Winterising - Should I bother

Chris · 12 December 2007, 20:39

I am planning on using the boat over the winter period and would expect at least one outing a month if not 2.

I keep the boat in a drafty old Barn however it is dry although temps will drop to below freezing (I know this cause some water in the bilge had frozen when I was last there)

The question is do I need to bother winterising the Etec if its not going to be stood for more than 3-4 weeks at a time?

Chris

Andy Moore · 12 December 2007, 21:41

We don't bother.

Nos4r2 · 13 December 2007, 02:09

Might be worth leaving the engine tilted all the way down and sticking a quick spray of fogging oil down the bores each time just in case we get a prolonged period of awful weather. (don't forget that Etec plugs are indexed)

I've tried not to winterise before but had to because the weather has been so bad for so long.

walruz · 13 December 2007, 07:45

I don't bother and indeed mine sits outside during the winter. I do usually manage to get it in at least 1 a month and failing that will run the engine on the flush muffs until the tell tale runs warm.

Very good advice about storing with the engine leg down.

Also in the equation is that it doesn't freeze down here (although with an East wind you would think it was)

Ian

ian parkes · 13 December 2007, 23:33

I wasn't going to bother , but the recent weather has meant the boat has sat there for a month now .
Its so quick and easy to fog the etec using the auto fogging I thought why not , so I did it today . Its not like a 4 stroke with sumpfull of oil give protection .

I also serviced the trailer and fitted my bearing savers .
I would say just cleaning out the old grease and re greasing the wheel bearings etc could save a lot of grief . Mine are nearly new but the grease was knackered and the bearings just begining to corrode . first turn next season would have meant death to the bearings .

Rogue Wave · 14 December 2007, 00:40

Does the Etec leg evacuate all the water after switch off, in the same way the Opti's do?

Keep the fuel tanks and oil tanks topped up, auto fogging seems nice

Bertus · 14 December 2007, 10:41

I also would like to know for sure if a Evinrude 90hp 92 has lost all of its water if it out of the water.

Black · 14 December 2007, 14:22

Hi,

I've got a much smaller engine than you guys - 20hp Yamaha 2 stroke. I've left it in the workshop so far since last use in early November.

Should I be thinking about winterising it at all?

Al

Nos4r2 · 14 December 2007, 15:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Black

Hi,

I've got a much smaller engine than you guys - 20hp Yamaha 2 stroke. I've left it in the workshop so far since last use in early November.

Should I be thinking about winterising it at all?

Al

It's worth winterising if it's got fuel in. It's no real hardship to spray a bit of oil down the bores and put some fuel stabiliser in it.
If nothing else drain the carbs and turn it over regularly.

bedajim · 14 December 2007, 15:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

It's worth winterising if it's got fuel in. It's no real hardship to spray a bit of oil down the bores and put some fuel stabiliser in it.
If nothing else drain the carbs and turn it over regularly.

Which stabiliser would you use ?

Nos4r2 · 14 December 2007, 15:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by bedajim

Which stabiliser would you use ?

I use some Yamaha stuff for jetskis but it's all the same as long as it's for petrol AFAIK. You can even buy it at garden machinery centres-Briggs and Stratton branded.

ian parkes · 14 December 2007, 19:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rogue Wave

Does the Etec leg evacuate all the water after switch off, in the same way the Opti's do?

Keep the fuel tanks and oil tanks topped up, auto fogging seems nice

Iam not sure how the optis do that , the book tells you to keep the motor upright after use for it to drain. All the water certainly seems to drain out fast as you take the muffs off or as you tilt it back down after recovery.
I thought they all did ?

Mollers · 14 December 2007, 22:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by bedajim

Which stabiliser would you use ?

I've never bothered with stabiliser. I always fill to brim to winterize, they've always fired up fine the following season. Perhaps runs a little sweeter when the first bit of fresh is added.

ian parkes · 14 December 2007, 23:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mollers

I've never bothered with stabiliser. I always fill to brim to winterize, they've always fired up fine the following season. Perhaps runs a little sweeter when the first bit of fresh is added.

Me too , I did chuck a bottle of wynnes dry lube in the tank to stop any water causing problems .
One thing I don't like about the stainless tank in the new boat is that it seems to condensate worse than plasic on the outside at least.

Hightower · 15 December 2007, 06:39

As I understand it, you can "Auto Fog" an Evinrude DI, anyone know how to do this?

The Manual seems to have left that bit out.

Mollers · 15 December 2007, 09:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by ian parkes

Me too , I did chuck a bottle of wynnes dry lube in the tank to stop any water causing problems .
One thing I don't like about the stainless tank in the new boat is that it seems to condensate worse than plasic on the outside at least.

Yeah, Ally tanks are not good either. It pays to change the in-line water separator filter a week or two into the season rather than before you bung it in for the first time.

Gavin F · 15 December 2007, 12:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

I use some Yamaha stuff for jetskis but it's all the same as long as it's for petrol AFAIK. You can even buy it at garden machinery centres-Briggs and Stratton branded.

Interested in this little conversation, ive been wondering what i should do with my rib as its the first winter season that ive had her. at the moment ive flushed the engine through, sprayed with wd40 as advised and thats about it really. got the cover on and it's sheltered between garages so some advise on this would be good....

Nos4r2 · 15 December 2007, 13:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gavin F

Interested in this little conversation, ive been wondering what i should do with my rib as its the first winter season that ive had her. at the moment ive flushed the engine through, sprayed with wd40 as advised and thats about it really. got the cover on and it's sheltered between garages so some advise on this would be good....

Personally I:-

Grease everything that moves. If it doesn't then grease it til it does

Run engine up with fuel with stabiliser in.

Get a can of fogging oil. Follow the instructions. (it's easier than posting how to use it and it's nice and concise on the can)

Change the impeller before using it again. (a yearly change does no harm and keeps you on top of it).

Gavin F · 15 December 2007, 14:00

Thanks for that, sounds all pretty easy apart from the impeller change and looking back through a few old posts it does seem to be a little complicated but sure i'll figure it out...

When you say run the engine up with fuel with Stabiliser in, what exactly do you mean?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nos4r2

Personally I:-

Grease everything that moves. If it doesn't then grease it til it does

Run engine up with fuel with stabiliser in.

Get a can of fogging oil. Follow the instructions. (it's easier than posting how to use it and it's nice and concise on the can)

Change the impeller before using it again. (a yearly change does no harm and keeps you on top of it).

Nos4r2 · 15 December 2007, 19:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gavin F

Thanks for that, sounds all pretty easy apart from the impeller change and looking back through a few old posts it does seem to be a little complicated but sure i'll figure it out...

When you say run the engine up with fuel with Stabiliser in, what exactly do you mean?

This is what it does:-
http://www.mandp.co.uk/productInfo.aspx?catRef=502829
(and a cheap bottle of stabiliser too!)

What you need to do is put the required amount in your tank and start the engine up on muffs for 5 minutes or so to make sure the carbs and fuel lines have stabilised fuel in them. That way it'll fire up when you next use it and the fuel won't go off.

Get a manual to do the impeller change-or pay a dealer to do it.