Winterizing a 90 HP 4 Stroke Merc outboard and boat

[irv]

On 9/6/2019 at 8:07 AM, probill said:

Place the 2 X 4 parallel with the transom and sticking out slightly on each side of the transom bracket. Not sure how many pistons are in your lift/trim system but I place the wood above the 2 trim pistons so it will be very tough to lose the wood unless you are on some really bumpy road. Nice boat by the way. Just curious how much does that motor weigh?    

Well, she's home now and the trip went well with zero issues nor did the engine creep down any. The thing I noticed was the engine, depending on bumps, didn't stay exactly in the center where I had it. It moved about 1/2 an inch to the left only. I didn't do your 2x4 trick as I had already left by the time you posted. I talked to many, who were also removing their boats this weekend, and the majority didn't do anything. No transom saver and no 2x4. Not knocking either idea but personally, now, after today's drive home, I don't think either one is necessary with me. My engine weighs approx 500 Lbs.

On 9/6/2019 at 9:07 AM, Doorider said:

This.

 

I never do anything to mine other that sea-foam and unhook the battery.  Spring is when I do oil change and fill her up with fresh gas.  It only sits a few months, not years so don't overthink it

One should always, imo, due to oil getting acidic over the course of a year and with the possibility of water in your lower unit, change their oils in the fall or before storage, not after. 

On 9/6/2019 at 5:28 PM, awful knawful said:

I don't do fuck all. But Johnson 2 stroke.

Lower unit in spring. That's it.

Read above unless you have heated garage access.

On 9/6/2019 at 6:21 PM, AKIQPilot said:

Nice looking boat Irv.    That is a good outboard.  I'm hoping to replace the motor on my Pontoon with one very similar next summer. 

Woody nails it with this post.  Hook onto that bitch and head south.  I'll see you in Havasu in October.  

This is it.  4 strokes don't need to be fogged.  

I too suggest lowering the outboard so the lower unit (through prop exhaust) does not fill up with condensation, rain, snow.  

I also cover the top half of my motor with a big garbage bag.  This helps keep dust out and the cowling looks new year after year.  

Thanks, Tom. IIRC, my engine is practically a Yamaha. IIRC again, the Verado series of Merc's are generally referred to as Yamaha's engines/designs? Around the time my engine was built/sold (07) that is when the Merc/Yammy relationship ended for whatever reason(s)?

I have quite a few hours on it and aside from the usual things, it has been flawless. 

I will be sure to tilt the engine fully down but with indoor storage and the fact all water will be drained prior to that, my situation isn't as critical as an engine being stored outdoors but will, likely due to space constraints, have to anyways? Covering the engine isn't a bad idea either. 

 

 

Edited September 9, 2019 by irv

[Frostynuts]

After I change the oil and filter, to help combat internal engine rust, I always run a couple of gallons of antifreeze thru the engine, I would hate to have any amount of water freeze in a trapped area, and crack the block, or the lower unit. Kinda a piece of mind thing.

[Doorider]

It's a never-ending debate, oil change in the fall or in the spring, not only boats but snowmobiles that comes up all the time too. Everyone has their own theories and opinions but the fact is I have never heard of any engine related problems because of an oil change being done at the wrong time of the year

[Doorider]

For me, I rather have fresh oil to start the season, whichever season it is. 

[AKIQPilot]

1 minute ago, Doorider said:

For me, I rather have fresh oil to start the season, whichever season it is. 

If you change the oil at the end of one season is it bad at the beginning of the next?  

If you leave rancid oil in an engine all off season how could this be good?   Especially the lower unit?  

[irv]

1 hour ago, Frostynuts said:

After I change the oil and filter, to help combat internal engine rust, I always run a couple of gallons of antifreeze thru the engine, I would hate to have any amount of water freeze in a trapped area, and crack the block, or the lower unit. Kinda a piece of mind thing.

Even on an out board? I guess, if it makes you sleep well at night, then by all means but I honestly don't think it's necessary especially if you tip it vertical to allow all the water to drain. Curious, how to you go about doing that exactly? Do you pump it up through the impeller somehow?

1 hour ago, Doorider said:

It's a never-ending debate, oil change in the fall or in the spring, not only boats but snowmobiles that comes up all the time too. Everyone has their own theories and opinions but the fact is I have never heard of any engine related problems because of an oil change being done at the wrong time of the year

I was going to reply but I see Tom already did. Think about what he said, seriously. 

[Doorider]

Why would fully synthetic oil be so rancid after only one season? Maybe I'm just lucky but I've never lost a 4-stroke motor in my life

[AKIQPilot]

2 minutes ago, Doorider said:

Why would fully synthetic oil be so rancid after only one season? Maybe I'm just lucky but I've never lost a 4-stroke motor in my life

I don't disagree but why would you change the engine oil at the beginning of the season instead of at the end of the season.  On an outboard you really should do lower unit and fuel treatment at the end of the season.  Why wouldn't you go ahead and do the engine oil then too?  What possible advantage could there be for waiting till the spring to change the engine oil?  

[smokin george]

I get the boat hull cleaned( iron stains from the river) and oil/filter, water seperator/filter and winterized in the fall. As soon as spring comes and the weather gets better,put it in the water and ready to play

[Doorider]

I put seafoam in and drive it from my slip to the trailer.  Then it gets covered and put at for the winter.  I do nothing else to it in the fall.

 

Spring is when it's out getting cleaned and ready for the year, so I do it all then.  I take half a day to power wash the carpet, clean and 303 the seats, scrub the outside etc. One day a year of doing any work to it as opposed to two.  Going on 8 years old with this boat without any issues. 

[AKIQPilot]

9 minutes ago, Doorider said:

I put seafoam in and drive it from my slip to the trailer.  Then it gets covered and put at for the winter.  I do nothing else to it in the fall.

 

Spring is when it's out getting cleaned and ready for the year, so I do it all then.  I take half a day to power wash the carpet, clean and 303 the seats, scrub the outside etc. One day a year of doing any work to it as opposed to two.  Going on 8 years old with this boat without any issues. 

So you would leave potentially contaminated oil in the lower unit?  Have you looked in your owners manual to see when it says to change the oil?  

I feel changing engine and lower unit oil at the end of the season has more benefits than at the beginning of the season.  There are many publications that agree with this for various reasons.  

https://boatplanet.com/the-captains-blog/should-you-change-your-boat-oil-in-the-spring-or-fall

[Doorider]

Like I said, everyone has a theory, there is no proof which is better. If I have oil that's getting so contaminated it's hurting the engine by sitting in it, I have bigger problems to worry about.  My oil looks really good each spring when I dump it.  Not worried one bit.  

 

My dad owns an auto repair business and worked on more engines than anyone I know.  His boats and sleds have all been done the same way, never an issue.  I get the theory as to why fall is better, but it's just a theory.  

 

To each their own

[Big Crappie]

If there water in the lower unit guess what happens if it freezes? And if it doesn't freeze metal parts don't fair well sitting in water for 6+ months. The lower unit is the most important part of winterizing an outboard. End of discussion.

[irv]

2 hours ago, Doorider said:

Like I said, everyone has a theory, there is no proof which is better. If I have oil that's getting so contaminated it's hurting the engine by sitting in it, I have bigger problems to worry about.  My oil looks really good each spring when I dump it.  Not worried one bit.  

 

My dad owns an auto repair business and worked on more engines than anyone I know.  His boats and sleds have all been done the same way, never an issue.  I get the theory as to why fall is better, but it's just a theory.  

 

To each their own

That makes no sense! Oil gets contaminated from combustion byproducts. All 4 stroke engines suffer from this; it can't be helped. Would you leave your travel trailer/RV's black water holding tank full all winter then dump it in spring? It makes about as much sense. Same goes for, and especially, your lower unit. Water contaminated through a bad plug squish washer or a damaged seal from fishing line equals water infiltration which leads to freezing which leads to a busted/split open lower unit $$$. It's your money, down time, while everyone else is out enjoying the water. You may have gotten lucky for 8 yrs, and despite your proclamation that your father is an expert, (he is not, btw) it's only a matter of time. 

 

[AKIQPilot]

47 minutes ago, Big Crappie said:

If there water in the lower unit guess what happens if it freezes? And if it doesn't freeze metal parts don't fair well sitting in water for 6+ months. The lower unit is the most important part of winterizing an outboard. End of discussion.

Absolutely.  This is not even debatable.   

Just now, irv said:

That makes no sense! Oil gets contaminated from combustion byproducts. All 4 stroke engines suffer from this; it can't be helped. Would you leave your travel trailer/RV's black water holding tank full all winter then dump it in spring? It makes about as much sense. Same goes for, and especially, your lower unit. Water contaminated through a bad plug squish washer or a damaged seal from fishing line equals water infiltration which leads to freezing which leads to a busted/split open lower unit $$$. It's your money, down time, while everyone else is out enjoying the water. You may have gotten lucky for 8 yrs, and despite your proclamation that your father is an expert, (he is not, btw) it's only a matter of time. 

 

I don't think anything you or anyone else says will change his mind.  There are many reasons why changing the fluids and filters in an outboard before winter storage is a good idea.  If there is some publication out there that claims spring is better than fall I would like to see it.  I serviced my first outboard in about 1972.  I've been doing it annually almost every year since.  

[irv]

13 minutes ago, AKIQPilot said:

Absolutely.  This is not even debatable.   

I don't think anything you or anyone else says will change his mind.  There are many reasons why changing the fluids and filters in an outboard before winter storage is a good idea.  If there is some publication out there that claims spring is better than fall I would like to see it.  I serviced my first outboard in about 1972.  I've been doing it annually almost every year since.  

I honestly wouldn't think about storing something without doing some storage mtce prior. Whether its sleds, motorcycles, vehicles, boats, lawnmowers, or anything else motorized for that matter, when it's time to shut them off for 4-7 months at a time, it's time for fuel treatments, oil/filter changes, etc. You don't do your storage requirements/treatments after they've been stored for that time, you do them prior. 

Hopefully Doorider comes to realize this before it's too late some day? 

https://www.sparefoot.com/self-storage/blog/1377-how-to-prepare-your-boat-for-winter-storage/

Edited September 10, 2019 by irv

[probill]

For sure you need to change the lower unit oil in the fall before anything freezes. if you had a seal let go and had water in your lower unit, it would freeze over the winter and crack the lower unit. I have seen that a few times over the years from cottagers who thought they would save a few bucks and not take it to the marina to have the work done. I had one year where on my 5 year old 150HP I pulled the plug on the lower unit and got nothing but water. Never seen that ever or since. Cant believe the lower unit never seized. Refilled it with fresh oil and over the winter took the lower unit to the marina to check. They did a pressure test and never found a leak. Did a total reseal of the lower unit anyway. Never had an issue for the rest of the time I had the motor.

[Doorider]

I've not been good for 8 years, that's this current boat. Never once lost a motor or outdrive in my life.  Water settles to the bottom, crack the plug and if straight oil comes out after sitting for a while, you have no water in there.  It takes 30 seconds to check that before winter. 

 

Btw,  IMO a man that is 70 years old and made a career out of working on engines and been a boater his whole life is no less an expert than you.  Never once lost an engine or outdrive. Lucky? Maybe, but both of us and everyone I know that boats and does it all in the spring? 

[Doorider]

I'm not disagreeing that it's probably better to do in the fall, I'm saying I don't see I really being an issue doing it in the spring.  As long as you're not full of water. 

Edited September 10, 2019 by Doorider

[irv]

Just now, Doorider said:

I'm not disagreeing that it's probably better to do in the fall, I'm saying I don't see I really being an issue going it in the spring.  As long as you're not full of water. 

Like Tom said, there likely isn't anything that is going to convince you to change your mind but despite your father's and others doing it this way for years does not make them experts that they are doing things correctly. This is right out of my owner's manual and, imo, if anyone was going to be labeled as experienced or an expert, it would be these folks that actually live, work and breath on marine engines. 

Look up any procedure for winter storage or just plain storage of anything including vehicles, riding lawnmowers, airplanes, motorcycles, etc, and all will recommend mtce "PRIOR" to storage, not after. Putting away things dirty, wet, with used oils/filters, un-greased, unwashed, unwaxed, etc, then doing those after storage makes zero sense. It's like getting your vehicle undercoated/rustproofed after the winter is over and the damage has already been done. 

Storage Preparation

The major consideration in preparing your outboard for storage is to protect it from rust, corrosion, and damage caused by freezing of trapped water. The following storage procedures should be followed to prepare your outboard for out of season storage or prolonged storage (two months or longer). ! CAUTION Never start or operate your outboard (even momentarily) without water circulating through all the cooling water intake holes in the gear case to prevent damage to the water pump (running dry) or overheating of the engine. FUEL SYSTEM IMPORTANT: Gasoline containing alcohol (ethanol or methanol) can cause a formation of acid during storage and can damage the fuel system. If the gasoline being used contains alcohol, it is advisable to drain as much of the remaining gasoline as possible from the fuel tank, remote fuel line, and engine fuel system. Fill the fuel tank and engine fuel system with treated (stabilized) fuel to help prevent formation of varnish and gum. Proceed with following instructions. • Portable Fuel Tank - Pour the required amount of gasoline stabilizer (follow instructions on container) into fuel tank. Tip fuel tank back and forth to mix stabilizer with the fuel. • Permanently Installed Fuel Tank - Pour the required amount of gasoline stabilizer (follow instructions on container) into a separate container and mix with approximately one quart (one liter) of gasoline. Pour this mixture into fuel tank. • Place the outboard in water or connect flushing attachment for circulating cooling water. Run the engine for ten minutes to fill the engine fuel system. Protecting External Outboard Components • Lubricate all outboard components listed in Maintenance - Inspection and Maintenance Schedule. • Touch up any paint nicks. See your dealer for touch-up paint. • Spray Quicksilver or Mercury Precision Lubricants Corrosion Guard on external metal surfaces (except corrosion control anodes). Protecting Internal Engine Components • Remove the spark plugs and inject a small amount of engine oil inside of each cylinder. • Rotate the flywheel manually several times to distribute the oil in the cylinders. Reinstall spark plugs. • Change the engine oil. Gear case • Drain and refill the gearcase lubricant (refer to Maintenance - Gearcase Lubrication). Positioning Outboard For Storage Store outboard in an upright (vertical) position to allow water to drain out of outboard. ! CAUTION If outboard is stored tilted up in freezing temperature, trapped cooling water or rain water that may have entered the propeller exhaust outlet in the gearcase could freeze and cause damage to the outboard. 

[irv]

Changed my lower unit gear oil today and removed the prop for servicing. All went good. The gear oil, despite a slight hint of wear metals (silvery/coppery), looked pretty good. It was dark from use, of course, but thankfully no water infiltration. New squish washers and I'm good to go for next season.

I also removed the prop to clean and re-grease the splines. All looked good in there as well. A fresh coat of Bel-Ray waterproof grease on the splines and that too will be good to go for next season.

Weather permitting tomorrow, although it isn't looking good, I am hoping to change the engine oil and filter and do some other mtce things. Hopefully next week sometime, if I manage to get all the things done that I am hoping to do, I can take it in for storage. 

[AKIQPilot]

That thing looks good.  Basically brand new.

I will be pulling the Party Barge out of the lake at the end of the month.  I'm going to shrink wrap it this year.  First time I have done that but I think it will be good.  I have a fairly solid plan for making a frame to support the wrap job.  

 

[irv]

38 minutes ago, AKIQPilot said:

That thing looks good.  Basically brand new.

I will be pulling the Party Barge out of the lake at the end of the month.  I'm going to shrink wrap it this year.  First time I have done that but I think it will be good.  I have a fairly solid plan for making a frame to support the wrap job.  

 

LOL. I am the opposite. This will be my first year in 14 yrs that I haven't shrunk wrap it nor paid others to do the mtce work and store it. I figure this year I should save approximately $400-$500 dollars by doing everything myself.

With the selling marina 11 km's away from our summer trailer, I just had them do it year after year but with me being retired now and the amount they charged me last year, it's a no brainer for me to do it myself. 

For the first 3 yrs, while under warranty, it made sense, and comparing to what other friends were paying for winterization/storage, I couldn't go wrong. I was, on average, paying about $450 a year. Those friends were paying double that, which I found hard to believe, but I verified it by calling them. I thought $450 was bad but when the guy told me $800 for my boat, I just stuck with the marina I purchased it at.

Last year, after doing the regular, plus changing the plugs and replacing a trim/tilt solenoid that had gone bad, they charged me $750! They upgraded my engine oil to semi syn and charged me an extra $60 just for that. After last years bill and knowing I was retiring this year, I said no more, I'll do everything from here on out. 

Edited September 10, 2019 by irv

[Reevester]

Tape over that "fish" and just leave ski. Putting a god damn fishing boat away for the season already. Smh. 

 

[irv]

14 minutes ago, Reevester said:

Tape over that "fish" and just leave ski. Putting a god damn fishing boat away for the season already. Smh. 

 

No choice this year, Reevester as the water is way too low to continue using it. I am not sure if its more flooding they are worried about but letting water out this early is just bad water management. Prior years, which most are aware of, once Thanksgiving comes around, that is when it's time to remove boats from the water but they jumped the gun this year by at least 6 weeks.

On Thursday, when I went to my trailer, I was hoping to burn a bit of fuel and keep it in until at least Sunday/Monday but when I arrived and seen they let even more out compared to the previous weekend, despite getting some decent rain, I had no choice but to pull it then and there. 

In order to get my boat off the lift, I had to stand on the dock and physically push my boat off the lift. I tried from inside the boat and it was a no go as I added too much weight to get it off the lift.

In the 1st pic, that was taken Thursday after I pulled my boat. The next was on Sunday after a decent rain/storm came through and the water level was down another inch at least. The water is normally, easily, half way up those rocks/shore and quite often above that mark. I don't recall, in 14 yrs, the water ever being this low this early.