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Winter storage

T

tmikewww2

Member
Not trying to rush the season, but, is it best to run the engine dry(out of gas) before putting away for the season?
as always,thank you for all the help,TW2
 
You don't say what you have but I've always run my outboards out of fuel at season's end and drain the carbs if possible.
My I/O's I just add stabilizer.
 
Run fuel out has my vote,then spray fogging oil in cylinders& carbs crank a few revs,and "not" hear from you next season!
 
Well, what engine are we talking about? Carburetor or fuel injected? What part of the country are you in? How will the boat be stored - trailer, lift, boat yard, etc? It does make a difference.
 
If it's carbureted, don't just run it out of fuel. Run it out of fuel yes....but also take the time to drain each carb bowl with the drain screw Honda provided just for this purpose.

As a matter of fact, drain the carbs any time the outboard won't be used for more than a couple of weeks. If you get in the habit of doing this one simple chore, it will repay you in helping keep your carbs decontaminated and ready for work.

Other than doing that, the fogging process described above is probably a good idea. You can "spritz" some WD 40 in the cylinders in lieu of oil. WD contains a light oil and displaces water.
Just make sure that, anytime you squirt anything into a cylinder, you rotate the engine a few times with the spark plugs removed to clear any liquid. Failure to do this could lead to hydro lock and engine damage.

Reinstall plugs and store the outboard in the upright position and you should be fine.

Good luck
 
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