How To Winterize A 4-Stroke Outboard | My Boat Classic DIY
Summary
TLDRThis episode of PowerBoat Television covers essential steps for properly winterizing a modern four-stroke EFI outboard motor. Unlike older two-stroke engines, newer models require careful preparation, including draining old oil, replacing the oil filter, and refilling the crankcase with the appropriate oil. Gear oil must also be replaced, and grease applied to key moving parts. Special fuel mixes must be used to prevent injector damage, and fuel systems should be stored wet to protect components. The episode emphasizes the importance of storing the engine vertically to ensure its longevity.
Takeaways
- ⚠️ Modern outboard motors require more care during winterization compared to older two-stroke models.
- ⛽ For boats with internal fuel tanks, fill the tank completely and add a fuel stabilizer to prevent moisture build-up and ethanol breakdown.
- 🔥 Always ensure the engine is warm and has a good flow of water before starting any maintenance tasks.
- 🛢️ Drain the old oil by removing the dipstick and using an oil pan to catch the oil, then remove the oil filter using a proper wrench.
- 🔧 Before installing a new oil filter, coat the filter's O-ring with oil to ensure a proper seal.
- 🛠️ Lubricate the swivel bracket and steering with appropriate grease to maintain smooth movement.
- 🛑 When draining gear oil, inspect for water or metal traces, as these may indicate potential issues.
- 🛢️ Refill the gear case by pumping oil into the fill hole until it appears at the vent hole, ensuring no leaks.
- 🚫 Do not run the engine dry to winterize; fuel systems need to stay wet to avoid damage to rubber, neoprene, and plastic parts.
- 🛑 For modern EFI engines, use a special fuel mixture (gasoline, two-cycle oil, fuel stabilizer) to properly store the engine for winter.
Q & A
Why is it important to properly winterize a modern four-stroke EFI outboard engine?
-Modern four-stroke EFI engines require proper winterization to prevent damage to their complex systems, including the fuel system, sensors, and injectors, which older two-stroke engines didn't have.
What is the first step in preparing to store an outboard motor for the winter?
-The first step is ensuring that the internal fuel tank is full to prevent moisture buildup and treating the fuel with a storage stabilizer, which also prevents ethanol breakdown.
Why is it important not to start the engine dry when preparing it for winter storage?
-Starting the engine dry, even for a second, can damage the impeller. It’s essential to ensure a good flow of water when running the engine.
What tools are needed to drain the old oil from the outboard motor?
-You can use an oil extractor or manually drain the oil by removing the dipstick to vent the crankcase, then using a flexible funnel and oil pan after removing the drain plug.
What should you do before installing a new oil filter?
-Before installing the new oil filter, you should coat the oil ring seal with oil to ensure proper sealing, then hand-tighten it before firmly seating it with a wrench.
How do you refill the gearcase with oil after draining it?
-To refill the gearcase, pump OEM high-performance gear oil into the fill hole on the torpedo until it begins to come out of the vent hole, then secure the plugs in the correct order.
Why shouldn’t you disconnect the fuel line and run the engine dry during winterization?
-Disconnecting the fuel line and running the engine dry can damage the rubber, neoprene, and plastic parts in fuel systems, which need to stay wet for proper storage.
How do you properly store a modern EFI engine for the winter?
-A special fuel mix containing gasoline, two-cycle oil, and fuel stabilizer with an ethanol additive must be pumped through the motor, ensuring fuel is left in the system to protect components.
Why is fogging oil not suitable for modern EFI engines during winterization?
-Fogging oil, which was traditionally used in older carbureted engines, can damage modern EFI injectors and sensors, making it unsuitable for winterization.
What is the recommended storage position for an outboard motor during the winter?
-The outboard motor should be stored in a vertical position, whether it’s left on the boat or stored in a basement, to ensure proper maintenance and prevent damage.
Outlines
🚤 Introduction to Winterizing Outboard Motors
The host introduces PowerBoat Television, a premier boating show, and highlights the common misconceptions about winterizing outboard motors. He notes that while older two-stroke engines may have required minimal care, modern four-stroke EFI engines need more attention to be properly stored for winter. This episode will cover the steps necessary to winterize and store an outboard motor correctly.
🛢️ Preparing the Fuel System for Storage
The first step in winterizing is to ensure that if the boat has an internal fuel tank, it is filled to prevent moisture buildup. The fuel should be treated with a storage stabilizer to prevent ethanol breakdown. The engine must be warm during the process, and there should be a good flow of water to avoid damaging the impeller when starting the motor.
🔧 Draining and Replacing Engine Oil
To drain the old oil, either use an oil extractor or remove the drain plug after venting the crankcase by pulling the dipstick. After draining, remove the old oil filter, making sure to use the correct tools, and replace it with a new filter. The new filter's o-ring should be coated with oil to ensure proper sealing. The host emphasizes not over-tightening the filter when installing it and to carefully refill the crankcase with the correct amount and grade of OEM oil.
🪛 Lubricating Key Components
Next, lubricate the swivel bracket with mercury grease until grease appears at the seal, and repeat for any other lube points. Additionally, lubricate the steering mechanism to ensure proper maintenance. These steps help keep essential parts of the motor in good working order throughout storage.
⚙️ Draining and Refilling Gear Oil
To drain the gear oil, remove the drain, level, and vent plugs, allowing the oil to drain completely. Inspect for any signs of water intrusion or metal particles, which could indicate potential issues. If everything looks good, replace the gaskets on the plugs and refill the gearcase with OEM high-performance gear oil, ensuring the gearcase is filled correctly by following the proper sequence of replacing the plugs.
⛽ Storing the Fuel System Correctly
Contrary to popular belief, simply disconnecting the fuel line and running the engine dry isn't enough to winterize modern EFI engines. Fuel is necessary to prevent damage to rubber, neoprene, and plastic components. Older carbureted engines could be stored by introducing fogging oil, but doing so in modern engines can damage expensive components. Instead, a special fuel mix of gasoline, two-cycle oil, and fuel stabilizer should be used. This mix is ingested into the engine, which is confirmed by observing oil smoke in the exhaust.
🔚 Final Tips for Winterizing
To conclude, the host emphasizes that a crucial final step in winterizing the outboard motor is to store it vertically, whether on the boat or in a basement. This ensures proper drainage and prevents water from accumulating in the motor, which could cause damage during the winter months.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Winterizing
💡Outboard Motor
💡EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection)
💡Fuel Stabilizer
💡Fogging Oil
💡Crankcase
💡Gear Oil
💡Impeller
💡Swivel Bracket
💡Fuel Mix
Highlights
Boaters often take winterizing outboard motors for granted, especially with modern four-stroke EFI engines that need more attention.
Storing the outboard properly is crucial, including filling the internal fuel tank to prevent moisture build-up and treating the fuel with storage stabilizer.
Ethanol fuel requires special additives to prevent breakdown and phase separation during storage.
The engine must be warmed up before starting the winterization process, and never start the motor dry to avoid damaging the impeller.
Draining the old oil is essential. You can use an oil extractor, but manually draining using the drain plug and dipstick to vent the crankcase is another method.
Proper oil filter replacement includes coating the O-ring with oil before installation to ensure a proper seal.
Tighten the oil filter by hand to seat the O-ring, and then use a wrench to firmly secure it without over-tightening.
Ensure the crankcase is filled with the correct amount and grade of OEM oil, and recheck oil levels after running the motor.
Lubricating the swivel bracket with mercury grease and other lubrication points, including the steering system, is critical.
Drain and refill the gear oil by pumping high-performance gear oil until it comes out of the vent hole, checking for water intrusion or metal traces.
When replacing gear oil, use new gaskets and fill it by pumping oil into the fill hole until oil exits the level hole.
Running the engine dry to winterize the fuel system is a myth—fuel must be left in to prevent rubber and plastic parts from drying out.
Older carbureted engines could be fogged with oil, but modern EFI systems require a special fuel mix to prevent damage to injectors and sensors.
The special fuel mix for winterizing consists of gasoline, two-cycle oil, and fuel stabilizer with an ethanol additive.
The outboard engine should always be stored in a vertical position, either on the boat or in storage, to avoid issues.
Transcripts
powerboat television North America's
premier boating show time for my boat
over the years I've noticed quite a few
boaters that really take winterizing
their oak boards for granted they pretty
much just disconnect the fuel line run
them dry let the water drain out and
either leave them store it on the back
of the boat or put them in their
basement well that might have been fine
for your dad's old 9.9 two-stroke but
for a modern four-stroke EFI they need a
little bit more attention so this week
on my boat
we'll take you through the steps of
storing your outboard motor if your boat
has an internal tank ensure that it is
full to prevent moisture build-up and
treat the fuel with storage stabilizer
it also has an additive to ensure that
the ethanol fuel will not break down
poor phase separate to get started
the engine must be warm and when you're
doing this make sure there is a good
flow of water never start the motor dry
for even a second or you will damage the
impeller after removing the cowl first
task was to drain the old oil for this
you can use an oil extractor but I
elected to drain the oil by first
pulling the dipstick to vent the
crankcase then removing the drain plug
on the left side of the leg casing and
using a flexible funnel an oil pan to
catch the oil with the oil drain the
next step is to remove the oil filter
first off a rag beneath the filter to
kesi oil then using the correct size
filter wrench or an adjustable strap
wrench remove the filter before
installing the new filter make sure you
coat the filters all ring seal with oil
so it seals properly carefully screw the
new filter in place and tighten it by
hand to seat the o-ring then firmly seat
the oil filter with a wrench
without over tightening finally
reinstall the drain plug the oil fill
cap is conveniently located on the back
of the powerhead for easy access make
sure you use a funnel to avoid spilling
the oil and fill the crankcase with the
correct amount and the specified grade
of OAM oil finally reinstall the cap run
the motor and recheck that the oil is at
the correct level on the dip
next lube the swivel bracket with
mercury to foresee grease pumping slowly
until grease appears at the seal then
repeat for any other Lube points and
finish off with the steering to drain
the gear oil first remove the drain plug
then the level and vent plugs and allow
the oil to drain checking it for water
intrusion and the magnetic plug for
metal traces since either one could be
signs of problems if everything looks
good install new gaskets on the plugs
then refill the gearcase with OEM high
performance cure oil by pumping it into
the fill hole on the torpedo until it
begins to come out of the vent hole next
screw the plug in the vent opening and
add more oil until oil exits the level
hole
screw in the level plug and remove the
pump and install the fill plug off the
top I mentioned that some guys think the
final step in winterizing their engine
is to disconnect the fuel line and run
the engine dry well that's just not the
case
fuel systems whether they're carbs or
efi require fuel to ensure that the
rubber neoprene and plastic parts don't
dry out so they have to be stored wet
now with an older carbureted engine the
way to store them was to while they were
running introduced fogging oil through
the carburetors to the engine quit well
with modern EF is doing it that way will
ruin expensive injectors and sensors so
a special fuel mix must be pumped
through the motor to store it for the
winter mix is made up with 20 litres of
gasoline 1.8 liters of two cycle oil and
30 to 40 milliliters of fuel stabilizer
with an ethanol additive with the mix
set to go it's time to hook up the tank
fire up the motor and wait till the mix
is ingested which is confirmed by oil
smoke in the exhaust
well there you have it everything you
need to know to winterize your
four-stroke EFI outboard now the last
thing though remember store it vertical
whether it's on the boat or in your
basement
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