Winterize???

[nccoaster]

Just wanted to get some thoughts on winterizing a carbed 2 stroke.

My boat stays year round at Salter Path. I try use it or start it every 2 months and keep stabil in the fuel. Engine is kept lowered. Boat and engine are covered.

NC is on the borderline for a harsh winter and most people have told me that winterizing is not worth it. (fogging and lower unit oil change)

Down south, people don't have to winterize and up north, a lot of people put their boat in storage. We are in between.

Opinions?

[Blue Water Runner]

I always service the lower unit, change plugs, stabilize the fuel and make sure all the water has exited the engine. I rarely fogged the cylinders since the cold season is normally no more than 3-4 months tops. I gotta get the details on doing my Verado soon myself.

[Jim Z]

The best way to winterize is to move south for the winter...

[nccoaster]

^good point, but I will leave Florida to those that love it so much.


I will be down there this weekend for a short visit. (Hollywood)

[Marytime]

Ken,
Just sell it and buy a new one next spring!

[Kern O]

I change lower unit oil a least once a season. Doing it just before winter is good practice to be sure it gets done. I'd change the plugs at the beginning of the season so I know they're fresh. Fogging the cylinders is an interesting one. Back in the days of cast iron lines, you could easily find the rings rusted to the bores if you did not use the engine for a few months. With Nikasil bores and moly rings, I wonder how important fogging is anymore, especially on four strokes. I don't fog my cars if I don't plan to run 'em for a while. Likewise an engine on an engine stand.

Glen: What's the current best practice for Verados?

[SKEETERMAN]

NCCOASTER,
Rule of thumb i go by is if i cant get my engine up to operating temperature at least once a month in the harsh winter months it gets fogged. Its so easy to do yourself and not worth taking a chance. Think of how hard warranty claims might be if you didn't winterize. If the owners manaul says to do it and if you dont they have you by the $alls.......Tom

[blueh20pc]

I just run it all year long. ON nice, windy days, it gets started in the driveway.

[glen e]

Originally Posted by Kern O

I change lower unit oil a least once a season. Doing it just before winter is good practice to be sure it gets done. I'd change the plugs at the beginning of the season so I know they're fresh. Fogging the cylinders is an interesting one. Back in the days of cast iron lines, you could easily find the rings rusted to the bores if you did not use the engine for a few months. With Nikasil bores and moly rings, I wonder how important fogging is anymore, especially on four strokes. I don't fog my cars if I don't plan to run 'em for a while. Likewise an engine on an engine stand.

Glen: What's the current best practice for Verados?

pull the plugs and spray in 1 oz of storage seal and hit the starter for a few secs....that's it....personally I'd spray the sh** outta everything under the cowl with CRC-656 too....

[thetiler]

Originally Posted by glen e

personally I'd spray the sh** outta everything under the cowl with CRC-656 too....

Ya know when I was Racing Jet Skis I used to spray the entire enginewith WD40 under the Cowl. Nothing ever rusted and any water just beaded off. I was thinking of doing this on my outboards all the time

Jason