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Winterization tips for BF225s?

brettmarl

brettmarl

Regular Contributor
Need to leave my boat on it's trailer for a year. Will be outdoors and a few weeks likely below zero. Any tips to winterize / prepare the the Hondas for a long time in storage?
 
Clean fresh oil for the engine and lower unit. Wash the boat. Run a fuel stabilizer through the fuel system. Be prepared to charge the battery monthly either on board or on a bench. If it’s sitting outside then leave the engine down so rain water can’t accumulate in the prop hub and freeze. To fog or not, some people do and some don’t. Cover the boat. Anti theft mechanism of some sort. Insurance for fire/theft/trees blowing down on top of the boat. Place wood planks under the tires if trailer sitting on dirt, cover tires to protect against UV.
 
If it were me, I would do all the listed above, and I would ensure my fuel tank is full of ethonal free fuel. If tank currently isn't, I'd remove all fuel and use it in my vehicles, and fill up with fresh non ethonal, add the required amount of seafoam, and run it to get it in the fuel system.

In my generator at home, I replace the fuel annually and have no issues.
 
great tips! i will have e-free gas and will put stabil in it also. i can't fill the tank entirely due to the pitch i'm parked on - maybe 80%. i have heard about people pumping nitrogen into the tank to replace the air - but hoping that's excessive.

should i shutoff fuel and run motors until they are dry and then purge the HP/LP fuel filters and lines?
 
brettmarl said:
great tips! i will have e-free gas and will put stabil in it also. i can't fill the tank entirely due to the pitch i'm parked on - maybe 80%. i have heard about people pumping nitrogen into the tank to replace the air - but hoping that's excessive.

should i shutoff fuel and run motors until they are dry and then purge the HP/LP fuel filters and lines?
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I almost reccomended running them dry. I think at just one year with e free gas, it'll be fine. More importantly is filling tank full to leave no air space to condensate. Can you manipulate the trailer tongue to level it out while filling?
 
codycat said:
I almost reccomended running them dry. I think at just one year with e free gas, it'll be fine. More importantly is filling tank full to leave no air space to condensate. Can you manipulate the trailer tongue to level it out while filling?
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no - it's a pretty steep grade (only spot i have) and old USCG boat had weird long shallow tank design. one year i had it on the trailer in the spring at about 95% full - which was fine, but then on a super hot day - air expanded in the tank and pushed gallons of fuel out of the air vent - was pretty scary.. at about 80% seems fine.
 
brettmarl said:
no - it's a pretty steep grade (only spot i have) and old USCG boat had weird long shallow tank design. one year i had it on the trailer in the spring at about 95% full - which was fine, but then on a super hot day - air expanded in the tank and pushed gallons of fuel out of the air vent - was pretty scary.. at about 80% seems fine.
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So when full, on the driveway, I would assume the fuel level will actually block the vent off and the air would be at the rear of the tank? Pushing the fuel out?

Could you turn the boat around so the bow is up hill? That would allow the hull to drain and everything.
 
The sea foam or stabill wil take care of any condensation issues imho, I’ve stored my boat with a US 63 gallon aluminum tank and my antique cars not full for 20 years in unheated garages without issue. Always use ethanol free and sea foam, in Nova Scotia where I live we get a lot of cold damp weather from November to May, temperature range 0 F to 40F ish.
 
I wouldn’t run the engine dry of fuel, always make me nervous running any pump dry be it fuel or water. You could drain the VST/carbs dry if you want. My fuel rail sits vertical(Suzuki) and has a banjo bolt on the bottom that will allow fuel to drain.
 
codycat said:
So when full, on the driveway, I would assume the fuel level will actually block the vent off and the air would be at the rear of the tank? Pushing the fuel out?

Could you turn the boat around so the bow is up hill? That would allow the hull to drain and everything.
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it's parked stern downhill / bow uphill to allow the rear decks to drain. the vent and fill are on rear side, but not quite sure where the vent tube runs to, assume it's covered by fuel when on a pitch. schematic below. sounds like i'm good with some air inside if using stabil, so maybe not a concern...

1721627077616.png
 
William01 said:
I wouldn’t run the engine dry of fuel, always make me nervous running any pump dry be it fuel or water. You could drain the VST/carbs dry if you want. My fuel rail sits vertical(Suzuki) and has a banjo bolt on the bottom that will allow fuel to drain.
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there is a drain screw on the VST that i have used to drain out when servicing the high pressure fuel pump. would it be an advantage to drain that if stored long-term?
 
brettmarl said:
there is a drain screw on the VST that i have used to drain out when servicing the high pressure fuel pump. would it be an advantage to drain that if stored long-term?
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I don’t know. I drain my carburetor in my 9.9 Honda for winter for 8-9 months but not my 90 hp Suzuki with a VST. I would be curious if humid air would cause rust forming inside the VST. I have read that water in the fuel system sitting for extended times have destroyed VST’s due to rust. I do see advertisements for outboards on sale, last year’s model clearance making room for this year's models and they have been sitting for a year with no fuel in the VST. Be interesting to see what other forum members think.
 
William01 said:
I don’t know. I drain my carburetor in my 9.9 Honda for winter for 8-9 months but not my 90 hp Suzuki with a VST. I would be curious if humid air would cause rust forming inside the VST. I have read that water in the fuel system sitting for extended times have destroyed VST’s due to rust. I do see advertisements for outboards on sale, last year’s model clearance making room for this year's models and they have been sitting for a year with no fuel in the VST. Be interesting to see what other forum members think.
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I agree, I would leave it full, but drain it before firing it up after the year
 
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