me of a boat I once looked at to buy. The guy was in the Coast Guard Auxiliary and was boasting that it runs good and that he could fire it up cold (Chevy I/O) and nail it and get up to top speed by "that buoy over there". I said "well that explains the rod knock then". He started lecturing me that he had been running boats for 40 years and that doesn't hurt them. Parts need to expand and oil needs to warm to get proper lubrication. Running thin oil can help but can be at the expense of protection once it gets hot.
Tohsgib	posted 02-22-2010 11:47 AM ET (US) When I first started running 4 strokes I would let them warm up a few minutes before putting it in gear to go out my canal. Then I realized this aint no automatic trans like in a car, it is a gearbox. I then, and still am, trying to get in the "habit" of starting it, untying and sticking it in gear for the 5-6min idle out to the river. It is the same idling in gear than it is in neutral with a boat.
fno	posted 02-22-2010 10:59 PM ET (US) Well said, Nick. In my case it's the time it takes for Sandy to park the truck and load up the herd of dogs. Plenty of time for a 4 stroke to warm up. Oil actually has better lubricating qualities when cold (not ice cold, just 50-70' cold) A couple minutes to let your pistons, cylinders, connecting rods, and crank to warm up and expand in size is just a wise move before you put the throttle down for some wind in your face.
deepwater	posted 02-23-2010 04:35 AM ET (US) Up here the people work year around and play the same way and I see almose everyone letting engines idle for a few seconds before putting the throttle down