What should you do to winterize your outboard motor?
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What should you do to winterize your outboard motor?
[QUOTE=dug1976;474529]What should you do to winterize your outboard motor?[/QUOTE]
To start, click the link::)
[url]http://www.classicglastron.com/gl-outboard-winterizing.htm[/url]
All I do to my outboard is change lower unit oil looking to make sure it didn't take on water. Water will freeze and blow a hole in your lower unit.
Change the lower unit oil
Add Sta-Bil to the fuel, run it with the stabilizer in there for a few minutes so the whole fuel system gets treated; an alternate would be to remove the fuel line from the engine, run it until it quits, which ensures there is no fuel in the motor to gum it up over the winter
Make sure the batteries are charged - bring them inside if you aren't able to put a trickle charger on them
Add fogging oil to the cylinders
Remove anything from the boat that could freeze and bust (like cokes, etc.)
I also like to wash/wax/vaccum the boat before I put it away for the winter, that way it's ready to go come spring.
I winterize mine by taking it fishing all winter.....long live the F&F
Gary
[QUOTE=artcarney_agr;474564]Change the lower unit oil
Add Sta-Bil to the fuel, run it with the stabilizer in there for a few minutes so the whole fuel system gets treated; an alternate would be to remove the fuel line from the engine, run it until it quits, which ensures there is no fuel in the motor to gum it up over the winter
Make sure the batteries are charged - bring them inside if you aren't able to put a trickle charger on them
Add fogging oil to the cylinders
Remove anything from the boat that could freeze and bust (like cokes, etc.)
I also like to wash/wax/vaccum the boat before I put it away for the winter, that way it's ready to go come spring.[/QUOTE]
Use to run my outboard totally out of gas before I take it out of the water. My mech. friend told me not to do that anymore to as it tended to dry out seal and such in my carb. Had my last outboard for almost 30 yrs. and would run it dry. Motor lasted a long time with no dried out seals before he told me that. Probably still have it if I hadn't busted up the lower unit. I do use the sta-build when the fall season comes around and I don't get out as often.
I do the same as ArtCarney - make sure to drain livewells as well. I've heard of people putting blocks under the trailer so the tires are off the ground...don't do that myself though. I don't run the engine out of gas, instead, I double up the dosage of sta-bil as the boat isn't going to be used until Spring. Also - I use sta-bil (marine formula) at every fill up to help with the ethanol.