Outboard motors are nothing but a headache to me, but your videos are very interesting and quite intriguing with the way they work. Always enjoyed watching someone skilled at what they do and do it well. I was in a bind earlier this week with the cooling system on my Evinrude. Your video helped me decide that it was out of my reach after the troubleshooting tips and that it was time to take it to a shop lol. Keep up the great work!
Stu, as always you produce clear and concise videos and I always learn something. In addition to servicing your engine also repack the wheel bearings on your boat trailer. After running for a while trailer hubs get warm and the air inside expands a little, when a trailer is backed into the water and the hubs submerge, the water cools them down and creates a vacuum and often suck water into the hub. This is especially bad if it is salt water and now has all winter to rust the bearings. The warm days of Spring arrive and I can't tell you how many boat trailers I see sitting on the side of the road due to failed bearings. Not a good way to start the season.
When I first went to grease my 1996 70hp Evinrude's steering tube, the grease didn't come out at both the top and bottom. I resolved this by placing a floor jack under the outboard motor and placing just enough force on the skeg in order to take pressure off of the tube. Grease then came out of both ends.
Greetings from northen Sweden and a fellow boat entusiast and new subscriber. Been watching the channel for a long time but just hit the button. I used to work on boats as a mechanic and this is pretty much what we did when winterizing, I also changed oil in the gear housing to make sure it's not a leak in the seals and water in there. I have seen gear housing cracking apart from that. Great channel, no fancy edeting and you show how its done.
Great video as always. Not sure if anyone recommended it already but I like to add oil to the new filter before I spin it on. Even at 90 degrees it will take quite a bit before it spills out, allows sooner oil pressure at startup. Cheers
Your the man. Another great video. You helped me troubleshoot and get my Johnson 175 running and now u tought me how to winterize it. Your videos are much appreciated.
Winterize in S.W. Florida means running it. But you do pass along good information. I really do like your videos . please don't stop . I've already made use of tips. Thanks.
Dangar Marine : yesterday I had to replace the squeeze bulb . on my1983 70 hp Johnson. Just genral stuff that has to be done . later in the day I went to the lake just to run it. Ended up pulled in a boat with a 2 year old Yamaha . The deal is take care of motor .it will last. My Johnson hasn't been in a shop in 8 years . runs like a scalded dog.
With a 2-stroke motor, I idle it for a few minutes, then disconnect the fuel line from the tank and let it idle until it cuts out. This drains the fuel hose and bulb so the fuel won't corrode the line. Then I start it again to drain the leftover fuel in fuel pump and primer hoses. I also fog the carb at same time. Then I drain the carb bowl. Finally I remove plugs, and fog cylinders while turning flywheel to distribute.
My dad had a 1971 50HP Johnson. He always ran the carbs dry on the last trip of the season, then we sprayed WD-40 in the spark plug holes while bumping the starter. Engine always ran great. Never had any problems.
Great video Stu as usual. Up here in chilly ol Canada it's nigh time for this procedure. Very jealous of your year-round boating! Going on ten years with my Yammy 90 4 stroke I've discovered a couple of things. Running the engine dry doesn't fully drain the carb bowls, so I do both. I installed a shutoff tap on my water separating fuel filter so when I close that the engine will die in a couple minutes of fast idle. Then, I drain the carbs and under cowl fuel filter (plus give it a clean). There's so much duct work upstream of the carbs I shoot the fogging oil directly into the cylinders instead of trying to induct it. Then, replace the plugs and turn the engine over a couple of times with the lanyard of the ignition pulled to kill the spark. I also shoot some fogging oil into the carb bowls before buttoning them up. In Canada we have the curse of ethanol fuel to deal with so I want to get the fuel system absolutely drained. This is all post oil change and gear lube check of course. I will confess that if I crack the gear lube screw and get nothing but clear oil I will do two seasons between changes but then a Canadian season is only about 30 hours run time for me. I run the engine on the muffs with new oil to get it circulated and check for leaks as well. Enjoy your summer, Stu!😎
Good idea to have that shutdown valve after the water separating fuel filter. I also think it is entirely valid to check a small sample of the gearbox oil and leave it if it is okay - that is an entirely sensible approach. It makes sense that the engine will run lean and stall before the carb bowls are empty, but I had never really thought about it so thanks for that confirmation. Have fun skiing! ;)
Thanks Stu. There's alway debate raging online regarding the "best" winterization procedures so the fact the same process year after year has my engine running like it was new gives me confidence I'm on the right track. And your seal of approval of course! The fuel tap was a necessity as I've got and under-floor tank with no easy way to disconnect the line at either end. The tank itself I leave topped up with stabilizer. I loved your discussion about trying to catch the oil. Just last year I gave up on my elaborate rigging of ropes, funnels and basins and now just let it all run down the leg and wipe up later. Makes for a far less angst-ridden process... BTW - that's a great coat!
Thanks for the reminder! Her in the United States it gets cold so usually I run mine on the muffs to get it warm and open up the thermostat then switch over to my jug of antifreeze with the hose connected muffs and let the water pump circulate antifreeze through to protect the block from water in the outboard freezing.
I've been told that if the motor is at rest in the full downward position that it will completely drain. That's what you see what you pull your boat out and tilt the motor down, the water draining down the leg and such. I've also heard horror stories where debris, corrosion, etc. Build up inside enough to hold enough water in to crack the power head. My theory is this: RV antifreeze is cheap, a motor is not. With that said, I do it figuring better safe than sorry.
Hi Stu, from Argentina here, interesting when you pointed out the 2 stroke get the lubrication from the fuel. Actually, on the oil injected systems the oil is run from an external pump and mixed before getting in the carbs. Like the Merc 90 you showed on some of your videos. In this case, disconnecting the fuel line will fill the carbs with rich-oil mixture, when the gasoline runs out. Actually my dad is in favor for this practice (of disconnecting the fuel line) and let the remaining fuel run out. He also choke the engine when is almost dying from fuel starvation to force the emptying of the carbs. But, I think he should also drain the carbs as you showed, and the question is if you think that leaving the carbs bowls empty is not going to accelerate the process of gum up because is easier to evaporate as only a little residue of gas remains and dry. Excellent videos Stu, big fan here also in the southern hemisphere (but on the other side of the sphere :)
True, for some automix outboards it is different. I think closing the chokes is a good idea if you have them as not only does it pull the last of the fuel out better it also shuts off most of the air from entering the carburettor if you leave it closed.
My uncle has been a small engine mechanic for about 50 years. He told me a long time ago, to put fuel stabilizer in every can of gas you bring home from the filling station. That way, if you do put an engine away for longer than you had planned, it will still have some protection. Sta-bil is cheap and easy to use. He once told me that if people followed that advice, he would lose 90% of his business.
Don't know your uncle but I NEVER get NEW fuel without first adding Stabil. I also add Sea Foam to my fuel ever so often. My boat has been sitting for the last 5 years due to job loss but I started it this month. Turned over on the first attempt and every attempt since!
We don’t have winter here in So Cal, but I still put Stab-il (the marine version) into every fill up. We have ethanol added to our gas which causes all kind of issues unless you treat it.
That makes sense. We can get ethanol-free fuel very easily here and a tank of fuel never lasts me more than a week so I don't treat it, but it is a good idea in other circumstances.
Love your vids! Another great informative boating video :) One thing tho on connecting battery leads: red is attached last and disconnected first. This helps minimize unwanted arcing. 🍻
Thanks mate, must disagree with you on the order of battery leads though. If you disconnect the positive first then the whole body of the car or the hull of the boat will still be an active ground and any metal the positive touches will cause arcing. With the negative disconnect first this can't happen.
One thing I like to Also do is to add anti freeze to the water intake to prevent freezing and cracking of engine cases due to cold environment I live in
Good video mate ,i used to make the effort to actually go out during winter in adelaide and start the engine up did the oil thing in the bores just to stop any rust from bare metal and condensation .I can vouch for sta bil it is an excellent product well i think so anyway use it in all my mowers shredders ect ,you need to put a proper insignia on your outboard cover instead of that cecil one on there now , something like a kangaroo and crossed rifles and boomerang with a wreath of wattle hahaha take care
Had no idea about winterizing my 1St boat, it's 29° now, were below freezing for 2 month's each winter, hopefully im not to late to protect it, thanks.
Is it not the summer in OZ ..winter is just staring here in Norway ,Thanks for the video I am literally going to pull my boat out the water tomorrow before the ice starts ...then the icefishing begins :D
hi stu i was trying to find 1 of your videos on how to take the cowling off the one just below the engine hood i have the Honda bf 90hp it would help me if you could show me on your Honda thanks again stu keep up the great work love your videos
Hi Stu, for the guys that will winterizing their motors till next season wouldn't it be better to burn the most fuel out of the tank instead filling it near up and adding stabilizing products. For me, fresh gas on every outing is the way to go... If you run the fuel bowls dry by disconnecting the motor fuel connector while motor is running, there will still be fuel left overs inside the fuel filter, if wanting to get rid of as much as possible keep pressed the pin located on the upper fuel connector for the motor to suck most of it till it dies.
Fuel being left in the hoses and filters is the main reason the Stabil is a good option. Also, condensation will form in tanks that are empty or near empty so keeping them full during the winter also prevents that.
Stu, you're right,it was my fault not to have mentioned that was refering to outboards connected to portable fuel tanks compared to the ones that use built in ones...
I think that is really important with closed cooling systems, but most of the water drains out of an outboard once it is off. I'll have to look into it a bit more and see what I can find out.
Great quality video Stu. I am winterizing a 90HP Mercury 2-stroke with oil injection. I would like to empty the 3 carburetor bowls by running with gas line clamped closed until engine stall-out. I understand how this could damage a pre-mix 2-stroke, but will I be OK with my oil injected motor?
Ji’ Stu. I bought 1983 Larson boat and cleaned the fuel filter on my mercury 70 HP 1983 also pumped old petrol with the ball as you showed in your video add 20 gallons of fuel to the tank mixed it with 2 cycle oil and dropped the ignition keys went and ordered after market ignition switch but the mechanic advised to return it do think that after market switch will work( its the one with the push key to shock the engine when you start it)
Hello I like to hear your opinion. For winter i cut the fuelline and stuck it in motoroil and let the engine run till it dies. I had never problems with this. What do you think about this. Greatings Kai from Germany
Great vids Stu, I'm in the same field and like what you are doing ! My question is where did you get that filter wrench from? Looks like a nice piece of kit !
Thanks mate for thinking of us poor sods here in the UK. Mine is an inboard 220 HP Mercruser . Did it two weeks ago. Any tips on the cooling and fuel systems on the inboard's.
Just think how close you are to the ski fields of Europe though. ;) Fuel I would say is the same with inboards, but if it gets cold enough where you are make sure there is enough antifreeze in the coolant to make sure it can't expand and crack the engine block.
yeeer,,i know it was posted 2 years ago,,but reading the comments,i don't think any one mentioned the trailer it self,,wheel bearing and winch,jockey wheels,,and all that stuff we seem to think just keeps running,,a little bit of work now and next time apart from having trouble starting a stored engine,, just put your boat on and go,, The only other thing i would do it test run the motor before getting in the water and finding the old gal just won't go,,and yes have been there drifting away very embarrassed,, And finally when it did fire to disappear in a cloud of smoke,,
Im also in Australia, great video! Would you also disconnect the fuel line and run the motor until it stalls after each use?. I use my 2 stroke every 2-4 weeks year round. Some say I should leave fuel in others say run it out. Not sure what to do.
First, I always like to hear an Aussie’s recommendations at maintenance as I know you truly care about prolonging the life of equipment. Thanks. I do have a question, which you touched on in the end of your video. I winterize my inboard every year, but the wife wants to do some boating in the winter months. I have been looking at some used seadoo jet boats and outboard runarounds. I plan on using it every 2-3weeks, but want to avoid having to winterize. I live in the southeast US, where the temps usually don’t drop below 20degree fahrenheit or about -6C. Those drops are pretty rare with freezing temps being pretty uncommon or sustained, and I would be leaving the boat in lake. The lake never freezes. Of the 2 types of boats I’ve listed, is one better than the other with respect to not winterizing, and would it be a mistake not to winterize it?
Hi Stu, a great, thoroughly explained vid once again. I'm in Canada were we definitely have winter! I've been running my 2-stroke outboards dry for years. I also wait until the spring to change to lower unit oil...I have never had water contaminate the oil either. Both outboards are stored in a garage over the winter...your thoughts? I'm guessing your going to tell me I should change the lower unit oil before storage ha ha ha Cheers mate! and thank you.
If you change the oil once a year anyway, then I would change it at the end of a season rather than at the start, just to be on the safe side. Stay warm over the winter!
This is probably a good place to start ua-cam.com/video/lnhZFn5gkG4/v-deo.html There are free possible leaks, propshaft oil seal, driveshaft oil seal and gear selector oil seal.
I have a 30 Gal inboard tank with an overflow/vent, so should I fill up the tank with gas and treatment then put a rag or something in the overflow/vent?
Yes, it think it's a good idea to block up the vent if you can, particularly with something like a rag that will prevent debris getting in but let pressure out.
The drain plug location on that honda is pretty silly. I love Honda outboards but I don't like that lol. Much easier on my Mercury EFI and I rarely deal with spillage from the drain plug. The only place I usually have to clean up is right under the filter. Aside from that, this is pretty much what I do for storing my boat over the winter. Being that I have a fuel injected four stroke, I do disconnect the fuel line and run the motor until it stalls while on the muffs. I don't bother filling the tank up before storing the boat because our winters are long in northeast USA and I don't want to have a full tank of fuel sitting in the boat tank when I can use it for other things like my snow blower or my ATV. Whatever fuel is left in the tank after the final trip of the year, I treat it with either stabil 360 marine or stabil storage, whatever I happen to have... I then run that fuel through the motor while on the muffs for about 5 minutes give or take w/ the motor idling. After that I disconnect the fuel line and let the motor stall out. Then the tank gets taken out of the boat for the winter and that way I don't have to fill the tank up or worry about phase separation in the first place. It depends on how many hours I've put on the boat throughout the season, but usually I don't bother changing the engine oil or lower unit oil since I just changed them both at the start of the season. I'll check the condition of both oils and if satisfactory, I'll let them sit for the winter. If they're dirtier than I'd like, I'll change them before the boat is stored. Usually I don't have to though and I do it first thing after the boat comes out of storage, along with an impeller change. As far as the batteries, I've got 3 in the boat. One for cranking, and two 12V deep cycles wired in parallel for my trolling motor. I'll rotate the batteries on my trickle charger throughout the winter and that's pretty much it. I don't really bother with fogging oil since it's a fuel injected engine. The stabilizer takes care of the injectors, etc.
According to our mechanic, I made the mistake of running the fuel out of a 2 stroke by disconnecting the fuel line. He said that on 2 strokes that have separate 2 cycle oil reservoir, as the fuel is running out in the engine after you have disconnected the fuel line, the 2 cycle oil is still be introduced into the carbs? therefore fowling them with pure oil? This was in the 1990s so design may be different now.
Hi Stu, For my 4T Honda lawnmower I use Aspen 4T fuel. For winterising the fuel system on my Yamaha outboard I am considering to use this Aspen fuel to run my outboard for several minutes. Do you got any experience with this fuel? cheers Kees
Interesting, I hadn't heard of it. I have heard of some high-end oils that are made from LPG, so this sounds like a similar process. I imagine that it would leave less residue when it evaporates so that can only be a good thing. Thanks for mentioning it, I also love to hear of something new!
Aspen is an Alkylate petrol without sulfur and is 99% cleaner than regular petrol. it is one of the purest petrol on the market and it keeps it's quality for many years. The downside however it's highly priced..:)
@@Vedek27 My local outboard guru usually treats my 2-stroke Mercury with Aspen. First he keeps the motor running with Aspen for several minutes. In the end he pushes the choke until the motor almost stalls, and then he stops the motor. He says it actually does the same as fogging the engine. Easy and convenient.
Great video! Would you recommend anything different for a fuel injected (4stroke) motor? I'm hoping to get a lot of use of the boat just like yourself, but if it ends up sitting for a few months it is great info to have. Cheers :)
I've heard of people here in the north who will run antifreeze through their muffs as apart of their winterization. What are your thoughts regarding this? 🤔
probably a stupid question, what about if you put the muffs on it, connect and run the water hose and fire it up to run a few minutes, say, once a fortnight?
Generally not. Hydraulic fluid doesn't freeze and I can't see the cold affecting the wiring either. Looking after the battery is the only important thing on that side of things.
Hi Stu. Here in Sweden I do all the steps you do but have even been advised by the place I bought the engine to run antifreeze through my 4 stroke just to be on the safe side. What would say to that.
I tried to buy fogging spray from a number of marine and auto outlets and no one had a clue what I was talking about. What is it called and where to you get it from?
Great timing for the Northern folks :). I did my winterising on a 20 HP Tohatsu with only 26 hours total time on it and when I drained the lower gear unit, the oil was a very light gray colour. I talked to my dealer about it and he said very light gray is normal and that if I am worried anyway, I can bring the engine in for a pressure test. Should I be worried or is the dealer right about light gray being normal? Do you think I should bother with a pressure test on an almost brand new engine? Thanks, Maurice
Light grey doesn't sound normal to me, it generally means water in the oil. Age of the motor doesn't really have a lot to do with it as fishing line can cut oil seals pretty quickly. Have you taken the prop off? Is there any fishing line behind the trust washer?
No, I haven't taken out the prop yet, but I'm pretty sure there is no fishing line anywhere. But since you say it does not look normal, I'll ask the dealer to do a pressure test anyway. Better catch the problem early rather than next year in the middle of the lake :). Thanks, Maurice
I came for the beer, you scared me until the end. :-) Question, is there any difference between marine 2 stroke oil and chainsaw/power tools 2 stroke oil? There are a couple of chainsaw oils that have fuel stabiliser in them and I use those, could you use that in a 2 stroke outboard? Echo and Jakmax synthetics, both made in USA.
I'm trying to make it harder for you each time. ;) Apparently yes, there does appear to be a difference in two stroke oils but I'm not sure what they are. I should do some research and do a vid on two stroke oils because there is quite a bit to them. Apparently the main difference is air cooled or water cooled.
hmm, good point, I don't know what difference water/air cooling makes, research required. I'd imagine a chainsaw is a more severe environment to protect, the oil is more expensive too. .....I was still recovering from 'Installing HyDrive' anyway, I lost count at six. ;-)
What is the best way to get all the water out of the cooling system so it doesn't freeze, expand, and crack? Leaving the engine trimmed down, will all the water run out by gravity alone?
Leaving trimmed down should get 99% out, but as David mentioned below, any debris in the cooling system my prevent this. Some compressed air back through the tell-tale should help there.
My motor has been sitting without being started for about 12 months due to a seized steering cable I've now managed to fix but even though I let the motor run until stalling the last time it was used I didn't fog the motor. What would you suggest I do before turning the key again? I plan on draining the fuel tank and have got a water separating fuel filter to plumb up but is there anything else I should do first?
If you disconnect the lower steering arm and slip a bit off bicycle inertube over it with some lubrication inside and secure both ends with zip straps it acts as bellows and helps to stop seizures.
Hey dangar would you do a video on how to drill an outboard exhaust or exhaust mods to make it loud and sound like a v8 haha. I currently have a 10hp tohatsu cheers.
My 90hp merc 2 stroke will be out in the arctic climate here in Wisconsin. You don`t need antifreeze in the engine cooling system do you? I will probably blow it out with compressed air to be sure all the water is out.
I wouldn't be too worried about antifreeze as even if there is water in there, it will have plenty of space to expand to as it isn't a sealed pressurized cooling system like a car.
Yeah, that`s what I figured. Yet you see these guys using a special adapter to put antifreeze in the gills of their motors. WTF? Wouldn`t of bothered asking if I didn`t see these clowns doing it. Thanks for answering, buddy.
On my Yamaha 1988 2 stroke. I only ran the motor for 10mins then disconnected the gas line. I did not perform a fogging, will this cause issue/s when i first try to start the motor in spring?
You can try just clean fuel or even lacquer thinner if it is a metal tank. Some people even throw in a few nuts to chip away at any hard stuff as they shake it about. Keep an eye on it though as it may need resealing afterwards to avoid corroding quickly. Radiator shops can often do this type of job for you for not too much money.
ok thx, I wont be winterizing my boat here in vancouver we pretty much use the boat year round , any advice what oil to use for the winter season . here in bc we do have four seasons
Dangar Marine You mentioned not winterising your boat as you use it all the time if I was using mine twice every month would I need to winterise it still
This makes two years in a row I've watched this video for a refresher on winterizing my boat. Thanks Stu!
You're welcome, glad the vid helped you. :)
Thanks for all your videos. And best wishes from Finland
Thanks for watching!
I have a 2 stroke and still watched you change your oil. Great video!
Outboard motors are nothing but a headache to me, but your videos are very interesting and quite intriguing with the way they work. Always enjoyed watching someone skilled at what they do and do it well. I was in a bind earlier this week with the cooling system on my Evinrude. Your video helped me decide that it was out of my reach after the troubleshooting tips and that it was time to take it to a shop lol. Keep up the great work!
Thanks Michael, shame you weren't able to get it fixed up but it is sometimes wise to take it into a shop.
i think these are some of the best to the point no BS instructional videos on the web / thnx much
Thanks mate, glad you like them.
Thanks Stu, I’ve never winterised an outboard motor before either. I’m in a much cooler climate now so will take on your great advice.
Cheers mate 🍺
Stu, as always you produce clear and concise videos and I always learn something. In addition to servicing your engine also repack the wheel bearings on your boat trailer. After running for a while trailer hubs get warm and the air inside expands a little, when a trailer is backed into the water and the hubs submerge, the water cools them down and creates a vacuum and often suck water into the hub. This is especially bad if it is salt water and now has all winter to rust the bearings. The warm days of Spring arrive and I can't tell you how many boat trailers I see sitting on the side of the road due to failed bearings. Not a good way to start the season.
For sure, I would say bad trailer bearings are probably a more common cause of those early boat trips coming to and end than the boat itself.
Very thorough and comprehensive.
When I first went to grease my 1996 70hp Evinrude's steering tube, the grease didn't come out at both the top and bottom. I resolved this by placing a floor jack under the outboard motor and placing just enough force on the skeg in order to take pressure off of the tube. Grease then came out of both ends.
That's an interesting technique Bob, I'll give that a go next time I have that problem.
Greetings from northen Sweden and a fellow boat entusiast and new subscriber.
Been watching the channel for a long time but just hit the button.
I used to work on boats as a mechanic and this is pretty much what we did when winterizing, I also changed oil in the gear housing to make sure it's not a leak in the seals and water in there. I have seen gear housing cracking apart from that.
Great channel, no fancy edeting and you show how its done.
Thanks Peder. :)
Great video as always. Not sure if anyone recommended it already but I like to add oil to the new filter before I spin it on. Even at 90 degrees it will take quite a bit before it spills out, allows sooner oil pressure at startup. Cheers
Your the man. Another great video. You helped me troubleshoot and get my Johnson 175 running and now u tought me how to winterize it. Your videos are much appreciated.
Winterize in S.W. Florida means running it. But you do pass along good information. I really do like your videos . please don't stop . I've already made use of tips. Thanks.
Thanks John. Sounds like you guys are a bit like us. I use my boat every day all year round, it never gets winterised!
Dangar Marine : yesterday I had to replace the squeeze bulb . on my1983 70 hp Johnson. Just genral stuff that has to be done . later in the day I went to the lake just to run it. Ended up pulled in a boat with a 2 year old Yamaha . The deal is take care of motor .it will last. My Johnson hasn't been in a shop in 8 years . runs like a scalded dog.
Almost born in a boat. I'll die in a boat. Then you'll have to pry my cold stiff hands off the tiller. I'll get back up , and say not yet.
Is the beer bottle staged in many of your videos?
With a 2-stroke motor, I idle it for a few minutes, then disconnect the fuel line from the tank and let it idle until it cuts out. This drains the fuel hose and bulb so the fuel won't corrode the line. Then I start it again to drain the leftover fuel in fuel pump and primer hoses. I also fog the carb at same time. Then I drain the carb bowl. Finally I remove plugs, and fog cylinders while turning flywheel to distribute.
Always a sad day to boaters here in Canada when we take the boat out.
Gear oil change is a must and so many other services to your motor
My dad had a 1971 50HP Johnson. He always ran the carbs dry on the last trip of the season, then we sprayed WD-40 in the spark plug holes while bumping the starter. Engine always ran great. Never had any problems.
It's amazing how much a few simple steps can help. Emptying the fuel and putting a bit of lube in are definitely the two main things.
Great video Stu as usual.
Up here in chilly ol Canada it's nigh time for this procedure. Very jealous of your year-round boating!
Going on ten years with my Yammy 90 4 stroke I've discovered a couple of things. Running the engine dry doesn't fully drain the carb bowls, so I do both. I installed a shutoff tap on my water separating fuel filter so when I close that the engine will die in a couple minutes of fast idle. Then, I drain the carbs and under cowl fuel filter (plus give it a clean).
There's so much duct work upstream of the carbs I shoot the fogging oil directly into the cylinders instead of trying to induct it. Then, replace the plugs and turn the engine over a couple of times with the lanyard of the ignition pulled to kill the spark. I also shoot some fogging oil into the carb bowls before buttoning them up.
In Canada we have the curse of ethanol fuel to deal with so I want to get the fuel system absolutely drained. This is all post oil change and gear lube check of course. I will confess that if I crack the gear lube screw and get nothing but clear oil I will do two seasons between changes but then a Canadian season is only about 30 hours run time for me. I run the engine on the muffs with new oil to get it circulated and check for leaks as well. Enjoy your summer, Stu!😎
Good idea to have that shutdown valve after the water separating fuel filter. I also think it is entirely valid to check a small sample of the gearbox oil and leave it if it is okay - that is an entirely sensible approach. It makes sense that the engine will run lean and stall before the carb bowls are empty, but I had never really thought about it so thanks for that confirmation. Have fun skiing! ;)
Thanks Stu. There's alway debate raging online regarding the "best" winterization procedures so the fact the same process year after year has my engine running like it was new gives me confidence I'm on the right track. And your seal of approval of course! The fuel tap was a necessity as I've got and under-floor tank with no easy way to disconnect the line at either end. The tank itself I leave topped up with stabilizer.
I loved your discussion about trying to catch the oil. Just last year I gave up on my elaborate rigging of ropes, funnels and basins and now just let it all run down the leg and wipe up later. Makes for a far less angst-ridden process... BTW - that's a great coat!
Great video and perfect timing! I'll use this as a guide when I winterize my outboard next week!
Thanks Travis, good luck with the outboard.
Time to do this in NJ USA. thanks for the excellent guide Stu. It must have been warm in that coat! I'll be wearing one like it in a month!
Hope the winter isn't too harsh on you. Sure glad I didn't have that coat on for long!
Thanks for the reminder! Her in the United States it gets cold so usually I run mine on the muffs to get it warm and open up the thermostat then switch over to my jug of antifreeze with the hose connected muffs and let the water pump circulate antifreeze through to protect the block from water in the outboard freezing.
Sounds like a good technique. I'd be curious to know how much water sits in the block without draining back down to the leg.
I've been told that if the motor is at rest in the full downward position that it will completely drain. That's what you see what you pull your boat out and tilt the motor down, the water draining down the leg and such. I've also heard horror stories where debris, corrosion, etc. Build up inside enough to hold enough water in to crack the power head. My theory is this: RV antifreeze is cheap, a motor is not. With that said, I do it figuring better safe than sorry.
Sounds like a solid policy. :)
thanks Stu! perfect timing as I'll be winterizing my boat this week.
You're welcome. :)
Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge. My family and I appreciate it very much . oh and have a great summer !👍
Thanks mate, glad the videos are helping you. :)
Hi Stu, from Argentina here, interesting when you pointed out the 2 stroke get the lubrication from the fuel. Actually, on the oil injected systems the oil is run from an external pump and mixed before getting in the carbs. Like the Merc 90 you showed on some of your videos. In this case, disconnecting the fuel line will fill the carbs with rich-oil mixture, when the gasoline runs out. Actually my dad is in favor for this practice (of disconnecting the fuel line) and let the remaining fuel run out. He also choke the engine when is almost dying from fuel starvation to force the emptying of the carbs. But, I think he should also drain the carbs as you showed, and the question is if you think that leaving the carbs bowls empty is not going to accelerate the process of gum up because is easier to evaporate as only a little residue of gas remains and dry.
Excellent videos Stu, big fan here also in the southern hemisphere (but on the other side of the sphere :)
True, for some automix outboards it is different. I think closing the chokes is a good idea if you have them as not only does it pull the last of the fuel out better it also shuts off most of the air from entering the carburettor if you leave it closed.
That Honda is very clean under the hood
My uncle has been a small engine mechanic for about 50 years. He told me a long time ago, to put fuel stabilizer in every can of gas you bring home from the filling station. That way, if you do put an engine away for longer than you had planned, it will still have some protection. Sta-bil is cheap and easy to use. He once told me that if people followed that advice, he would lose 90% of his business.
Sounds like good advice. We certainly put it in all our jerry cans in the workshop.
Don't know your uncle but I NEVER get NEW fuel without first adding Stabil. I also add Sea Foam to my fuel ever so often. My boat has been sitting for the last 5 years due to job loss but I started it this month. Turned over on the first attempt and every attempt since!
We don’t have winter here in So Cal, but I still put Stab-il (the marine version) into every fill up. We have ethanol added to our gas which causes all kind of issues unless you treat it.
That makes sense. We can get ethanol-free fuel very easily here and a tank of fuel never lasts me more than a week so I don't treat it, but it is a good idea in other circumstances.
Love your vids! Another great informative boating video :)
One thing tho on connecting battery leads: red is attached last and disconnected first. This helps minimize unwanted arcing. 🍻
Thanks mate, must disagree with you on the order of battery leads though. If you disconnect the positive first then the whole body of the car or the hull of the boat will still be an active ground and any metal the positive touches will cause arcing. With the negative disconnect first this can't happen.
Very good. I enjoy your channel a lot! Thanks
Very informative. Great work.
One thing I like to Also do is to add anti freeze to the water intake to prevent freezing and cracking of engine cases due to cold environment I live in
Sounds like a good plan if it gets that cold where you are.
How do you add anti freeze? And where does it go after you go to use it in the spring? I’m Canadian so it gets real cold here haha
How does the coolant stay in the motor?
Jerry Arntson same way the water does... thermostats.
I completely forgot about the stat. Shit
love your videos, you have great content thanks again for your time
Thanks Mike, glad you enjoyed. :)
Good video mate ,i used to make the effort to actually go out during winter in adelaide and start the engine up did the oil thing in the bores just to stop any rust from bare metal and condensation .I can vouch for sta bil it is an excellent product well i think so anyway use it in all my mowers shredders ect ,you need to put a proper insignia on your outboard cover instead of that cecil one on there now , something like a kangaroo and crossed rifles and boomerang with a wreath of wattle hahaha take care
Ha! I'll see what I can find... ;)
Great video as usual Stu! Busy winterizing here!
Thanks Will, I bet you are at the moment!
Another fine video.. keep up the good work see you next time my friend
Thanks for taking the time to explain this. Any comment on filling the carb bowls with diesel fuel for winterising - a lot of people recommend it?
Great video and great tips as always
Thanks Adam!
Had no idea about winterizing my 1St boat, it's 29° now, were below freezing for 2 month's each winter, hopefully im not to late to protect it, thanks.
If it is already very cold I would just run it on a hose for a bit to thin the gear oil up a bit before draining.
Fantastic!
Thanks mate.
could you do a video on how to service hydraulic steering please...cheers,btw i really find you content very informative
Yes, that would be a good follow up to the installing hydraulic steering video.
Is it not the summer in OZ ..winter is just staring here in Norway ,Thanks for the video I am literally going to pull my boat out the water tomorrow before the ice starts ...then the icefishing begins :D
I'd love to go ice fishing. If I'm ever in the area I'll hit you up for some lessons! :)
Dangar Marine haha that would be great :D
You are very helpful thank you
hi stu i was trying to find 1 of your videos on how to take the cowling off the one just below the engine hood i have the Honda bf 90hp it would help me if you could show me on your Honda thanks again stu keep up the great work love your videos
Hi Stu, for the guys that will winterizing their motors till next season wouldn't it be better to burn the most fuel out of the tank instead filling it near up and adding stabilizing products. For me, fresh gas on every outing is the way to go...
If you run the fuel bowls dry by disconnecting the motor fuel connector while motor is running, there will still be fuel left overs inside the fuel filter, if wanting to get rid of as much as possible keep pressed the pin located on the upper fuel connector for the motor to suck most of it till it dies.
Fuel being left in the hoses and filters is the main reason the Stabil is a good option. Also, condensation will form in tanks that are empty or near empty so keeping them full during the winter also prevents that.
Stu, you're right,it was my fault not to have mentioned that was refering to outboards connected to portable fuel tanks compared to the ones that use built in ones...
I know some ppl add and run glykol mixied with water through the watercooling system to stop it freezing and expanding, during periods with frost.
I think that is really important with closed cooling systems, but most of the water drains out of an outboard once it is off. I'll have to look into it a bit more and see what I can find out.
Thanks man your videos helps me a lot.
Keep it up!
Thanks Matt, glad to hear that. :)
Awsome bud!! Thanks greatly
Great quality video Stu. I am winterizing a 90HP Mercury 2-stroke with oil injection. I would like to empty the 3 carburetor bowls by running with gas line clamped closed until engine stall-out. I understand how this could damage a pre-mix 2-stroke, but will I be OK with my oil injected motor?
Ji’ Stu. I bought 1983 Larson boat and cleaned the fuel filter on my mercury 70 HP 1983 also pumped old petrol with the ball as you showed in your video add 20 gallons of fuel to the tank mixed it with 2 cycle oil and dropped the ignition keys went and ordered after market ignition switch but the mechanic advised to return it do think that after market switch will work( its the one with the push key to shock the engine when you start it)
I've never had any problem with aftermarket ignition switches, they are pretty simple devices.
Hello I like to hear your opinion.
For winter i cut the fuelline and stuck it in motoroil and let the engine run till it dies. I had never problems with this. What do you think about this.
Greatings Kai from Germany
Great vids Stu, I'm in the same field and like what you are doing ! My question is where did you get that filter wrench from? Looks like a nice piece of kit !
+Paul Holden Thanks Paul, glad you the vids. The wrench was from SnapOn from memory.
Thanks mate for thinking of us poor sods here in the UK.
Mine is an inboard 220 HP Mercruser . Did it two weeks ago. Any tips on the cooling and fuel systems on the inboard's.
Just think how close you are to the ski fields of Europe though. ;) Fuel I would say is the same with inboards, but if it gets cold enough where you are make sure there is enough antifreeze in the coolant to make sure it can't expand and crack the engine block.
Thanks again
Welcome. :)
yeeer,,i know it was posted 2 years ago,,but reading the comments,i don't think any one mentioned the trailer it self,,wheel bearing and winch,jockey wheels,,and all that stuff we seem to think just keeps running,,a little bit of work now and next time apart from having trouble starting a stored engine,, just put your boat on and go,,
The only other thing i would do it test run the motor before getting in the water and finding the old gal just won't go,,and yes have been there drifting away very embarrassed,,
And finally when it did fire to disappear in a cloud of smoke,,
We put anti freeze in to the block, mercruiser 5.0 mpi it gets down to minus 20 here in the winter
Anything with a closed cooling system will definitely need it.
If your two stroke motor is oil injected do you still have to worry about the lubrication when you stall it out?
I wouldn't be too worried. If running out of fuel caused any serious damage to a two stroke many people would be in trouble.
Great video thanks for the tip
Thanks Andy, you're welcome. :)
Another great video! (Don't worry about the head cold, it is not contagious through UA-cam :-)
Phew! ;)
Like first, watch after.
You're the best!
@@DangarMarine it is you, the best. My next move is carb balancing on my 2004 90hp yamaha.. following your videos a lot. Very good content, bravo.
Im also in Australia, great video! Would you also disconnect the fuel line and run the motor until it stalls after each use?. I use my 2 stroke every 2-4 weeks year round. Some say I should leave fuel in others say run it out. Not sure what to do.
2-4 weeks I wouldn't. Maybe just add a bit of Stabil to the fuel tank.
@@DangarMarine thanks Stu!
Sydney doesn’t even have a winter does it Stu? Nice place.
You actually use the cover for the oil plug to guide the oil into a pan so that it dont get so messy :)
Oh you showed that later in the video my bad xD
No probs, I'm just too lazy to hold the pan up. ;)
First, I always like to hear an Aussie’s recommendations at maintenance as I know you truly care about prolonging the life of equipment. Thanks.
I do have a question, which you touched on in the end of your video. I winterize my inboard every year, but the wife wants to do some boating in the winter months. I have been looking at some used seadoo jet boats and outboard runarounds. I plan on using it every 2-3weeks, but want to avoid having to winterize. I live in the southeast US, where the temps usually don’t drop below 20degree fahrenheit or about -6C. Those drops are pretty rare with freezing temps being pretty uncommon or sustained, and I would be leaving the boat in lake. The lake never freezes. Of the 2 types of boats I’ve listed, is one better than the other with respect to not winterizing, and would it be a mistake not to winterize it?
Hi Stu, a great, thoroughly explained vid once again. I'm in Canada were we definitely have winter! I've been running my 2-stroke outboards dry for years. I also wait until the spring to change to lower unit oil...I have never had water contaminate the oil either. Both outboards are stored in a garage over the winter...your thoughts? I'm guessing your going to tell me I should change the lower unit oil before storage ha ha ha Cheers mate! and thank you.
I know I'm not taking any chances. If water freezing can destroy mountains it can surely destroy my 9.8 merc.
If you change the oil once a year anyway, then I would change it at the end of a season rather than at the start, just to be on the safe side. Stay warm over the winter!
Lmao. “Judging by my fuel gauge” lifts the jerry can hahahaha. I do this too hahaha
You were winterized at the begining of this video 😃
All set! ;)
Hey thanks for sharing.do you have a video on if the lower unit has water in the gear oil?what will need to Be changed?and how to fix it.
This is probably a good place to start ua-cam.com/video/lnhZFn5gkG4/v-deo.html There are free possible leaks, propshaft oil seal, driveshaft oil seal and gear selector oil seal.
the drain plug cover slips in under the bung to direct oil into a catch pan
With my memory, I'd make a list of things I'd disabled, drained, closed, etc. to remind me to undo them all at the beginning of the next season... :)
With my memory I would forget to make the list. ;)
thanks great vid
Thanks Chris.
Hello from Michigan USA, should you change your trim oil from the outboard [I have a 2016 40 HP Mercury outboard ] How often ? ] Thanks Friend
I have a 30 Gal inboard tank with an overflow/vent, so should I fill up the tank with gas and treatment then put a rag or something in the overflow/vent?
Yes, it think it's a good idea to block up the vent if you can, particularly with something like a rag that will prevent debris getting in but let pressure out.
again perfect timing doing mine tomorrow thanks for the tips. peace.
You're welcome, good luck!
The drain plug location on that honda is pretty silly. I love Honda outboards but I don't like that lol. Much easier on my Mercury EFI and I rarely deal with spillage from the drain plug. The only place I usually have to clean up is right under the filter.
Aside from that, this is pretty much what I do for storing my boat over the winter. Being that I have a fuel injected four stroke, I do disconnect the fuel line and run the motor until it stalls while on the muffs. I don't bother filling the tank up before storing the boat because our winters are long in northeast USA and I don't want to have a full tank of fuel sitting in the boat tank when I can use it for other things like my snow blower or my ATV. Whatever fuel is left in the tank after the final trip of the year, I treat it with either stabil 360 marine or stabil storage, whatever I happen to have... I then run that fuel through the motor while on the muffs for about 5 minutes give or take w/ the motor idling. After that I disconnect the fuel line and let the motor stall out. Then the tank gets taken out of the boat for the winter and that way I don't have to fill the tank up or worry about phase separation in the first place.
It depends on how many hours I've put on the boat throughout the season, but usually I don't bother changing the engine oil or lower unit oil since I just changed them both at the start of the season. I'll check the condition of both oils and if satisfactory, I'll let them sit for the winter. If they're dirtier than I'd like, I'll change them before the boat is stored. Usually I don't have to though and I do it first thing after the boat comes out of storage, along with an impeller change. As far as the batteries, I've got 3 in the boat. One for cranking, and two 12V deep cycles wired in parallel for my trolling motor. I'll rotate the batteries on my trickle charger throughout the winter and that's pretty much it. I don't really bother with fogging oil since it's a fuel injected engine. The stabilizer takes care of the injectors, etc.
I tend to agree on things like not changing gear oil too frequently. It does last quite a while so no point wasting it.
According to our mechanic, I made the mistake of running the fuel out of a 2 stroke by disconnecting the fuel line. He said that on 2 strokes that have separate 2 cycle oil reservoir, as the fuel is running out in the engine after you have disconnected the fuel line, the 2 cycle oil is still be introduced into the carbs? therefore fowling them with pure oil? This was in the 1990s so design may be different now.
Could you do some videos on inboard motors as well, like Mercruiser motors :)
I'd like to, but we just don't get any inboard boats into our shop. They are all small commuter boats generally.
Hi Stu,
For my 4T Honda lawnmower I use Aspen 4T fuel.
For winterising the fuel system on my Yamaha outboard I am considering to use this Aspen fuel to run my outboard for several minutes. Do you got any experience with this fuel?
cheers
Kees
Interesting, I hadn't heard of it. I have heard of some high-end oils that are made from LPG, so this sounds like a similar process. I imagine that it would leave less residue when it evaporates so that can only be a good thing. Thanks for mentioning it, I also love to hear of something new!
Aspen is an Alkylate petrol without sulfur and is 99% cleaner than regular petrol. it is one of the purest petrol on the market and it keeps it's quality for many years. The downside however it's highly priced..:)
@@Vedek27 My local outboard guru usually treats my 2-stroke Mercury with Aspen. First he keeps the motor running with Aspen for several minutes. In the end he pushes the choke until the motor almost stalls, and then he stops the motor. He says it actually does the same as fogging the engine. Easy and convenient.
is there anything different to 'winterizing' a boat with an internal fuel tank (under the floor)?
I have a honda bf50a and it calls for 2.1 liters? Are they all the same ?
Great video! Would you recommend anything different for a fuel injected (4stroke) motor? I'm hoping to get a lot of use of the boat just like yourself, but if it ends up sitting for a few months it is great info to have. Cheers :)
Hey Matt. Not really. You can drain the VST (see recent vid) much like you drain the bowl of a carburettor or just rely on the Stabil to do it's job.
The RAAF found there missing outboard. Not sure what they need it for though. ;-)
Shhhh, they don't know I've got it! ;)
I've heard of people here in the north who will run antifreeze through their muffs as apart of their winterization. What are your thoughts regarding this? 🤔
Do you recommend running antifreeze through the motor?
probably a stupid question, what about if you put the muffs on it, connect and run the water hose and fire it up to run a few minutes, say, once a fortnight?
I store the outboard straight down to allow any water to drain.
Winterizing outboards is only acceptable if your lake has more than an inch of ice for more than a month per year! 😁
I love the smell of the lanolin spray. Reminds me of me fist girlfriend. (Kiwi joke)
How about the hydraulics (steering/trim) and the electrics inside the boat; any prep needed?
Generally not. Hydraulic fluid doesn't freeze and I can't see the cold affecting the wiring either. Looking after the battery is the only important thing on that side of things.
Hi Stu. Here in Sweden I do all the steps you do but have even been advised by the place I bought the engine to run antifreeze through my 4 stroke just to be on the safe side. What would say to that.
I don't think I would. Once it is empty of water it can't expand enough to crack anything, that is why there is drain holes in the jeg.
@@DangarMarine Ok. Thanks.
I tried to buy fogging spray from a number of marine and auto outlets and no one had a clue what I was talking about. What is it called and where to you get it from?
Here is one example, companies make it: www.ebay.com.au/itm/like/252587177337?lpid=107&chn=ps
Great timing for the Northern folks :). I did my winterising on a 20 HP Tohatsu with only 26 hours total time on it and when I drained the lower gear unit, the oil was a very light gray colour. I talked to my dealer about it and he said very light gray is normal and that if I am worried anyway, I can bring the engine in for a pressure test. Should I be worried or is the dealer right about light gray being normal? Do you think I should bother with a pressure test on an almost brand new engine?
Thanks,
Maurice
Light grey doesn't sound normal to me, it generally means water in the oil. Age of the motor doesn't really have a lot to do with it as fishing line can cut oil seals pretty quickly. Have you taken the prop off? Is there any fishing line behind the trust washer?
No, I haven't taken out the prop yet, but I'm pretty sure there is no fishing line anywhere. But since you say it does not look normal, I'll ask the dealer to do a pressure test anyway. Better catch the problem early rather than next year in the middle of the lake :).
Thanks,
Maurice
I came for the beer, you scared me until the end. :-)
Question, is there any difference between marine 2 stroke oil and chainsaw/power tools 2 stroke oil? There are a couple of chainsaw oils that have fuel stabiliser in them and I use those, could you use that in a 2 stroke outboard? Echo and Jakmax synthetics, both made in USA.
I'm trying to make it harder for you each time. ;) Apparently yes, there does appear to be a difference in two stroke oils but I'm not sure what they are. I should do some research and do a vid on two stroke oils because there is quite a bit to them. Apparently the main difference is air cooled or water cooled.
hmm, good point, I don't know what difference water/air cooling makes, research required. I'd imagine a chainsaw is a more severe environment to protect, the oil is more expensive too.
.....I was still recovering from 'Installing HyDrive' anyway, I lost count at six. ;-)
What is the best way to get all the water out of the cooling system so it doesn't freeze, expand, and crack? Leaving the engine trimmed down, will all the water run out by gravity alone?
Leaving trimmed down should get 99% out, but as David mentioned below, any debris in the cooling system my prevent this. Some compressed air back through the tell-tale should help there.
Ive heard if i rasie my motor up tilt allway up it will drain carbs is this true?
My motor has been sitting without being started for about 12 months due to a seized steering cable I've now managed to fix but even though I let the motor run until stalling the last time it was used I didn't fog the motor. What would you suggest I do before turning the key again? I plan on draining the fuel tank and have got a water separating fuel filter to plumb up but is there anything else I should do first?
+dsr20631 I'd take a look at the starting the Evinrude 150 for the first time video. That goes through most of the precautions to take.
If you disconnect the lower steering arm and slip a bit off bicycle inertube over it with some lubrication inside and secure both ends with zip straps it acts as bellows and helps to stop seizures.
Hey dangar would you do a video on how to drill an outboard exhaust or exhaust mods to make it loud and sound like a v8 haha. I currently have a 10hp tohatsu cheers.
I have thought about doing an external exhaust system as fun video. ;)
Dangar Marine yeah I saw a bloke that put a power pipe on a 25hp that would be cool if you made a video please do it im looking forward to it
How about another one about soundproofing / dampening :) I'd like my engine whisper-silent!
My 90hp merc 2 stroke will be out in the arctic climate here in Wisconsin. You don`t need antifreeze in the engine cooling system do you? I will probably blow it out with compressed air to be sure all the water is out.
I wouldn't be too worried about antifreeze as even if there is water in there, it will have plenty of space to expand to as it isn't a sealed pressurized cooling system like a car.
Yeah, that`s what I figured. Yet you see these guys using a special adapter to put antifreeze in the gills of their motors. WTF? Wouldn`t of bothered asking if I didn`t see these clowns doing it. Thanks for answering, buddy.
On my Yamaha 1988 2 stroke. I only ran the motor for 10mins then disconnected the gas line. I did not perform a fogging, will this cause issue/s when i first try to start the motor in spring?
It should be fine, I wouldn't worry.
Dangar Marine Thank you
i got a 1966 gas tank for my 1966 johnson but its all gummed up any ideas to clean it
You can try just clean fuel or even lacquer thinner if it is a metal tank. Some people even throw in a few nuts to chip away at any hard stuff as they shake it about. Keep an eye on it though as it may need resealing afterwards to avoid corroding quickly. Radiator shops can often do this type of job for you for not too much money.
is it really necessary to winterize a boat motor inboard or outboard if the boat gets use year round ?
No, winterising is only for when a boat will be sitting around unused for several months, particularly if you are in a cold climate.
ok thx, I wont be winterizing my boat here in vancouver we pretty much use the boat year round , any advice what oil to use for the winter season . here in bc we do have four seasons
Dose it have to be marine oil or can it be any 10x30 oil
No, in four stroke motors you can use any 10W30 oil.
Dangar Marine You mentioned not winterising your boat as you use it all the time if I was using mine twice every month would I need to winterise it still