OUTBOARD WINTER LAYUP

[Mark Gutteridge]

Hello;
I would like to know how the general S2 population winterizes their outboard motors.
Chimo;
Guts #448

[Jeff Bonvallet]

I take it into the basement, hang it on a 2 X 10. Never had a problem.

[Tom Elsen]

We put a splash of fuel preservative in the last 1/2 can of gas. Then we make sure to run the motor for a while on that mixture. Before pulling the boat we disconnect the fuel line and run the motor until it's out of gas. We store the motor in a corner of the garage that doesn't get much below freezing. No problem.

[LarryE-old]

Move to Florida.

P.S. BRING 7.9 WITH YOU.

[Tim Bosma]

we drain the fuel from the tank, pull the spark plug, spray in some fogger, stick in the garage on a stand so she is upright.

[dave]

At the risk of being too literal, the standard method is to start the motor, let it warm up, spray fogging oil into the intake until it dies and then not worry about it until the next time you start it! The freezing thing matters not a whit as long as there is no water in the engine, which there won't be if it's been taken off the boat and held upright for even 20 seconds, then tilt it aft at the top to make sure that no water remains in the lower unit.

I have a 1994 Lowe boat with an Evinrude 40 HP that was giving me so much freeking trouble in 2000 that I parked the POS in the back yard with no cover, no winterizing, no nothing for 5 years. I couldn't have cared less if a tree fell on it at the time!!!!!! 5 years down the pike I got interested in it again and found that my main problem was that the Hot cable from the battery to the starter had worn through the insulation where it rubbed on the aluminum hull and there was nothing left inside but green copper oxide!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I fixed all of that with MARINE GRADE [tinned] cables, put new fuel mix in the tank and hit it...................... started right up!!!!!!!!!!!!! I thereafter tracked down a few other issues, like the positive lead to the power pack had ALSO worn through the insulation and was intermittently shorting out on the wire harness, and put rebuild kits in both carbs. That puppy still runs like brand new even after five years of sitting out in the hot and cold, wet and dry, etc, etc. Would I recommend this? Of course not, it just goes to show what oily innard 2 stroke engines can deal with if not submersed.

Also, do yourselves a huge favor and stop using TCW3 oil: switch to full synthetic. The motor will smoke way less, run better and last longer.

[John Spierling]

Run the gas out of the motor, store in basement.

[Greg Fiegelist]

also its a good idea to change lower unit oil for there might be some water in it. it could expand and push out the seal