Winterizing a 4 Stoke Outboard required or not?

[Biggmo808]

I've lived and owned boats in Hawaii for the past 14 years. Recently moved to Whidbey Island and purchased my Arima. I've been doing a little research on winterizing an outboard but I have heard that it's not required on my 4 stroke Honda 135? Any thoughts or advice on this? Thanks in advance. This is the beauty that I recently bought.


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[Diablo]

I would winterize. If you plan to change the motor oil, do it now. That way the motor sits in clean oil over winter. You would also want to do a real good flush with SaltAway or equivalent. Then pull the plugs and fog (fogging oil spray) the cylinders. It's not that hard to do and you will feel better that you did it than wonder if you should. Hardest part for me is deciding I'm not going to be taking the boat out again.
Then you are also going to want to get a heater for the cuddie to keep it dry. I have found it's best to remove everything from the cuddie. You will find stuff you didn't remember putting in there. Sucks to find your life vest has mold on it. Then start fresh in the spring.

Nice looking boat.

[StreamFixer]

It also sucks to find a dozen, formerly vacuum packed, herring behind some stuff in the spring.  Package sean was still good (thankfully) but the bait was not in real good shape   :whistle:

I don't winterize, just change the oil.  That being said, I make sure the motor is as close to vertical as I can get it to ensure all the water has drained from the lower unit.

StreamFixer

[La-Z-Buoy]

If it's fuel injected, no. At least that's what my Suzuki dealer told me. BUT, make sure you are running some type of fuel treatment in the fuel. Especially if it's ethanol fuel. And good advice from Russ, leave the motor down. Don't know if it would freeze hard enough up where you are at but if it does..............
Never fogged a motor, not saying it isn't worth it, just never have. Now carbed motors are different. Run fuel out of carbs and then drain them, yes there's still fuel in them even after running dry.

[Yachter Yat]

   In addition the aforementioned, I'd pull the prop, clean-off the old grease and coat with fresh.  Another thing you might want to do is relieve the hydraulic pressure on the trim/tilt.  Usually done with that little screw on one side (or the other) of the motor.   Also, remember to never leave your winch pulled-up too tightly on the bow ring. 

Yat

[Markshoreline]

In addition to the excellent comments above, burn off the ethanol fuel in your tanks and replace with ethanol free fuel and the additive as mentioned. 
Also, run salt away through the motors with the muffs to flush the salt.
Place a small heater or dehumidifier in the cuddy to keep out moisture. 
Grease every nipple with marine grade grease.
Change your fuel and oil filters.
Raise the bow and open the plug to drain all water out and cover it with a huge tarp but don't allow it to puddle water by making some braces running back to the transom.

[J Chaser]

Luckily I just fish or prawn all winter.
J.

[dbhazjack]

Don't winterize, fish that baby. Neat thing about Puget Sound is there are some great fish and crab opportunities in fall and winter and the weather is mild enough to get out.

In fact, it has become my favorite fishery. Get a buddy heater, put on your side curtains and go for it.

I do my annual maintenance in October because it is my slowest month.


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[Tj805]

I would just start and run the motor every two weeks .
Add some fuel and ethenol stabilizer .
A guy I know with a Suzuki ( winterized ) it and let it sit for two years .
Went to start it and the fuel pump was bad along with the injectors.

[BigSid]

Don't winterize....fish Blackmouth all winter! I almost prefer the winter and shoulder seasons, much, much less crowded. I pump my raw water pump full of RV antifreeze and don't use it during the winter. Other than that, highly recommend you treat any fuel you put in the tanks and always be sure to trim all the way down when sitting to let all the water drain from the cooling jackets. I have chargers hooked up to both batteries year round but it's especially important in cold weather. Fish that baby, November 1 area 9 reopens for BM.

[beancounter]

I like following Mark's advice to grease every nipple. Then work it around until it feels right. :biggrin:

[Yachter Yat]

   Bean;  I hate to be the one to say this, but you may have "misinterpreted" Mark's nipple maintenance suggestion.   Then again, maybe not.   

Yat

[wedocq]

Bean, I think I have been married too long to get your reference?  :biggrin:
-Shawn

[rasslingref]

Bean Counter you are a dirty old man. I like it and Shawn and Mark resemble it.


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[FishAddict]

Bean,

Any preferred brand of said nipple grease? 

[FishAddict]

Oh and to the original post.  I change the oil in the engine, lower unit, fuel filters on the engine & water fuel separator, grease the prop shaft splines and nipples on the motor and trailer bearings.  Add a double dose of marine stabil(tow it around a little so it's good and mixed up if you didn't do it while fueling) then I run the engines with salt away for 5 -7 min. I do this at the end of September or October then I start fishing black mouth in January or February.  At the end of April I check the lower unit oil for any contamination and perform any other service required by the motors hour schedule just before Halibut.  The rest of the season is just oil changes, marine stabil and salt away.  Probably overkill, but it hasn't let me down yet.

[Markshoreline]

Chief Of The Boat said that the Navy subs use Bel-Ray marine grease so I got a case of tubes and very reasonably priced, too!

[Holokai]

I'm grew up on Ohau and fished a lot. I finally bought my Arima after my son was born so I could give him some of the same experiences I had growing up (just a little different).  A lot of good fishing coming up with winter black mouth.  Just kick the wife's car out of the garage like I did and put her in there, nice warm and dry. I did install a remote start her car so she can warn it from inside the house. Get a buddy heater, disable the anti tip, layer your clothes, and you are good to go. 

[Threeweight]

IMO, even if you can't fish it running the engines on the muffs once or twice a month in the driveway is much better than winterizing and letting them sit unused for 3-4 months.  Winterizing may help prevent rust in the cylinders, but it doesn't do much to prevent gum for forming in your carbs, or belts/hoses drying out, etc...

What kills 4 stroke motors is sitting for long periods of time.

[Fisherdv]

IMO, even if you can't fish it running the engines on the muffs once or twice a month in the driveway is much better than winterizing and letting them sit unused for 3-4 months.  Winterizing may help prevent rust in the cylinders, but it doesn't do much to prevent gum for forming in your carbs, or belts/hoses drying out, etc...

What kills 4 stroke motors is sitting for long periods of time.

Do you think with boat being stored in a garage and sta-bil marine 360 in the gas it would be ok for up to 2-3 months of non-use if needed? Lowest temp I'd see in the garage here might be 35-40 degrees.

[Threeweight]

Indoors where it doesn't see huge temperature swings is better than outdoors, especially if humidity is also controlled.  If at all possible I'd still pull it out and run it a few times.

[Rokefin]

Or you could do what my uncle does - absolutely nothing. He never washes the boat, never runs fresh water thru the motor, never fresh water washes any equipment, never does any maintenance. He has a 20 ft aluminum boat with a Honda outboard maybe 10 12 years old.....finishes fishing and everything sits where they park it. It's funny, the only problems I have heard from him are trailer issues :hoboy:

[Arimadrifter]

I just bought a new Yamaha 90 4stroke and was told to fill the tank, add stabil or other fuel stabilizer, run it thru to insure the engine has the stabilized fuel. Then store the engine in the down position to insure there's no water in it.