Boat gas delivery system

[RUGER]

Ok I have a couple questions.
My buddy has a 4 stroke fuel injected Mercury 60/40 jet.
First question is, how big a deal is it if you run completely out of gas with one of those? He has "heard" it is bad if you run out of gas.
I am talking about for the motor, not the obvious problems of running out of gas.

Now, he saw a guy that had a 6 gallon tank and a 3 gallon tank.
Does anyone know how you could rig that up? Well I know how you could but looking for the best way to do it.

Is it imparitive that you have a selector switch to go from one tank to the other or can you rig it up where it will basically pull from one then both?
I would think you need a selector switch myself.

Just wondering if anyone had done something like that.

 

[JimFromTN]

I don't have one but the only thing I have ever heard was to not lay it down on its side

 

[fairchaser]

I've only had two strokes but why would it be any different than your mower running out of gas? I can see where laying down could cause oil or gas to get into odd places.

 

[TNLynn]

I have a mercury 60hp four stroke 2006 model that was run for years with two gas tanks. We run until it run out of gas on one tank-switch to other tank and pump up ball- start right up and keep going.

 

[catman529]

I've never heard of it being bad for any gas motor to run out of gas. Aren't you supposed to do that if they sit in storage for a while? Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

As for the 2 gas tanks. If I am going somewhere I might burn some gas, I bring a backup 5 gallon jug of gas for my motor. I just keep an eye on the gauge, and if it starts to get low, I fill it up before it ever runs out. Usually I'm not going too far to burn all the gas. Mostly just camping trips where I bring backup. I often camp on a lake with no marina.