How to Winterize a Four Stroke Outboard Motor

Summary

This guide addresses the proper method of winterizing a four-stroke outboard motor, clearing up common confusion. Key steps include flushing the motor with freshwater, checking for salt buildup, changing the lower unit oil, and adding a fuel stabilizer to combat ethanol effects. It's crucial to run the engine to ensure the stabilized fuel circulates. Unlike two-strokes, fogging a four-stroke motor is optional if it’s started every few weeks. The video also debunks the myth of needing antifreeze, explaining that proper drainage prevents freezing, making the motor winter-ready.

Takeaways

• 😀 Four-stroke outboards are very popular, but winterizing them differs from two-strokes.
• 🚿 The first step in winterizing is to give the motor a thorough freshwater flush for 5 to 10 minutes.
• 🔍 After flushing, remove the cowling and check for any salt buildup inside, rinsing it away if found.
• 🛢️ Change the lower unit oil, even if it’s fresh, to avoid water-induced damage during freezing temperatures.
• ⛽ Adding a fuel stabilizer is essential, especially since ethanol was introduced into fuels.
• 🏃‍♂️ Run the motor for 10 to 15 minutes after adding the fuel stabilizer to ensure it moves through the system.
• 🔄 Tilt the motor up and down completely to drain all water, as leftover water could freeze and cause damage.
• 🌫️ Engine fogger is traditionally used to winterize by spraying into the air intake and cylinders, but many experts now advise against it for four-stroke engines.
• 🕒 Regularly starting the motor every 3 weeks eliminates the need for engine fogging in four-strokes.
• ❄️ Antifreeze isn't necessary for four-stroke outboards if all water has been properly drained.

Q & A

What is the first step in winterizing a four-stroke outboard motor?

The first step is to give the motor a good freshwater flush to clean out any salt and debris.

What equipment might you need to flush a four-stroke outboard motor?

You may need a pair of ear muffs or a hose that can be threaded directly into the motor, depending on the model.

Why is it important to check for salt buildup inside the motor after flushing?

Salt buildup inside the motor can lead to corrosion, so it’s important to rinse away any salt to avoid damage.

Why is it necessary to change the lower unit oil, even if it's fresh?

You should change the lower unit oil to ensure no water has gotten in. If water freezes, it expands, which can cause serious damage to the motor.

What is the role of fuel stabilizer in winterizing a four-stroke outboard motor?

Fuel stabilizer is necessary to prevent ethanol in the fuel from degrading over time. It helps maintain fuel quality during storage.

Why should you run the motor for 10 to 15 minutes after adding fuel stabilizer?

Running the motor for 10 to 15 minutes ensures that the stabilized fuel circulates through the entire motor, protecting the fuel system.

Why is it important to tilt the motor up and down during winterization?

Tilting the motor all the way up and down ensures that all water drains out, preventing any water from freezing and causing damage.

Is antifreeze necessary for winterizing a four-stroke outboard motor?

No, antifreeze is not necessary. If the motor is properly drained, no water should remain inside to freeze and cause damage.

What is the traditional use of engine fogger in winterizing a motor?

Engine fogger is traditionally sprayed into the air intake while the motor runs until smoke comes out, and a spritz is applied inside each cylinder to prevent rust during storage.

Is it necessary to fog a four-stroke outboard motor for winterization?

No, it may not be necessary to fog a four-stroke motor if you start the motor every 3 weeks during the winter to keep it running properly.

Outlines

00:00

🔧 Winterizing Four-Stroke Outboards: Introduction

The video begins by discussing the popularity of four-stroke outboards compared to two-strokes and emphasizes the importance of properly winterizing these engines. The speaker aims to clear up the confusion surrounding the process, starting with the essential step of giving the motor a thorough freshwater flush. Depending on the outboard, this can involve using ear muffs or threading a hose directly into the motor for a 5 to 10-minute flush.

🔍 Inspecting for Salt Buildup & Lower Unit Oil Change

After flushing the motor, the next steps involve inspecting the engine for any salt buildup and rinsing it away. Following this, the lower unit oil must be changed, even if it's fresh. This step is crucial because water may have entered the oil, which could freeze and cause significant damage to the motor during winter. A reference to another video on changing lower unit oil is provided for further guidance.

💧 Fuel Stabilization & Water Drainage

With the introduction of ethanol in fuel, adding a fuel stabilizer for winter is now essential. Once the stabilizer is added, the motor needs to run for 10 to 15 minutes to ensure the stabilized fuel circulates through the system. After this, it's crucial to tilt the motor up and down several times to drain any remaining water from the outdrive. This prevents freezing and potential damage to the outboard.

🌫️ Fogging the Engine: To Do or Not to Do?

Traditionally, fogging the engine is the next step in winterization, where engine fogger is sprayed into the air intake until smoke emerges from the exhaust. Each spark plug is then removed, and fogger is sprayed inside the cylinder. However, the speaker, along with other enthusiasts, believes that for a four-stroke motor, regular usage every three weeks during the winter season is a better approach than fogging.

🚫 Antifreeze Misconceptions

The final part of the winterization process addresses the common misconception that antifreeze is needed for four-stroke outboards. In reality, if the motor is positioned properly (tilted down), no water should remain inside. The speaker suggests that any boatyard recommending antifreeze may just be adding unnecessary costs. The motor is considered ready to sit for three weeks until its next start-up, with no need for additional antifreeze.

Keywords

💡Four-stroke outboards

Four-stroke outboards are a type of boat engine that has become popular due to their efficiency and environmental benefits. In the video, they are discussed in the context of proper winterization, emphasizing the differences in maintenance between four-stroke and two-stroke engines. Unlike two-strokes, four-strokes require specific steps to avoid damage during the colder months.

💡Winterizing

Winterizing refers to preparing a boat's engine for the off-season, specifically to protect it from damage caused by freezing temperatures. The video explains several steps in winterizing a four-stroke outboard, such as flushing out the engine, changing the oil, and ensuring all water is drained to prevent freezing damage.

💡Freshwater flush

A freshwater flush is the process of running fresh water through the engine to remove salt and other debris that may have accumulated during use. In the video, this is highlighted as the first step in winterizing a four-stroke engine, crucial for preventing salt buildup, which can corrode internal components.

💡Lower unit oil

The lower unit oil lubricates the gearbox in an outboard motor. In the winterization process, changing this oil is critical, as water can sometimes leak into the lower unit. If water remains in the oil, it could freeze and expand, leading to serious damage to the engine, which the video warns against.

💡Fuel stabilizer

A fuel stabilizer is a chemical additive that helps prevent the gasoline in the engine from breaking down or absorbing moisture during periods of non-use. The video emphasizes the importance of adding a fuel stabilizer when winterizing to keep the fuel system clean and functional over the winter months.

💡Engine fogger

Engine fogger is a spray used to coat the inside of the engine's cylinders with oil to protect against rust and corrosion during long periods of storage. The video discusses whether it is necessary for four-stroke engines, with the presenter suggesting it may not be needed if the engine is run regularly.

💡Ethanol

Ethanol is a type of alcohol often mixed with gasoline. It can absorb water, leading to fuel system problems if not treated with a stabilizer. The video mentions ethanol as a reason why adding a fuel stabilizer has become essential when winterizing outboard motors to avoid damage from moisture buildup.

💡Tilt the motor

Tilting the motor involves adjusting the outboard engine's position to ensure that all water drains out. In the video, this step is emphasized to prevent water from remaining in the outdrive, where it could freeze and cause damage during the winter months.

💡Antifreeze

Antifreeze is a liquid that prevents water from freezing. The video addresses a common misconception, stating that antifreeze is typically unnecessary for winterizing four-stroke outboards, as no water should remain in the motor if it's drained properly. The presenter suggests that antifreeze might sometimes be used just to increase costs in a service bill.

💡Salt buildup

Salt buildup refers to the accumulation of salt inside the engine, especially after using the boat in saltwater. The video recommends checking for and removing any salt deposits during the winterization process, as salt can corrode the engine’s internal parts if left unchecked.

Highlights

Four-stroke outboards are now the most popular choice on the market.

Winterizing a four-stroke outboard motor differs from a two-stroke motor.

The first step in winterizing is to give the motor a good freshwater flush.

Use ear muffs or thread the hose into the motor for a 5-10 minute flush.

Check for salt buildup under the cowling and rinse it away to avoid corrosion.

Even if the lower unit oil is fresh, change it before winter to avoid water freezing and damaging the motor.

Water expands when frozen, which can cause serious damage to the motor.

Adding a fuel stabilizer is critical when storing the motor for winter, especially with ethanol in fuel.

After adding stabilized fuel, run the motor for 10-15 minutes to circulate it.

Tilt the motor all the way up and down to ensure all water drains out to prevent freezing.

Traditionally, engine fogger is sprayed into the air intake and inside the cylinders before winter.

Some believe that starting a four-stroke motor every three weeks is better than fogging it.

Running the motor every three weeks keeps it winterized without the need for fogging.

Antifreeze is not necessary for winterizing, as long as the motor is fully drained of water.

Many boatyards might add antifreeze just to increase the bill, but it's not needed.

Transcripts

fourstroke Outboards have become by far

the most popular on the market but there

are some differences between four

strokes and two strokes one of those is

winterising and there's a lot of

confusion about how to properly

winterize a four stroke let's end it

right now the first thing you need to do

of course is give the motor a good

freshwater flush now in some cases

you'll need a pair of ear muffs in some

others you thread the hose right

in and let the water flow for a good 5

or 10

minutes now that she's flushed out we're

going to remove the cow and we're going

to search for any salt

buildup that we can find inside and

rinse it away the next step is to change

the lower unit oil now even if it's

fresh you still want to change it just

in case any water got in there of course

water freezes it expands when it freezes

and that can cause serious damage watch

our boat video on how to change lower

unit oil and you'll know exactly how to

do it since the introduction of ethanol

adding a fuel stabilizer for the winter

is an absolute

must now that the stabilized fuel is in

the system you need to hook up the water

again run the motor for a good 10 or 15

minutes to work that stabilized fuel

through the motor now this is very

important afterwards you need to tilt it

all the way up and all the way down you

want to make absolutely sure that that

every drop of water drains out of that

out drive otherwise it could freeze and

break something now traditionally the

next step is to take some engine fogger

run the motor and spray it in the air

intake until smoke comes out the back

then you remove each plug and give it a

spritz of fogger inside the cylinder but

many Tech heads myself included believe

that with a four-stroke motor the best

way to winterize it is simply to use it

if you start your motor every 3 weeks or

so you really don't need to fog it well

can that really be all there is to

winterizing a fourstroke wait a minute

what about the

antifreeze nah truth of the matter is no

water should remain in this entire

outboard motor sitting in the down

position like this and most of the time

if a boaty yard wants to add antifreeze

they're probably just trying to add a

bill for you truth of the matter is this

motor is ready to sit for 3 weeks until

I give her another start and let her

warm up and then another 3 weeks after

that

Fogg it