need help winterizing

[tl]

I need to pull my pontoon out of the water this weekend and need as much info as possible on winterizing. It's a 75hp merc - '92.

I'm an auto mechanic, but outboards are new to me. Any advice would help!

 

[sledstew]

Re: need help winterizing

A few things that will keep you in the green,1)add seafoam to the gas,2) grease all fittings on steering and swivel etc:,3)check lower unit oil or change it out make sure no water is present,4)chech tilt and trim oil make sure no water,5)grease prop shaft & check prop seals(behind prop),6)fog it like a normal 2 stroke & spray some fogging oil in cylinders when finished to keep moisture off crank bearings 7) I run RV antifreeze through it to stop any corrosion.8) spray the outside of motor and electrical with silicone spray to keep from corrosion.9) Remove battery 10)may need to change lower unit impeller if you have never done it. These are all the things I do for my customers hope this helped.

I need to pull my pontoon out of the water this weekend and need as much info as possible on winterizing. It's a 75hp merc - '92.

I'm an auto mechanic, but outboards are new to me. Any advice would help!

 

[canadian_fisher]

Re: need help winterizing

Not sure if you have water pumps or bildge pumps.
Not likely on a pontoon.

Eitherway, I use non-Toxic RV antifreeze on anything that sucks, pushes, pulls and drains water in and out of the boat...... you need to get a little creative, but in Canada at -40C, things like pumps don't like frozen water too much.

CF

 

[JoeMan]

Re: need help winterizing

When you say you use RV antifreeze...are we talking about dipping the foot into a large bucket of the stuff so that it can be sucked all through the motor until it comes out the pisser? Just want to be sure. Bilge pump too and all. I get the rest. Wanted to clarify on the motor.

 

[canadian_fisher]

Re: need help winterizing

Yes sir !!
Put on those earmuffs and gravity drain some RV antifreeze until it pisses out.
I don't think the impeller will "pump" it from the bucket, and you don't want it running dry.
I'd just use an old piece of hose, a siphon, and a co-pilot at the helm.

Only takes a few seconds to get the job done.
Better safe than sorry.

Good Luck ..... CF

 

[Chris1956]

Re: need help winterizing

TL, Outboards are self draining. You do not therefore need to introduce antifreeze into the motor, as long as you let it drain in a vertical position. The winterization sequence is:

Put gas stabilizer into the fuel tank. Start the motor on the muffs and the hose. Warm it up for a few minutes to get the gas stabilizer into the carbs. Spray some fogging oil into the carbs until you get good smoke. Turn off the motor and leave it in a verticle position. After it stops dripping water, pull it over by hand or with the starter for 2 seconds to drain the waterpump. Pump grease into the grease fittings. Change the lower unit gear lube. Remove the prop and grease the propshaft. Spray the powerhead with corrosion resistant spray. If it is a four-cycle motor, change the oil and filter.

 

[canadian_fisher]

Re: need help winterizing

Yes, most outboards do self-drain, but I have always seen even a little bit of water drain out in the Spring after the big thaw.

When the termperatures hit -40C in Canada, that spells trouble. If it doens't hurt, it might help.
If cold is not an issue, I guess it might be overkill.

CF

 

[JoeMan]

Re: need help winterizing

Couple questions to clarify...since this is my first season storing. SeaFoam claims to be a gas stabilizer as well as a fogging oil. In that case, I could use this (or a similar) product to stabilize the gas and also spray into the carbs to smoke it up. It also says to take out the plugs and spray it in to fog the cylinders. I did not see that in these steps. Also, spray corrosion-resistant spray on the powerhead...we're talking all over the outer surface of the powerhead, right?

 

[rickdb1boat]

Re: need help winterizing

Here's my take on it. I don't know that Seafoam is truly a good stabilizer or fogging agent, as there has been no hard feedback on it yet. So I use what I know has worked in past years. I use Stabil for stabilizer and fogging oil(From NAPA) for fogging. For all I know, Seafoam may be great for both these purposes. But I don't want to be the first to find out. I know it works great for decarbing, though. For the little money that is spent on the other 2 products once a year, I sleep better at night knowing they are doing the job during the off-season...A light coating of WD-40 on the engine never hurts, either...

 

[sledstew]

Re: need help winterizing

Yes you are correct all over the outside of the powerhead ,I also spray anything thats cast or metal under the hood. Seafoam is a great stabilizer,I work at an oil refinery and actually make 87 through 92 octane gas and I know what seafoam does,its excellent,stabilzer(product) tests in the past have proven to be detromental in some cases. there have been tests that showed gasoline with stabilzer (product )added showed gelling after a ouple seasons.So thats why I use seafoam,also I know it works been using it for years and havent had any issues what so ever.

 

[tl]

Re: need help winterizing

Thanks for all the input. I appreciate it!8)

 

[tl]

Re: need help winterizing

One last question -- what kind of gear oil do your recommend using (92 Merc 75hp outboard)?