What grease to use?

[chriswood]

I am having a go at winterising my Mariner 30hp 2 stroke outboard. So far I have emptied fuel filter and given it a wipe. Gear oil and fogging oil is on order. Would like some advice on greasing the steering and clamp - wondered what grease to use, any recommendations? Also is it just a case of connecting gun to nipple and pushing in grease until squeezed out all old grease? Also any other advice on winterising would be helpful. Cheers Chris

[spartacus]

I use Starbrite grease which is actually meant for bearings but I use it for the nipple points too. Any decent marine grease will work. Duckhams used to make a yellow marine grease that came in a can rather than a tub. Great stuff. Regards nipple points - connect grease gun to nipple points and press trigger until you see old or new grease come out. Wipe off excess, etc.

Other things I would do as part of a winterisation is remove propeller and grease splined shaft. Use a new stainless steel split pin. Also remove thermostat, lightly wire brush, clean aperture and renew gasket. Lightly grease things like butterfly valve behind airbox as it tends to sieze and throttle and gear linkages. The carbs you can drain by opening the lower carb drain screw if you didn't run it dry of fuel. Wire brush sacrificial zinc anodes and check condition. Renew if necessary.

Service wise before the season starts again - renew starter rope if manual start, new sparks, etc. I also like to look over the electrical bullet connectors, lightly sand with a fine paper to remove any oxidisation and reconnect.

If the engine is electric start, then put the battery on a trickle charge and check electrolyte level before storing.

[chriswood]

Thanks Spartacus - cheers for the good advice. Just been on eBay and ordered a few cartridges of the starbright grease. Also, as you suggest, will be removing prop and greasing spline.

[dave3235]

Originally Posted by chriswood

Thanks Spartacus - cheers for the good advice. Just been on eBay and ordered a few cartridges of the starbright grease. Also, as you suggest, will be removing prop and greasing spline.

Hi

While engine has carb box off and still running, spray fogging oil into carb untill the engine die's.Take spark plug's out and spray into spark plug hole's refit old spark plug's renew before start up at start of season.

[Fenlander]

>>>will be removing prop and greasing spline.

Good tip, I do this.

I always carry a spare prop, nut and washer so I want to know it can be changed without hassle. Some folks think this over the top for a SIB outboard but having once experienced the dreadful vibration from a rock damaged prop it's worthwhile to save a wasted holiday if it happened again.

[Max...]

Originally Posted by dave3235

Hi

While engine has carb box off and still running, spray fogging oil into carb untill the engine die's.Take spark plug's out and spray into spark plug hole's refit old spark plug's renew before start up at start of season.

Drain carb etc then I remove plug leads, remove plugs and pour in a dollop of 4 stroke oil into each hole, refit plugs (not leads - position away from plugs!) and spin engine over a few times.

[chriswood]

Cheers for advice everyone. Once again all very helpful and will follow the the useful tips. Not considered getting a replacement prop but as we take the boat to Cornwall for a week something I will now look into. That's one of the reasons I want to maintain outboard myself - if I know how it works - I can fix it if it goes wrong.

[Davie]

Originally Posted by Max...

Drain carb etc then I remove plug leads, remove plugs and pour in a dollop of 4 stroke oil into each hole, refit plugs (not leads - position away from plugs!) and spin engine over a few times.

And it will burst into flames!

[Max...]

Originally Posted by Davie

And it will burst into flames!

Doh, indeed,not thinking straight, crank with plugs out *then* refit them.

[tuskar]

Brilliant tips . thanks folks

[yam man]

Never wire brush anodes 2 dissimilar metals , use a coarse sandpaper to reactivate