Winterizing advice needed please

[blindluck]

We own 2 boats and for one reason or another we did not even run one this year. It was removed from storage and just sat. My question is should it go through a winterizing process again, or could it just be placed into storage as is? Should we worry about fuel quality or draining/running it out? It is a new boat with very low hours on the motor. Thank you for your input.

[CaptainMusky]

I guess it would depend what you did to it last Fall before you put it away. If you did all the winterization procedures then you should be fine.

The first thing to do in the Spring would be to fill with fresh gas.

[MuskieJunkie]

I would call it good.

If the motor was tilted up and in the rain it probably has a little water in it. Lower that to drain it out.

[ClownColor]

The only thing you should have to do is drain and replace with fresh nonoxy gas and stabilizer.

[Capt. H (Ret.)]

"A new boat with very low hours on the motor". If it was properly winterized I wouldn't worry about the lower unit but bad gas can really mess things up. I would contact the servicing shop with your questions. Even then it is a question of "do you trust them"??? Chances are they are going to see you again and this time of year they are busy so the standard answer is "it's going to be just fine"

[SkunkedAgain]

Personally, I would fire up the engine dry....I know I know. Fire it up without muffs and not in a tank and just run it for about 10 seconds. You won't kill it or overheat the motor but you'll at least push some fresh gas through all of the lines and components of the motor. This also makes sure that you don't get any water in your lower unit that could freeze over the winter.

[delcecchi]

After reading the story on another board about a guy that bought a repo Optimax with low hours and it blew, apparently due to corrosion on the rod bearings if I recall correctly, I would put the muffs on, fire it up, and re-fog. I would want to make sure there was a good coat of oil on the bearings.

The whole process only takes about half an hour or less.

[MuskieJunkie]

I agree firing it up would be best, then re fog. However running it dry for 10 seconds is not going to get enough fuel and oil moving to do a whole lot of good.

Is this an outboard or IO? If it's an IO hooking it to a garden hose will fill the motor with water and it will have to be drained, instead use antifreeze.

[bak2MN]

Do not run dry even for ten seconds. Those little rubber impellers don't take much to melt down and ruin a motor.

[fishnowworknever]

Do not run dry even for ten seconds. Those little rubber impellers don't take much to melt down and ruin a motor.

Logged on to comment on this as well. Those impellers wear out really quick without water.

[marine_man]

Personally, I wouldn't touch it... if it was properly stored last year (motor fogged, gas stabilized and fuel tank full (to prevent condensation), lower unit oil replaced, I'd leave it. Yes, storing a motor un-fogged can cause rust / corrosion to form on the bearings, but if it was fogged properly they should be fine yet.

Now, if everything detailed above wasn't complete, then I'd do it properly.

marine_man

[gunner55]

I'm with MM as we have 2 boats also(Mom & Dad's,ours) & most years both don't get used.We will however take some older gas from their boat & run it in our's.Then put some fresh stabilized gas in their tank,put the muffs on it & run it.If it hasn't been put in the lake we won't do the lower unit every year but will pull the lower plug to make sure there's no water.Then top it off again.We run Amsoil synthetic in our lower units,it's a little spendy but compared to repair of a lower unit not so.

[chris63]

I have been told by several people to NOT fog fuel injection outboards.Is this true or not?Also regular motor oil or synthetic for 4stroke EFI mercury?c63

[ClownColor]

I've never been told "not" to fog...but most people i know just stopped doing it after a few years of owning the motor. Haven't fogged mine now for about 5 years.

[slammer]

I always fog the cylinders. It can't hurt anything and most manufacturers recommend it. Its quick and easy and cheap insurance. Agree on not touching those motors unless they were in the water for any amount of time.

[MuskieJunkie]

I have been told by several people to NOT fog fuel injection outboards.Is this true or not?Also regular motor oil or synthetic for 4stroke EFI mercury?c63

One way to fog FI motors that have a spin off fuel filter is to take the filter off, dump out the contents, fill it with fresh gas, fuel stabilizer and two stroke motor oil. Then start the motor. and let it run on that.

[delcecchi]

One way to fog FI motors that have a spin off fuel filter is to take the filter off, dump out the contents, fill it with fresh gas, fuel stabilizer and two stroke motor oil. Then start the motor. and let it run on that.

RTFM Read The Fine Manual. What does the manufacturer say one should do to winterize the motor in question?

[BoxMN]

Agree with the manual, like Del says. Mine doesn't say to fog, and I don't. Haven't for 32 years on one carbed motor (gets used every year and still working great), for 17 years on a efi 2 stroke, and now 3 years on a 2012 efi 4 stroke. Granted, they rarely sit for more 6 months (Oct./Nov./Dec. to April/May). But for me, it just works, proof is in the longevity of our working motors. Knock on wood