When is it safe to "de-winterize"

[ccarver80]

So Temps here in North Dakota are unusually warm!
A local dam near me the ice is just about gone and should be completely gone by this weekend.

I would like to do a test fire in a bucket of water on my boat before taking it out... Temps during the day are 50-65? but looking at the ten day report there's a few days the Temps dip down to 26? at night. ... should I just Wait to the weather stays above freezing for a while?

Thanks

 

[ccarver80]

It's a 4-stroke 75hp Yamaha ... and can someone else tell me what a "min" water level I need in a bucket to safely fire it up?

I have a tote.. idk if it's high enough though...

I'll try to get a pic in a second

 

[bruceb58]

You should use muffs...not a bucket.

No need to wait with an outboard since all the water drains out. There is no winterizing done to an outboard in regards to freezing.

 

[oldjeep]

Yup, just make sure you trim it all the way down after you are done using it so that the water runs out. One of the few joys of an outboard

 

[ccarver80]

Why muffs? I thought a bucket would be more realistic?

 

[oldjeep]

Only downside to muffs is that they don't always tell you if your impeller is working properly since the hose pressure can help out a weak impeller or in one case I ran into with a sterndrive - hide the fact that I hadn't gotten the internal water tube connected properly.

As long as by "bucket" you mean 30- 55 gallon garbage can then you should be OK as long as you are watching it.

No matter how you do it you don't want to take the engine much above idle for very long and make sure that if you are reving it that it is in neutral so that the prop isn't spinning.

 

[ccarver80]

OK well maybe I'll try the muff theory since yesterday i had the lower unit off and checked the impeller which looks brand new still

I'm just wanna hear it fire up... no knocking ... and see if water is coming out of the bypass

Why can't I put it in gear though? Just curious. .. I've see videos on YouTube of people using muff and putting it in gear...

It would be nice to test the foward and reverse... make sure both are engaging properly...

 

[oldjeep]

OK well maybe I'll try the muff theory since yesterday i had the lower unit off and checked the impeller which looks brand new still

I'm just wanna hear it fire up... no knocking ... and see if water is coming out of the bypass

Why can't I put it in gear though? Just curious. .. I've see videos on YouTube of people using muff and putting it in gear...

It would be nice to test the foward and reverse... make sure both are engaging properly...

Putting it in gear out of the water creates a dangerous spinning prop, not to mention the huge clunk you get putting it in and out of gear since there is no water to buffer the transition. People do all sorts of dumb stuff on youTube. If you wan to check enguagement just do it with the engine turned off and spin the prop by hand. It'll be obvious if it is in gear or not.

 

[GA_Boater]

On muffs you can shift into forward and reverse to make sure it's shifting under power. BUT keep it at idle speed, don't rev it up like so many on Youtube do. :doh:

 

[ccarver80]

Ah! Good point... the prop spins free right now in netural... if I put it in either forward or reverse (with the motor off) the prop shouldn't move correct?

 

[bruceb58]

If you ran it in a bucket, the bucket would have to be high enough to be above the water pump level and you would have to have a hose in there anyway because the water would get hot and the exhaust will blow the water out of the bucket.

There is no problem putting it into gear on the muffs to test that it shifts properly. Just give it time for the prop to spin down between going from forward to reverse.

 

[oldjeep]

Ah! Good point... the prop spins free right now in netural... if I put it in either forward or reverse (with the motor off) the prop shouldn't move correct?

If you put it in gear it won't spin in one direction and typically will make a ratcheting sound in the other direction.

 

[bruceb58]

You typically don't want to shift it in and out of gear when the engine isn't running. Good way to stretch your shift cable if the dog gears don't line up perfectly. Test it while the engine is running. Just make sure there is no one near the prop.

 

[ccarver80]

So... here's my idea... fire engine on muffs. Let it warm up for a few min.... the just barely bump it into forward..... look over edge see prop spinning. .. click back into neutral. .. wait till prop stops spinning ... then barely bump into reverse... them go back to neutral ... and shut off engine....

Sound ok?

 

[bruceb58]

Yep. When you shift, take note that the throw of the shift handle is somewhat equal in each direction when the engine just goes into gear.

 

[GA_Boater]

So... here's my idea... fire engine on muffs. Let it warm up for a few min.... the just barely bump it into forward..... look over edge see prop spinning. .. click back into neutral. .. wait till prop stops spinning ... then barely bump into reverse... them go back to neutral ... and shut off engine....

Sound ok?

That works, CC. Just make sure the kids and dog are well away. Cat - Well...............

 

[ccarver80]

haha no kids and dogs are in the back yard... have some stray cats that hang out... lol like they say.. curiosity killed the cat....

 

[Starcraft5834]

get muffs that supply water to BOTH sides of the intakes.........all other reasons why muffs already said

 

[bassman284]

Why muffs? I thought a bucket would be more realistic?

You need a WAY bigger bucket.

 

[hardwater fisherman]

I agree you need a tall trash can or a barrel.