Winterizing 4stoke Outboards

[FishOn]

I am sure this topic has come up many times, but why not again. It's that time of the year.

What is the proper way to winterize a 4 stroke EFI Outboard .

Thanks

Edited October 13, 2014 by FishOn

[bobkayla]

Change the lower end oil,,top end oil ,,fog the plugs ,,,done

[Fishinbum]

Yup

change oils

fog the cylinders

i also spray the components with fluid film as a rust proof and lube.

keeps your engine clean and like new.

[FishOn]

Stabilizer in the fuel for sure right? And run it through the engine.

[BillM]

Depends on the year, but I'll do the gear oil and that's about it (Aside from adding more then a normal amount of stabilizer to the tank).

 

I don't see the need to fog a 4-stroke, although I guess it really couldn't hurt anything.

[mike rousseau]

Depends on the year, but I'll do the gear oil and that's about it (Aside from adding more then a normal amount of stabilizer to the tank).

 

I don't see the need to fog a 4-stroke, although I guess it really couldn't hurt anything.

Same here... We never do squat to any of our motors and no issues... Fire up in a jiffy in the spring....

[skeeter99]

i am sure they fire up a jiffy in the spring

 

but why chance the rings drying out and getting a bit of corrosion from lack of use during winter then upon "the jiffy startup" u score the piston wall

 

instead of a one second squirt of fogging oil

 

and it gets repeated year after year and u know what eventually happens

 

my dad and granfathers shop could tell who did "nothing" and who took the extra 10 mins in the fall

[BillM]

Yeah but how long are these engines sitting? 3-4 months at the most? Nothing is going to dry out in that time.. Do people fog cars if they sit for the winter? Lawnmowers?

 

Like I said, I'm sure it can't hurt anything but is it really needed?

Edited October 13, 2014 by BillM

[mike rousseau]

i am sure they fire up a jiffy in the spring

 

but why chance the rings drying out and getting a bit of corrosion from lack of use during winter then upon "the jiffy startup" u score the piston wall

 

instead of a one second squirt of fogging oil

 

and it gets repeated year after year and u know what eventually happens

 

my dad and granfathers shop could tell who did "nothing" and who took the extra 10 mins in the fall

I've just seen a few guys having their fogged motors choking smoking sputtering and shaking at first start up.... I can't see that being easy on the newer high tech 4 strokes...

 

And like Bill said... They don't sit long... Longest mine sat in the last 10 years was 3 months last winter... Most years it's 2 months...

[2 tone z71]

oil changes ,,stabil for sure..grease the pivots..wax it up ...Skeeter yes that's great preventative maintenance..not as needed on 4 stroke but good on ya for giving her a lil oil for the cold winter months

Edited October 13, 2014 by North East Shark

[NANUK]

I change engine oil, gear case oil, pull plugs out and replace with clean plugs ( not new )

Remove prop, check for any fishing line etc, clean prop shaft and coat with fresh grease

I use stabilizer in every tank anyways,

I have never fogged a 4 stk,

[ecmilley]

All engines should be fogged 4 strokes just pull plugs and a squirt of oil will do

in each cylinder then turn it over a couple turns is all. Thats needed. As for why it simple can anyone guarentee that all the valves are closed nope.

Do this all the time and have seen skims of rust on cylinder walls after just a couple weeks

Edited October 13, 2014 by ecmilley

[porkpie]

Yeah but how long are these engines sitting? 3-4 months at the most? Nothing is going to dry out in that time.. Do people fog cars if they sit for the winter? Lawnmowers?

 

Like I said, I'm sure it can't hurt anything but is it really needed?

 

Yes absolutely. I fog everything before it gets put away. Takes me a couple of minutes per item, and it's extra piece of mind. Can't hurt!

[Roe Bag]

I am sure this topic has come up many times, but why not again. It's that time of the year.

What is the proper way to winterize a 4 stroke EFI Outboard .

Thanks

It'll keep coming up time and time again. Ten guys in a room and you'll get ten different answers.

You want real peace of mind? Pick up a phone and call a dealer.

Right off the bat he's going to tell you to keep fogging oil far and away from fuel injectors.

 

The only engines I have ever fogged are two strokes. For the simple reason oil in the upper cylinders is burned off during combustion,

When you run the carburetor dry, you also starve the upper cylinders of lubricant. As the engine burns off the last bit of fuel, it also burns off the last bit of oil in the upper cylinder. This will lead to corrosion. Temperature change will generate condensation resulting in damaged cylinder walls and the upper piston rings.

 

Four strokes lubricate the rings and upper cylinder during each stroke. Therefore all internal components remain lubricated throughout the Winter months.

 

Always change the gear oil in your lower unit before Winter. If has become contaminated with water as a result of a leaking seal it can freeze.

This can cause expansion, resulting in a cracked gear case.

 

I have a 40 hp. Mercury Four stroke EFI.

I add stabilizer. Run it for 15 or 20 minutes to ensure the stabilizer is throughout the complete system.

Change the engine oil and filter.

Change the gear oil. Then put her to bed for the winter.

 

I syphon off the remaining fuel from the tank and use it up in my snowblower.

Edited October 13, 2014 by Roe Bag

[musky666]

Yep- I dont fog my 115 Yamy with EFI either, pull the plugs and give it a spray maybe, then turn her over- but not through the intake. Do all the other things though- even change my engine oil and filter midway through the season since I troll so much...

[ecmilley]

Or just read your owners manual

[captpierre]

The stuff already mentioned. I also fill the tank with ethanol free fuel. Stabilize and run her for 10+ min.

 

Grease all fittings.

 

Will clean in-line fuel filter and re-install.

 

For my 2 live wells I use a funnel and connect a hose to the water intake at the back.

 

I close the back well valve and open the front well valve and let the aerator pump push RV antifreeze till it runs pink in the well

 

then reverse the valves to look after the rear well.

 

Disconnect the battery. Used to bring inside but not last 4 yrs. Battery is from 2007. I charge 1-2x during winter.

 

Will install new plugs in spring. Don't want fogging oil on them. Ist new set for me. $12 each.

 

Open all doors and make sure everything can dry and breath

 

Tape "No mice allowed" sign on dash.

[DRIFTER_016]

Yeah but how long are these engines sitting? 3-4 months at the most? Nothing is going to dry out in that time.. Do people fog cars if they sit for the winter? Lawnmowers?

 

Like I said, I'm sure it can't hurt anything but is it really needed?

 

7 months!!!

I never fogged my 2 stroke but I figured the oil in the mix would take care of that for me.

I did fog my new 4 stroke last winter though.

[DanD]

All engines should be fogged 4 strokes just pull plugs and a squirt of oil will do

in each cylinder then turn it over a couple turns is all. Thats needed. As for why it simple can anyone guarentee that all the valves are closed nope.

Do this all the time and have seen skims of rust on cylinder walls after just a couple weeks

I agree 100%.

I've pulled engines down for things like a head gasket change. While the heads are out for planing and pressure testing (maybe 24 hours); there will be a film of rust starting on the cylinder walls. This film will just wipe off but what would it be like after 4-6 months? Pulled a 5Lt motor out of my 85 Caprice; good motor but I was pulling a 28 foot house trailer at the time and needed a bit more power. That motor sat warm & dry on my shop floor for approx 5 months. A family member needed an engine so I put the 5Lt in their car for them. Fired right up ran just as well as it did before I pulled it. Within a week or so the engine started burning oil; a motor that never did before its 5 mount sit. Pulled the engine down to find #2 & 5 cylinder's oil control piston rings seized. So yea any motor that's going to sit needs something to protect the combustion chamber and rings.

 

Dan.

[Mister G]

Maybe time to trade in that old 2 stroke and 4 stroke and get a outboard that winterizes itself like mine.

 

[BillM]

Even that wouldn't make me want to buy a E-Tec, lol.

[Mister G]

Proving you can't teach a old dog new technology.

[BillM]

Proving you can't teach a old dog new technology.

 

lol you're out to lunch kid.

[bigbuck]

A squirt of oil in each cylinder on an efi is the way to go. Change engine oil and filter and change lower unit gear oil and inspect it for water intrusion and metal filings. Grease the pivots and make sure you run stabilizer through it. Removing the prop and cleaning off fishing line and greasing the splines is a good idea as well.an ounce of prevention is worth a ton of cure. Outboards are expensive, take care of them and they will last.

[davey buoy]

What I've been doing with my 305ci I/O is in the spring,,I turn the motor over a few times with the coil wire off.Hope it gets the oil up?.Other wise a couple cranks and she fires up.So far so good.My problem last year was the water in the tank.Hoping that was a one time thing.