Winterize a two stroke???

[ashelton]

How do I go about winterizing my 2 stroke 175 johnson...

the boat and motor will be stored outdoors for this michigan winter.
I have already removed the seats and radio and added stabil to the fuel.

I know its a noob question but any advice / ideas would help.

[j_martin]

Change the Lower unit lube, (If it has water in it, you'll break the gear box in the cold.)

Get some fogging oil. Run the engine at idle on the cuffs and spray the fogging oil in the intake(s) till you kill it or just about. Then pull the plugs and spray some in each cylinder and put the plugs back in.

Tilt the engine down and up to get all the water to drain out.

If it's carb'd, drain the carbs. Disconnect the fuel line.

On the fuel, I drain it all out and burn it in the family bus. Some put stabil in it and leave it. If you put stabil in it, do it before the fogging routine.

If you cover the engine, leave it loose, just keeping the snow/rain out of the cowl. I just leave mine uncovered. some cover it tight, but that encourages condensation, and doesn't let the moisture escape when the sun shines.

Sleep tight. It'll be fine in the spring, just might fowl a plug cleaning out.

hope it helps
John

[Jimboat]

Try this...

"Winterize your Performance Outboard (http://www.aeromarineresearch.com/adverts/F&PB_Jan05.html)"...printed in Family & Performance Boating magazine...

[mickeyjr]

screw that...run it on the water hose every 2 or 3 weeks.:)

[PirateJoe]

Move the boat to FL.

[Tom Foley]

Move the boat to FL.

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

[bigbore]

Just hook up the fogging can 2 the choke cylinoid valve,spray till stalls.drain n fill the lower oil,unless u recently changed it.

[RNM018]

I'm with Mickey . Add more gas and oil and keep going with it . I know ," Shut Up Smart Ass " ! Rich Martin 018:rolleyes:

[ashelton]

Thanks to all Appreciate the help.

That just leaves the dirty work for me this weekend.

[WATERWINGS]

I have also had problems with the speedo and water pressure gauges freezing and when you get back to boating, you may find out that the guages are sitting on 30 MPH or 10-15 psi.

Maybe remove them and store them inside?

[Impulsive]

Use it all winter long:eek: :D

[hsbob]

run stablizer in the system for 10-15, betterif you run in the water. that get the stablizer into all the fuel system and will keep the fuel from clogging. then get rid of the gas it losses too much octane even with stabliser over the winter.

[sho305]

I put the cover on the boat that also covers the motor, then a tarp but leave it open around motor a little for air flow. Make sure inside of boat is dry when you cover it, open any seats or compartments. I'll put it in the garage for a couple days if I have to with a fan, this is very important because if you have a good tarp done right you will find most moisture was in the boat to start with. I open a box of moth balls and set it in center of boat. Prop up tarp/cover so water and snow runs/slides off, and make sure area is clear and mowed/etc that also deters animals from messing with it. Make sure if motor is up water can't get in exhaust. The last time I take it out or off of water I put it straight down and fire it very briefly, few seconds while pump is still wet, to help water get out then let drain for a while (& it sounds cool but probably not necessary). I drain the LU but good idea to put fresh in...not sure why I don't. I drain fuel tank into something else. Store it short of time as you can, run it now and get it back out in spring early. Shorter the better. I drained carbs on my merc and fogged but don't bother with the chryco, I just spray carb clean in the bowls/jets (easy to get off) and fuel line in spring. In fact when I fired my merc up I pumped the new fuel in until it ran out of all the bowl plugs, then put plugs in and ran it.

I have never had a fuel problem if I don't leave them over 6 months. If fuel goes bad it usually happens in carb first in any equipment. I jack trailer way up, often put a block under the jack and leave plug out. Try to point bow into usual wind direction if posssible/needed. With small engine equipment you can usually shut off fuel and drain carb, works like a charm. Of course with a boat you don't want to ever run old fuel in them or have a plugged carb jet, etc. If I think of it I put extra oil in last time I run chryco since I don't fog it, but again I store that boat inside from about Nov to May in a place that is very dry...and has no threat of hurricanes :D Plus nothing rusts or corrodes when it is frozen.

[ct20sutphen]

Ok I am a newb to outboards this year too.

I always run anti freeze through my I/Os in the past and I planned on doing the same in my outboards but it doesnt seem like any of you guys do it?

How do you get all the water out of the hoses and ports in the engine?
I have 2.5 mercs.

[sho305]

Far as I know they all drain when you stand them straight up. Yeah we used to fill a 5gal gas can half full of antifreeze for I/Os and run it in when they were warm. I just trim all the OBs I've had all the way down and let them sit for a little bit. Make sure the skeg does not bite the ground depending on your trailer height.

[Pro300x24LD]

with the new pewpy E-10 fuels I would recommend filling your tank to leave as little room as possible for condensation, add some stabil if you wish, then in the spring pump that fuel out of the boat and into your truck and put fresh fuel in your boat. To me the risk of bad fuel in my boat is not worth it.

[specboatops]

Here's my question, I live out on a farm amd have many out buildings. I put my boats in one particular barn, go out to it once a week or so, have a couple
beers and check on/ look at the boats. I have a 155,000 BTU Kerosene heater in there that I will kick on while out there. Usually it will warm it up to around 75 or so, then I turn it off and go in the house. Am I hurting my stuff by warming it up and then the quick cool down:confused::confused: Should I just not put the heat on at all?


Chris

[sho305]

I don't think the heat will hurt in cold winter. Here it gets dry and no problem, but in spring/fall if it gets wet out and you open the place up it fills with moisture. The next time you heat it everything sweats like crazy and that can cause corrosion issues. You have to heat for a while to get it bad and have moisture there. I park my truck inside after plowing and by melting the snow off it fills the place with moisture. I will actually open the place up when below freezing to get the moisture out. I heat once in a while to work on stuff or melt the truck down.

[Jimboat]

Waterwings - i've had problems with speedo and water gage hoses freezing up and blowing out the gages during the winter too. to solve this, i put a brass hose connectors in the line, and un-do them for the winter, giving the water a chance to drain, and a place for expanding moisture to go if it happens.

Re: fuel stabilizer - you should be VERY sure to add a good stabilizer to any lower octane fuels that might contain ethanol, since these are much more prone to corrosion and solidifying if there is ANY moisture left in the tank at all.

Re: freezing - if you prep all the parts as recommended by the experienced folks that have commented in this thread, then freezing shouldn't hurt your rig. actually, cycled heating and freezing could do it more harm, since it stresses tight aluminum parts.

Also, i didn't notice mention of battery removal. This step is kind of obvious, but just in case, you should put it on your list. Remove your battery and store indoors, preferably with a trickle charge with overload protection circuit.

[Wolverine]

My experience with Stabil has NEVER been positive. I've used it in the snowmobiles for summer storage only to have gummed up carbs in the fall.........every time on every sled. Most of my friends have had the same experience. We have since been using SeaFoam as a stabilizer with absolutely no problems. I run it in my 2.5 a few times throughout the summer to keep the injectors clean and just prior to winter storage. No more gummed up anything. :cheers: Good ridance to Stabil.

[specboatops]

Re: freezing - if you prep all the parts as recommended by the experienced folks that have commented in this thread, then freezing shouldn't hurt your rig. actually, cycled heating and freezing could do it more harm, since it stresses tight aluminum parts.

So I shouldn't throw any heat in that barn then you think ?

[Ron V]

My experience with Stabil has NEVER been positive. I've used it in the snowmobiles for summer storage only to have gummed up carbs in the fall.........every time on every sled. Most of my friends have had the same experience. We have since been using SeaFoam as a stabilizer with absolutely no problems. I run it in my 2.5 a few times throughout the summer to keep the injectors clean and just prior to winter storage. No more gummed up anything. :cheers: Good ridance to Stabil.

I've had trouble with Stabil also. I've used it and not had problems, but every time I had gum in the carb it was while using Stabil. It never happened when I left untreated gas in there all winter either! There is no substitute for storing everything empty and leaving it ventilated. Sometimes metal tanks can have trouble depending on the environment where they are stored, but by and large it's better to store everything empty. My snowblower is stored on a shelf in my garage, up high where the humidity and heat is incredible in the summer, with minimal ventilation. It sits for 7-8 months. I run the carb dry and store it totally empty. Starts instantly every year when I pull it out. I do oil the cylinder just for good measure. I store my lawnmower on the same shelf all winter, same thing...no Stabil, just totally empty. We store many of our antique outboards for years at a time, both in heated and unheated storage, and trust me....dry is the way to go if you can do it.

On the boat, I run the tank almost empty, use Stabil in the couple gallons that are left, and fog the motor while running the carbs dry. On an OMC with VRO, I believe that running the carbs dry causes it to pump straight oil into the carbs as the fuel runs out, so this might not be an option. Fogging is just a precaution; in most climates the cylinders aren't going to rust on a two stroke if it is just sitting over a winter (if you're using a synthetic oil I would fog it to be safe). I run the motor through the tilt range a couple times to drain it good, and turn it over to clear the water pump. Change the gearcase oil. I put a block of wood between the rear trailer roller and the gearcase and just come down on it easy with the trim, to take the strain off the transom. Take the battery out, throw a couple of dryer sheets in the boat to keep the varmints out, cover it up, and forget about it until spring.

[benski]

If it hasn't been mentioned earlier, remove your battery(s) and put the on the battery tender.:thumbsup:

[Fast Fig]

BTW for you northern boys.............if you owned an E-Tec winterizing is as quick and easy as touching one button..........it foggs itself........read up on that feature it's pretty cool.

[ClutchDawg]

I've found it helps to pull the prop and put some grease on the shaft yearly. That way, when you have to pull the prop during the summer it will not be frozen.