Short term storage - Engine up or Down?

[Just Looking]

Hey all. Have read a few threads on Winter Storage, but can't find anything on what you do to your engine when stored over the short term, say 2 weeks.

Mine is a Suzuki 140HP. I have it trailered and store it (at the moment) with the engine trimmed up (horizontal); ready for driving and launching.

I flush the engine with fresh water using muffs after each outing, then let the water drain out for a few mins before raising the engine.

Is this what everyone else does or do you trim down to vertical for storage on a trailer?

Thoughts.



Steve

[qcamel]

I tend to leave my engine down, I know that the Verado engines burn more oil when they are stored tilted than vertical, something to do with the oil moving into the top part of the block, however I guess drainage and oil will be happier on most engines if vertical and probably better for the hydraulic lift parts too... Just my thoughts so for what their worth.

[Top banana]

Hi, we store with leg down to let all the water to drain out, you never know could wake up to a frost . and i was advised not to tow with the engine tilt mechanism, but to lift the leg up on trim place a piece of 4x2 between the engine andtransom plate and lower the leg wedging the timber, this lifts leg enought for towing and stops any movement of the rams. Have followed several boats using tilt mechanism and the engine sways all over the place, cant be good IMHO.
" Nice rib buy the way"

[whiteminiman]

Hydraulic rams are not designed to be shock-absorbers... and so if they engine is totally supported on them whilst it is being trailered, there is a chance of damaging them.

The method described by Top Banana is what we use when trailering our Ribs, the wood absorbs the impact and there is absolutely no weight on the rams.

Cheers, WMM

[Millermob]

All the outboards we've had have tilt locks to rest the engine on when trailering to tack the weight.

[BogMonster]

If I have mine out of the water I flush it and then leave it trimmed right in (down) because quite a lot of water runs out when you do this and I figure it is better for everything to be dry rather than wet.

[jyasaki]

I think it depends on the environment where the boat will be stored. Cold/freezing/wet weather would tend to get me to lower the motor, as the prop hub will collect water that could freeze and cause problems. Motor stored up also collects plant matter (leaves, pine needles, crap like that), which is more an aesthetic thing than causing a problem (as far as I've seen.)

There *may* be an argument for taking the strain off the hydraulics, but I am a little dubious about that, given their fairly robust design parameters and the small amount of weight sitting on them at rest (trailering is a different issue, where you have pretty high centrifugal forces being applied.)

Short version: When it's wet, I store down; dry, motor stays up.

jky