From: waterhou@gdc.com (Richard Waterhouse)
Newsgroups: rec.boats
Subject: Re: Need tips on winterizing an I/O
Date: 5 Nov 92 22:21:02 GMT


This was posted once before. I cant take the credit for it but it
was a great list(total of three responses). GOOD LUCK.

########
  1
#######

Well my first season is over. No major mishaps, but not much water either.
Anyway time to put the boat away for the season. What do I do? 
the boat is a 17ft VIP open bow, 1974 75hp Chrystler outboard. The boat 
and trailer will be stored along side my garage. 

So far my check list has.(random order)

Good cleaning inside and out
pull all drain plugs
trailer up on blocks
grease the hubs
Add winteriser to gas and run engine.
lock trailer hitch. 
moring cover on.
tarp over moring cover
Battery out of boat and stored in safe place.
Gas cans out of boat, empty and stored in saft place.
PFD cleaned and stored (inside or out?)

What about fire extingishers? can they be stored outside?

With the exception of running a gas winterizer through the motor
what else needs to be done. I see now drain plugs to pull. should the
motor be stored in a down or up position?


-- 
Gary W. Sanders gws@n8emr.cmhnet.org, 72277,1325
N8EMR @ N8JYV (ip addr) 44.70.0.1 [Ohio AMPR address coordinator]
HAM BBS 614-895-2553 (1200/2400/V.32/PEP) Voice: 614-895-2552 (eves/weekends)
########
  2
#######

This is mostly for freshwater-run boats, perhaps someone
else can comment on saltwater-run boats.

You need to "fog" the engine, and lubricate all the points ref-
erenced in the owner's manual. You can buy fogging spray at al-
most any marine dealer, and some auto supply houses (I think
K-mart even has it). To fog the engine, you'll need what I call
a flush muff (I think they're really called motor flushers).
Again, these are pretty readily available. Also, get some fuel
dryer (I think it's called dri-gas, or something like that).

First, pour in your gas dryer. That way, while running/fogging
your motor, you are also dispersing fuel dryer throughout the
fuel system.

I always start the motor (that's what the flush muff is for,
to provide water to the motor from a garden hose), run it up
until it's warm, remove the carburetor intake cover, then
restart, and pull the gas line off. When the engine starts
to run lean (rpms go up), I spray fog directly down the carb
barrels. The engine will slow considerably when you do this,
and it generates alot of smoke. Ideally, you want to almost
stall the engine with fog. When the engine runs out of fuel,
I spray the carbs down, and replace the intake cover. Then,
remove the spark plugs, and spray some fog in each cylinder.
Replace the plugs, and make sure to tilt the engine all the
way dow, so the water jackets drain real good.

Change the lower unit lubricant, and look carefully for any
signs of water in it. If you see water, fix the offending
seal before storage. Of course, refill the lower unit, as well.

Then, do all your greasing of joints, remove the prop, and
stuff oiled rags into the exhaust ports (behind the prop,
on most thru-prop exhaust motors). Grease the prop shaft
real well, and bag the lower unit with a trash bag. This
is mostly to keep dirt off it, if you store it outside.

Then, park the boat where you're going to store it, tilt the
engine all the way down (this is important when you have power
tilt/trim, because you don't want the trim pegs exposed, or
they might pit from weathering, and damage a seal next year).
Remove the battery, and all drain plugs from the boat, make
sure to either repack or refill your wheel bearings, and wrap
it up. Of course, you should remove all gear from the boat,
and store it inside before winter storage.

Optionally (I plan to do it this year), remove the trailer
wheels, set it on blocks, and store the wheels suspended from
the hub center in your basement (so the tires don't flat-spot).

Oh yeah... I guess a wash and wax wouldn't hurt, either...

Did I forget anything? (Winterizing always depresses me...)

-- Mike

-------------------------------------------------------------
My opinions, not my employer's


#######
  3
#######


|> The engine will slow considerably when you do this,
|> and it generates a lot of smoke.
                      ^^^

Take this seriously!  The first time I tried it, I did it at the front
of my house, and a huge dense smokescreen of white smoke immediately
filled the street, across its whole width and to the height of the
houses.  It wasn't very windy, so it took a few minutes for the stuff to
disperse.  Any car that drove into it would have been blinded, and could
well have hit something.  Fortunately it was a quiet time, and nobody
drove past - but I was worried for a while.  To my astonishment, none of
the neighbours remarked on the phenomenon or took any notice.  Anywhere
else but Edinburgh, you may not be so lucky!
    John Wexler
    Edinburgh

-- 

=====================================

Richard Waterhouse / waterhouse@gdc.com