[THEFERMANATOR]

One of the biggest killers of 2 stroke outboards is carbon build-up, and running them cold is the biggest contributor to carbon build up there is. Some engines will live, but many will die a slow painful death until they eventually stick a piston form sticking rings or score a cylinder wall. I can't tell you how many times somebody has brought an engine to me complaining of how it idles or pours out black soot from the exhaust and come to find out it was the owners removing the t-stat that caused it. And what many don't think about is the T-stat is a restricto that is needed to reduce coolant flow and to allow the water to absorb engine heat rather than just pass through without absorbing heat. I've seen more engines overheat from no t-stat than I have overheat because of a bad one. And many people never think about a T-stat when doing there maintence, but it is a maintence item that needs to be replaced periodically depending upon useage.