Question: How To Winterize An Outboard Motor

Table of Contents

Winterizing Your Outboard Motor Drain the crankcase oil (Four-stroke motors) Install a new oil filter (Four-stroke motors) Filling the crankcase with new oil (Four-stroke motors) Changing the lower unit gear oil. Stabilizing the fuel. Flushing the outboard with antifreeze. Fogging the cylinders.

Do you really need to winterize an outboard motor?

If you want your engine to start in the spring and last you many years and plan on not using your engine all winter, you do have to winterize an outboard motor. Winterizing the engine helps to prevent damage during disuse, which is the chief cause for engine failure. Failing to winterize may lead to complications.

Do you have to winterize a 2 stroke outboard motor?

Regardless of the season, you should winterize your outboard anytime it isn’t going to be used for more than a month.

Do I need to winterize my 4 stroke outboard?

Like inboards and sterndrives, outboard engines are also subject to potential damage from freezing and from being laid up in disuse for months at a time. So outboards demand winterizing too. To serve as our example, we used a Yamaha F150 four-cylinder outboard.

Should outboard motor be stored up or down?

Don’t Store the Motor Tilted Up When you park the boat for the winter keep the motor trimmed or tilted down, especially if it’s outdoors. This will allow all of the water to drain out of the motor’s cooling system.

Can you use an outboard motor in the winter?

Several sections of the US offer outdoor activities late in the year – and all Mercury Marine outboards are rated to operate at temperatures as low as -15C/+5F. However, no matter how invigorating late-season boating can be, you’ll need to ensure your outboard and boat are ready to withstand the cold.

Do I need to winterize my boat if I keep it in the garage?

Of course, as BOATUS states, the best winter storage space for your boat is “indoors, in a climate‑controlled facility with a backup generator.” This means that you need control over the temperature in your garage. A good garage door that seals out the cold will help keep your boat safe over the winter.

How do you winterize a small 2 stroke outboard motor?

Fog the Engine Remove the engine cover and find the carburetor’s air intake port. With the engine running, spray a small amount of fogging oil into the intake. The engine will want to die, but keep it running by opening the throttle. Continue to fog the engine until it dies.

How much does it cost to winterize an outboard motor?

If you bring your boat to a shop to have it winterized, you can expect to pay between $300 and $400.

Can an outboard motor freeze?

A very popular question asked by a concerned boat owner, (mainly outboard motorboats) is Will A Boat Motor Freeze? The simple answer is yes. If the temperature is low enough, it can freeze. Water, oil and other engine related lubrication coupled with freezing temperatures is the main culprit for freezing a boat motor.

At what temperature should I winterize my boat?

As soon as the weather gets below 32 degrees, water begins to freeze, with water with impurities or saltwater in it starting to freeze at 28 degrees. In most cases, the water will not freeze solid (leading to cracked engine blocks) until the temperatures stay below 32 for several days and nights.

How cold is too cold for an outboard engine?

At what temperature will a boat engine freeze? Unwinterized boat engines can freeze any time the air temperature is below 28°F (-2°C) – for an extended period. Freshwater cooled engines without proper coolant can freeze below 32°F (0°C). The good news is you can prevent freeze damage fairly easily.

At what temperature will an engine block crack?

How Cold Does It Have To Get To Crack An Engine Block? freezing water without adding any additives like alcohol or antifreeze, and, if it is in an engine block, eventually cracking something, 32 degrees is all it takes.

How do you winterize a 4 stroke outboard?

What position should outboard motors be stored?

The best way is to either leave the motor on the boat or on an engine stand in an upright position, not tilted. If neither of these are an option, try to make sure that the engine is in an upright, self-draining position. If you can’t do this, be sure that the cooling system is drained completely.

Which side do you lay a 4 stroke outboard?

It’s almost never a good idea to lay an outboard motor down on its side or back. This is doubly true in the winter, when moisture from condensation needs to drain from the motor. Evinrude/Johnson emphatically states that four-stroke motors must be stored upright and recommends this for all other motors.

What happens if you don’t winterize your outboard motor?

If You Don’t Winterize Your Boat, Here’s What Happens: Water freezes and expands and can damage anything it’s trapped inside. Water may seep into unprotected spaces to do this. Acidic and corrosive wastes, salt and corrosion buildup can damage delicate parts in engines. Fuels break down or grow dirty.