WINTER ENGINE PROTECTION

[albion]

How many Mac owners remove the outboards when storing the boat outside in Northen climates during winter?

[kmclemore]

Not me. Tilted up, drained and fogged.

[Mark Chamberlain]

We hit -50 below every year and the 26x is under a tarp hybernating for the next season. The Honda 50 went to bed with fresh gear oil, oil change with mobil 1 and the motor tilted up then down to drain all water out of lower unit. The last tank of gas for the season gets a half can of SeaFoam
to be sure the carbs are free and clear. This year I changed the fule filter for the first time in 5 years. Batteries are removed and charged full and moved to the heated garage. I have followed this routine for the last five years. I start it each spring with the hose attached to the ear muffs and let it run for about 5 minutes before I head to the Port for the season.

I change the oil and filter every 50 hours= one season, always use Mobil 1
since the day it first started. I expect my body will wear out before this motor will

So leave the motor on the boat, just take good care of it and it will take care of you.

Wind Musher

[albion]

I only asked the question as my 50hp Suzuki outboard only has about 1hour of use. I drained water out and squirted some fogging oil in itBut did,nt run it while fogging. I didnt have a connector for hose at the time.Also put some fuel stabiliser in the tank.I covered the motor.

[Catigale]

Thats probably not broken in yet - I would put some oil directly into the cylinder and turn it over by hand several times, and drain carb bowls

I store my Merc 50 BF upright on the boat and make sure all the water drains out...I dont fog it, but put oil in the cylinders per Merc's recommnedations

IT has EFI so you dont fog that of course...it starts with one push every spring for 5 years now.

[albion]

Thanks folks, I will squirt some oil in the cylinders for now, I will do the full monty next winter.

[ChrisNorton]

I'm writing this from Beijing China. It's actually quite nice. I'm here for work. You should all be glad the Chinese government hasn't blocked your website from here. There must not be any sedition activity here.

Anyway, after my expensive carb repair this summer (after years of diligent fogging and oiling the cylinders, I was told not to fog through the carbs anymore as it can cause gumming.

I was told by the authorized Merc dealer, to flush the system with fresh water and drain well. Run the rest of the gas out of the motor and make sure the last tank of the year has a shock treatement (double dose) of the the blue enzyme cleaner.

Finally, open each spark plug and drip in a bit of standard engine oil. Turn over the engine a few times without starting or sparking. Leave it in the down position and call it done.

They also recommended not changing the plugs, oil, fuel filter, oil filter and lower unit fluid until the spring.

[Night Sailor]

I second that notion. Fogging is for directly into the cyliner head, never through the carbs or throttle body. Also wait until spring before prepping the boat for use. That way condensation or shrunken gaskests or seals are not a problem.

[Mark Karagianis]

What is fogging?

And, here in normally warm Southern California, this Friday night we are going to have a hard freeze, 25 degrees, our coldest night in 17 years. I planned on putting a tarp over the engine and a lit trouble light under it, to keep the temperature up. Should I worry about the water in my engine?

Thanks, Mark

[kmclemore]

Fogging is a spray lubricant that you inject into the engine, either through the intake or directly through the spark plug holes, that prevents rust from forming on the pistons, rings and valves.

One Brand.

[RandyMoon]

Ditto Kevin's comment.

It would be difficult to pull a 350 lb motor and store it. Drain, fog, and pray for a super hot March so you can get the boat back in the water as soon as possible.

[Rob Roy Macgregor]

I have spoken to quite a lot of commercial fishermen over the years. Just about every one of them pours engine oil into the spark plug holes and turns the motor over to lubricate the pistons.
In spring they take out the spark plug and give the engine a couple of turn overs to make sure there is no sticking. Then they put a cloth over the plug holes and trun over the motor to get rid of excess oil.
I have done the same thing with all my motors and never had a problem even with -30C. temperatures.

[kmclemore]

I have spoken to quite a lot of commercial fishermen over the years. Just about every one of them pours engine oil into the spark plug holes and turns the motor over to lubricate the pistons.
In spring they take out the spark plug and give the engine a couple of turn overs to make sure there is no sticking. Then they put a cloth over the plug holes and trun over the motor to get rid of excess oil.
I have done the same thing with all my motors and never had a problem even with -30C. temperatures.

That's what I do with my lawnmowers and other yard machines every fall.... a teaspoon of oil (a couple of squirts from the oil can), a quick pull on the rope and you're good to next season. However, with the Tohatsu it ain't that easy, so fogging through the intake just seems to work easier.

[Night Sailor]

Well, to get technical, in years past I never actually bought a fogging product that sprays or aerosols a lubricant into the engine. I always removed the plugs and squirted in a bit of 5 or 10 weight oil. Turning the motor over by hand a few times without the plugs in place "fogged" it as far as I was concerned. Then hand tightened the plugs for the winter (N. Illionois, -25 degrees. I"ve never had an engine problem with any outboard except one used one that sat for five years without being turned over, so the impeller fins got permanentlly bent and lost efficiency. That little 7.5 Merc had cranked right up with only one pull though!

[kmclemore]

Well, the squirt-and-lube works OK for flatheads like lawnmowers and leafblowers because the oil will run down on the valves and lube the valve stems as well. However, for an overhead-valve engine the oil-squirt method will lube only the pistons, rings and cylinder walls, leaving the valve stems dry and subject to rusting. Fogging lubes the works. Just MHO... YMMV.