2 newbie questions - 2 Stroke

[Pav]

Whats the score re. storing a 2stroke outboard on its side? Currently I am transporting it on its side in car but storing it at home upright after flushing.

What is the shelf life of 2 stroke oil. As an oil does it have a shelf life? When mixed I understand it does have a shelf life? How long??

I intend to use my outboard most of the year. What do people mean by winterising an outboard?

Thankyou for helping a newbie. I am reading and learning what I can!

[chewy]

Storing it on its side will be fine. Not sure of the shelf life of oil, if its mixed in the tank it will separate after time so the tank will need shaking before use.

[9D280]

The only thing to be careful of when storing a 2- stroke is try to keep the prop below the powerhead. If there's water in the exhaust passages it can work its way back to the head, and cause all sorts of problems. Some engines are worse than others at "storing" their cooling water.

4 strokes are fussy about stotrage as their "sump tank" can put oil & airlocks in all sorts of strange places if it's turned the wrong way up.

[9D280]

Part 2....... (I love my firewall.....)

If it;s transporte di nthe back of your car, give it a couple of pulls on the starter when you get home - that will flush any wondering water out of harmful places while it's sat upright.

You don't say if it's a premix or "auto oiling" 2- stroke. There is a lot of discussion on here about the "shelf life" of fuel, premixed or otherwise. My 2.5P's worth is that I have a '72 vintage Johnson that has run on premixed fuel that was over a year old, and started second pull. I wouldn't loose sleep over it, especially if you plan to go boating all year.

Winterising is simply "preserving" the engine over the winter when not in use. If you are planning on using it all year don't worry about it.

[Alangaq]

As far as I know, 2 stroke oil does not have an appreciable shelf life. I have some large quantities of Amsoil-racing synthetic that is now over 10 years old as well as some standard 2-stroke oils in the 16 oz bottles that were purchased at about the same time, and both look, smell, and burn just the same as they did the day I bought them… not exactly a scientific analysis I know, but the proof seems to be in the performance.

Pre-mix with synthetic get’s burned up and not stored due to possible deterioration of some rubber components exposed to the fuel, that I have seen damaged, although I have only noted swelled and soft rubber components on the cheaper equipment like snow-blowers, chain saws, weed whackers and the like. If it is pre-mix with standard oil, I try to leave only about a half tank of fuel over the winter, and then top it off, and agitate with fresh pre-mix in the spring, although this is probably just paranoia on my part.

To “winterize” we generally “fog” the insides of the cylinders with 2-stroke oil. The only purpose here is to prevent corrosion or rust from forming on the cylinder walls during storage. With the snowmachines, I generally forgo this, and simply fire them up every month or so during the summer but that is not always possible with an outboard given the necessity for water lubricating the water pump.

Sorry, but I don’t know enough about outboards to say about transportation position and water entrapment….

[Locozodiac]

Before taking off the engine from boat, with engine on, consume all gasoline from carb untill engine dies, once removed at vertical position, with kill cord off, give 2-3 starter rope pulls to drain complete water remainings inside engine, let stand 1 minute.

These 2 issues will prevent a real water/gasolione mess inside your car. You can place engine at any position in car, at home would recommend to get a proper engine stand to keep engine vertical at all times.

Happy Boating

[Pav]

Thanks for the replies and help. Good that those who know still remember what it is like starting out and spend time helping the newbies! Cheers.