Basic maintenance question

[deezdrama]

Im looking to get my first boat.
Will be an aluminium jon style fishing boat with probably something in the 20-50 hp outboard range.

Now ive rebuilt car engines and worked on my own vehicles my whole life, but know NOTHING about boating motors.
realisticly.... If I get a used boat with a old but well maintained/ good running motor, what is involved annually to keep it maintained and running well?

Is it something I can learn to do myself? Is it something that I must have a shop do annually?
How much will it cost to keep a used outboard running well?

I feel a bit overwhelmed, im reading the faq, searching the web and youtube but cant get a general idea of what im looking for.

thanks

 

[Chris1956]

2 cycle outboard maintenance is pretty easy. Fresh fuel is most of it. When you get a used OB, it makes sense to do preventive maintenance right away. You then follow up with a simple, yearly maintenance.

So when you buy it, clean or change the fuel filters, install a new waterpump impeller, wear plate and gaskets, grease all the fittings and change the gear oil. Now use fresh fuel (likely you need to premix it yourself), and enjoy the boat.

In the fall, on her last run, add fuel stabilizer to the fuel, and after her run pull her out of the water. Now flush her with fresh water, and during the flush, spray some fogging oil into her carbs. When she has a good smoke going either stall her or turn her off. Now let her drain all the water, fill the grease fittings and then drain and refill the gearcase. Spray the powerhead with some corrosion guard (optional for fresh water use), install her cowling, disconnect and charge the starting batter, remove the prop and toss a winter cover on her.

In the spring, charge the starting battery and run her on the flusher. After the fogging oil is burned off, you can change the spark plugs, if they need it. Grease the prop shaft and install the prop. Now it's boating time!

 

[Bob_VT]

2 Stroke maintenance is intimidating the first time and it gets easier once you are over the fear and angst. The only thing I will add to Chris' list above is Carb maintenance. They really are easy to do and if you want to practice I would suggest finding an old lawnmower carb to play with. The key is CLEAN. Clean carbs clean points, clean spark plugs and a clean (De-carboned) motor..... add clean ful with proper TCW3 oil and you are good to go. Yep, the carbs and the impeller are the things you will master and it will become old hat

 

[robert graham]

Remember: clean fresh, filtered, stabilized(Stabil) all the time.....install a fuel/water seperator(Walmart/Atwood $28) on your transom. Learn to drain those carb float chambers whenever motor will be laid up for several weeks or months....easy 5 minute job can really save you a lot of problems with water/debris/varnish plugging carb jets.....Remove upper cowling and study, check,clean, tighten, lubricate all those parts on a regular basis....learn what each item does. Buy a manual for your motor and study it. It's difficult or brain surgery once you learn it.....