Winter Storage for engines

[DtwSailor]

I have a set routine that I do in order to get the outboards ready for the long cold winters here in Michigan, but am wondering what everyone else does.

I drain the gas from the tank and carb.

I normally replace the lower unit oil as well, and then place in heated basement until the snow melts.

[proprider]

Same here

I do the same thing but also check compression and every external part/nut/bolt for wear and tightness. When their put into hibernation I want to know their ready to go for spring testing.

I save the trouble of carring them down the stairs and just keep them in my home office...gotta keep an eye on them.

[hydroid]

Winterizing o/b

Ontario winters same as MI. I've had several stock o/b's over 40yrs, but this is 1st winter w OMC 15hp, Y302, M30H, KG4H. At end of season, have always done:
- stabilizer in fuel and run engine til bowl empty/quits
- fog storage oil into plug holes while turning over several times to coat cylinder walls
- change gear oil

Racing engines: what else needs to be done? Any risks w storing these in sub-32 cottage over winter(water in manifold)?... is heated space better?...suppose not at greater risk than fishing o/b
Am I missing something?...Post yur routine.

PS: Proprider - either you have a very tolerant wife(envious), or yur single & spend all winter in the office in your underpants getting excited about 2011 racing(envious). Make sure they don't mate, you'll end up w Frankenmotor Jr in the Spring.

[blueskyracer]

the only other thing I do is blow out the water cooling lines in my Yamatos to make sure no water is sitting in the cooling passages.

[hydroid]

Blowing engine b4 winter?

the only other thing I do is blow out the water cooling lines in my Yamatos to make sure no water is sitting in the cooling passages.

Grt advice; how, with what, where?...do not have a compressor,..could I reverse blow using a shop vac?...do I blow in at the water pick-up?

[ram95]

If you're going to do a compression check, warm the motor up and do it. Then start it back up and run it briefly to get the cylinder walls coated with oil (that you wiped away doing the compression check!!). Always a good idea to check the compression (and write it down)...What was it at the end of last year? Mid-season? And, if the motor was running strong, don't mess with it. Then, pull the lower unit off so you can clean corrosion and crap from around the coupling (if you have a two piece drive-shaft) or the top of the gearcase, then grease the coupling and the splines which engage the crank. Don't gob grease onto the top of the driveshaft as it can create a hydraulic lock and you won't be able to push the driveshaft back up into the crank splines. Drain all the gear lube out of the lower unit. Check for end play, bearing roughness or excessive gear clearance. You can't really do this with the uinit installed. Service up the gearfoot with your favorite sheepdip, tighten the screws and tag it so you'll know come springtime that it is good-to-go. As for the Tohatsu 50, Merc T-bolt, Merc 15, 20H, 30H, 55H, we run such a rich mixture of avgas and oil no additional running is needed before parking the motor for the winter. I don't run them dry. In the spring, I pull the plugs and put in a new set. I don't rotate the engine during the winter, especially if it's stored out in the cold because it wipes the oil off the cylinder walls (per: Ed LeDuc, Merc School 1960). But, if you're not planning on using the engine for over a year, then I'd advise doing all the above, plus fogging it as it runs dry of fuel. Tohatsu has an excellent spraycan of fogging oil with a nice 5" tube coming off the nozzle - good stuff.

Alex
207-737-4570

[blueskyracer]

Grt advice; how, with what, where?...do not have a compressor,..could I reverse blow using a shop vac?...do I blow in at the water pick-up?

I use a compressor and blow up thru the water pick up with a rubber tipped nozzel. Then I go the opposite direction blowing thru the discharge hoses back the other way.

[KG4]

Here is my girl sleeping in the basement waiting for spring.

[krazy karl]

My MK55H and Yamato are on display in a local restaurant for the winter. Better than home because it is heated and my shop isn't. Now if I could only get him to take the rest of my motors.

[DtwSailor]

Thanks for the tips, and I am so envious of Propride...I guess I could move the engines to the office, as I know the wife will not let me keep them in the office at home!

[Gootz 142M]

I do the same thing but also check compression and every external part/nut/bolt for wear and tightness. When their put into hibernation I want to know their ready to go for spring testing.

I save the trouble of carring them down the stairs and just keep them in my home office...gotta keep an eye on them.

Joe,

I remember the days when you stored them in your living room!!!

[raceright]

Lets see
Engines torn down,cranks rebuilt,pistons checked for clearance,all seals replaced,all rings replaced. carbs cleaned and stored,ignition checked and batteries discarded,fuel lines replaced-tanks cleaned and stored with gasoline inside. Units taked apart and seals replaced,new gears if needed.
have several to do this with, gonna be a long winter. Around here boatracing never stops.

Pat Wright

[johnsonm50]

Grt advice; how, with what, where?...do not have a compressor,..could I reverse blow using a shop vac?...do I blow in at the water pick-up?

A reversed flow of a good wet dry vac funneled down to fit in the motor would be enough to do it. With a compressor your using hi pressure & a vac hi volume. The vac may take a little longer.
Mostly tho, the motors self drain & what your looking out for are pockets of water big enough to freeze, expand & break something. Water in a gear case below the oil can crack a case if it gets cold enough so more than corrosion could be at stake there.