Novice!

Hey Johnson/Evinrude Forum!,

I am a brand new boat owner and I am quite happy after much consideration and research to join the Johnson family. I bought a 1997 Stratos 2100 Center Console 21 feet with a 1997 Johnson Oceanrunner (carburetor) V6, 2-stroke model J200RXEUA. The serial number is G04307436.

The reason for this post is simply for beginner's information on boat troubleshooting and maintenance procedures. I bought a manual from ( http://www.selocmarine.com/product_f...hp?Engine=3565 ) to guide me through periodic inspections, maintenance, rebuilding and recommended hardware for my motor. Although this printed manual is great for beginners, intermediate, and expert boat owners, I still have some questions and concerns for both my boat and motor. I hope to receive as much feedback and knowledge from the Johnson/Evinrude Community.

My intentions for owning my boat are for lake activities and offshore fishing adventures.

First;

I am currently located in the Midwest and winters can be rather harsh. Due to the extreme cold I winterized my boat. I executed these following procedures and would really appreciate some feedback whether I did this correctly, incorrectly, or simply did more than what i should of. My boat is located in outside storage, not in a climate-controlled indoor storage unit.

1. Pumped out the old lower control gear-case oil with brand new fresh gear-case oil recommended by the Seloc manual specific to my motor.
2. Replaced all 6 spark plugs with brand new Champion spark plugs. Recommended by the Seloc manual specific to my motor.
3. Ran anti-freeze through the ear muffs and circulated it through my engine. (Used the pink stuff) Rv/Boat Anti-freeze.
4. Fogged the cylinders with the motor running (circulating anti-freeze) until the motor shut off.
5. Disconnected the main fuel line to the motor.
6. Cleaned and waxed the boat prior to storage.
7. Sprayed clear coat 3 times on my trailer to prevent rust and oxidation.
8. Removed all batteries and currently trickle charging them with battery tenders.

I dumped a whole can of Sea Foam in 3/4 of a tank in my boat during a lake day prior to winterizing it. Therefore I did not pour in any Stabil.

Were my procedures correct? Did I miss any steps to safeguard my motor and boat for next time's use? Did I over do it?


*Another question I have for the Forum pertains to my boat. I have trouble locating my livewell but i am pretty sure it is located just forward of my center console. Can anyone inform me whether my boat actually has a livewell? Or do i need to modify it and install one?

*How do I go about testing my Bilge Pump? The one time i took it to the lake after spending more than 5-6 hours on the water, I flipped up my switches and never saw any water pour out of the sides. Is there a way to actually test the pump by filling water inside the boat? Or do i need to check for continuity and proper cable connections for the pump?

*My boat has a fuel/water separator installed. Do I need to buy one specific to my engine? (Johnson Model), or does any brand work fine? I know plastic/aluminum is preferred on marine engines, how often should those be replaced?

*Last but not least, what are the proper steps to get my boat up and running again as soon as the winter is over?

Thank you again for all your consideration, time, and effort to teaching me and enlightening me with your knowledge! Hope to hear from you guys soon.

Too much preventative maintenance is rarely a bad thing.

The engine cooling system is self draining, so really all you need to do is store it in the down position and all the water will drain out. Using RV antifreeze is overkill, but you also didn't hurt anything.

Draining and refilling the gear case is a must each fall. I prefer to use Evinrude HPF Pro gear oil.

Fogging the engine is a great idea for winter storage. I like to leave in the old plugs when fogging the engine. Then, in the spring start up the engine on the old plugs to burn off all the fogging oil. Once I've done that I swap in the new Champion QL82YC spark plugs. I don't know that it matters all that much but that's how i do it.

I use Stabil 360 in my tanks for storage but Seafoam works about the same.

You should replace the filter on the water separator in the spring.

What is the age of the water pump? Do you have a water pressure gauge? If so, watch that in the spring and make sure you're getting good pressure. If it seems low you might consider replacing the water pump so you know you're starting out next season with a good unit and you're getting proper flow to the engine.

Kevinj,

Thanks for your input and time, I really appreciate it. I will install the old spark plugs back in and try your idea. Your idea sounds reasonable and sounds like a fresh start for the engine after i burn off all the fogging oil and reinstall the new spark plugs.

I guess i will replace the water separator in March with the same brand I currently have installed now.

Unfortunately since I am away from my boat, I currently do not have any information about the age of the water pump and whether I have a water pressure gauge on my dash, I will post pictures with a reply as soon as i get back so you can steer me in the right direction.

On another forum, a technician told me that I should drain the gas from my engine since it is a carburetor by removing the air silencer and loosening the main jet cover screw so each carb could drain. I suppose this step is so no remaining gas is left in my cylinders? Is this step necessary? If not, would it still be a great idea to do before every winter? Can i still accomplish this prior to the winter being over?

Thanks for your time again and replying to this post!

-Shesho