outdoor winter motor storage

[randyo3629]

gonna have to keep my new Suzuki 30hp 4-stroke outside on the boat this winter.
what is the best way to prep it for these conditions?

 

[Weldorthemagnificent]

Run it out of gas and store foot down not tilted up so no water will stay in it. Get a cover to keep it shining.


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[gatorglenn]

If it’s a efi with injectors. Don’t run the fuel out. They have to stay wet. Are all the rubber O rings and neoprene washers will dry out and need to be rebuilt. Get a small 1 gallon fuel tank. Fuel stabilizer ( startron) double the amount needed. That just me though. And premium two-stroke oil. Mix 25-1 then remove your fuel line to tank connector. Stick your hose in the 1 gallon tank. Pump the bulb up and running motor for about 5 to 10 minutes. Then shut it off right when you see white smoke come out the exhausted at the prop, then pump the bulb up again. Then unhook the fuel line athe motor. This does two things coats everything in the fuel system with a film of oil so that nothing dries out and rots. It also puts a film in the cylinders so that they don’t rust. Biggest problem boat motors have with storing is rust. There are YouTube videos on this to help you.

If anyone has older 4 stoke motors with carbs. Run motor out of fuel. Pull spark plugs and spray fogging oil in each cylinder. Then most important thing is to open carb bowl drain screws to drain them. Most motors will run out of fuel and still have some leftover in bottom of the bowls. Bad new when it turns to vanish.


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[Weldorthemagnificent]

Right I wasn’t thinking of efi so don’t listen to me. Do what gatorglenn said. Except still get a cover.


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[JNG]

Tip the tongue UP. Meaning set the jack's wheel in a concrete block or the like to gain extra height. Then crank the jack all the way up. You want the water that will get in the boat to rapidly run out the drain hole. Pull the drain plug. I don't know about efi's, but if it's a carb, run Stabil and fresh gas for a few minutes while the outboard is in a barrel or on the flush hose. I leave the stabilized gas in the carbs on mine. I don't run the carbs dry. Then check the lower unit the next day or maybe two. You need 24-48 hours to let the water, if any, to settle to the bottom of the lower unit. Crack open the bottom drain plug. All you should see is gear oil. If you find water or a milky mess, drain the gear oil and replace. Charge all batteries. Pull all electronics like 'fish finders'. Store them in the house. I also like to blow out all livewell and bilge pump hoses with a compressor. Towel out any remaining water in livewells. If you have a trolling motor that is on the bow, pull the prop and shear pin. The prop tends to eat covers. Finally, while this can lead to a mess, it's less mess than chewed up wires. Put poison mouse bait in the boat.

 

[CedarRiverScooter]

Another way to minimize fuel deterioration problem is to start it up ASAP in the spring, even if just on the hose.

 

[jethro]

I don't like running any small carbs out of fuel, this can cause the carbs to varnish and oxidize. The less oxygen the better. Much better to leave that float bowl full of fuel to me but I understand there are lot of way to look at it.

 

[JNG]

I agree with Jethro on this. It's why I leave the gas in the carbs. As long as it's fresh and has Stabil (or the like) it will be fine for 3-4 months.

 

[DaleH]

TIP - I lower the trailer tongue all the way down 1st, then block up the rear frame of the trailer and then raise the front trailer jack as high as I can, even if I need to do as someone else said and put a block under the jack. Keep that bow high.

This raises the trailer wheels off the ground and takes all stress off the axle, springs and bearings.

 

[LDUBS]

I agree with Jethro on this. It's why I leave the gas in the carbs. As long as it's fresh and has Stabil (or the like) it will be fine for 3-4 months.

I'm fortunate that I use the boat pretty much year round, so I don't know much about winter storage issues. Just curious, why not run the motor weekly on muffs or a bucket just to move some fuel & oil through it?

 

[jethro]

I agree with Jethro on this. It's why I leave the gas in the carbs. As long as it's fresh and has Stabil (or the like) it will be fine for 3-4 months.

I learned this with kids snowmobiles that use tiny carbs. The kids run the sleds around the yard all day and then run it out of gas. A hot engine and a carb with no gas, the jets would varnish almost instantly. Then I'm cleaning carbs with a teary eyed kid tugging at my coat tail.

The same concept applies to a gas tank. You want as little air in there as possible when you store it. Most of our boats use portable fuel tanks but anything with an on board tank that needs to get stored over the winter, I will fill right to the rim and add fuel stabilizer. The more air that is in the tank, the more condensation you will generate with changes in the temperature.

 

[JNG]

Ldubs, seeing that you are from the land of sunshine and 75-85 degrees, you might forget that some of us have freezing temps 3-4 months (or longer!) out of the year. :shock: I suppose we could put sails on our tinboats and sail across the ice from tip up hole to tip up hole! :lol:

 

[ppine]

I like to fish in spring and fall and sometimes winter. I try not to let the boat sit too long between uses.
Cover the engine, Stabil in the fuel, store straight up. I might run it on a nice day in the winter at home.

 

[LDUBS]

Ldubs, seeing that you are from the land of sunshine and 75-85 degrees, you might forget that some of us have freezing temps 3-4 months (or longer!) out of the year. :shock: I suppose we could put sails on our tinboats and sail across the ice from tip up hole to tip up hole! :lol:

No, I get it. I am spoiled by our weather -- mid 70's today.

I used to have to attend corporate meetings in places like New Jersey & Chicago. Winter meetings were a killer. My oldest son went to Luther College in Deborah Iowa. It was a little chilly in the winter too. Haha

I'm still curious. Why not run the motor weekly during the winter? Seems like circulating fuel & lubricant would be a good thing.

 

[JNG]

In all seriousness, it would be a real hassle for me as the hose likes to freeze up quickly. Most water around here has iced over by late November as well.

 

[GYPSY400]

TIP - I lower the trailer tongue all the way down 1st, then block up the rear frame of the trailer and then raise the front trailer jack as high as I can, even if I need to do as someone else said and put a block under the jack. Keep that bow high.

This raises the trailer wheels off the ground and takes all stress off the axle, springs and bearings.

I do this as well.. and I also pull the tires off and store them inside to keep them out of the sun.

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[jethro]

I'm still curious. Why not run the motor weekly during the winter? Seems like circulating fuel & lubricant would be a good thing.

Dude, my garden hose was reeled up and put in storage and the house hose bibs shut down and winterized for the season two weeks ago! Last night we had a hard freeze. Hose bibs have to get covered up and insulated or they will freeze and crack open. In another month we wouldn't be able to have any water outdoors for any amount of time before it turns to a solid. Last thing you want to do is fill an outboard with water! My boats are stored outside. Maybe in my next life I will own a 6000 sq ft, pre-engineered storage building with floor drains, indoor heat and air handlers for exhaust gases that I can run a boat indoors in the winter, but it's not looking like that is in the cards for me! In NH we have to winterize our boats completely and put them up. Stabilize the fuel, fog the cyls, remove the batteries and bring them inside and on the tender. They get covered and some people even shrink wrap them.

 

[LDUBS]

I'm still curious. Why not run the motor weekly during the winter? Seems like circulating fuel & lubricant would be a good thing.

Dude, my garden hose was reeled up and put in storage and the house hose bibs shut down and winterized for the season two weeks ago! Last night we had a hard freeze. Hose bibs have to get covered up and insulated or they will freeze and crack open. In another month we wouldn't be able to have any water outdoors for any amount of time before it turns to a solid. Last thing you want to do is fill an outboard with water! My boats are stored outside. Maybe in my next life I will own a 6000 sq ft, pre-engineered storage building with floor drains, indoor heat and air handlers for exhaust gases that I can run a boat indoors in the winter, but it's not looking like that is in the cards for me! In NH we have to winterize our boats completely and put them up. Stabilize the fuel, fog the cyls, remove the batteries and bring them inside and on the tender. They get covered and some people even shrink wrap them.

OK, thanks. Have zero experience with that.

 

[jethro]

The good news is that the worlds most reliable and inexpensive boat is coming soon!!

 

[LDUBS]

I saw on this morning's news that the first major winter storm is about to hit the east coast. Talked about sleet & snow. Must be a big one if we are hearing about it all the way out here.