Winterize or Not?

hvymtl939

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Feb 6, 2017
Messages
495
So, been having an internal debate for a while. Live and boat in NE KS, and it can get cold for a long time during our winters. That said, there were many times last winter that the weather was in the 60s and 70s, and we would take the boat out. Our prior boat fit in my heated garage so it was never winterized.

I don't have that option with my pontoon, so it lives outside. I do plan on changing the lower unit oil this weekend, but should I consider fogging/winterizing the motor too? It's a 60 hp 2 stroke Johnson. There's a ton of different opinions, but everything I've seen said go ahead and do it if it's going to be sitting for more than 2 months without being started. I'm not sure it will go that long, and if I get close, I can always run it on the hose for a while. Thoughts?
 

Bayou Dave

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Dec 13, 2012
Messages
1,780
IMO just make sure the motor is trimmed all the way down and leave it. There will be no water left in it to freeze.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
47,296
IMO just make sure the motor is trimmed all the way down and leave it. There will be no water left in it to freeze.

in addition, inspect the gear lube for water and your "winterized"
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,758
And there is no need to fog the engine either -- even if it sits for six months.
 

trailking82

Petty Officer 3rd Class
Joined
Dec 31, 2010
Messages
84
I winterize my motors everytime i take them out of the water, I trim the motor down.

Seriously i think your fine check/replace the lower unit lube, keep it trimmed down it will be fine. My theory on fogging is internally there should be enough coating from the 2stroke oil. If it is going to be unused for about six months or more maybe shoot some into the cylinders via the sparkplug hole and run the pistons up and down a couple time to distribute.

Its the convenance of owning an outboard.
 

Starcraft5834

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jun 2, 2013
Messages
1,677
Winterizing an outboard = treat gas, run some fresh lube thru drive and tilt down... done
 

Old Ironmaker

Captain
Joined
Dec 28, 2015
Messages
3,050
I fish with a guy that fishes here in Southern Ontario 12 months of the year. When he pulls the boat out he trims it down and turns the engine over a few cranks to get all the water out. He has however had some freezing in his livewell lines but no damage, so far. Winterizing here in Ontario goes beyond the engine(s). An trapped ounce of water in a livewell pump can split it wide open. My baitwell pump is shot. I now just turn them on for a few seconds or until water stops spitting out the line and leave the pet cocks open.
 

crazy charlie

Vice Admiral
Joined
May 22, 2003
Messages
5,352
Hvymtl,just run it on muffs a couple of times a month for a few minutes each time.Make sure you run the trim up and down a few times leaving it down position for draining.
 

Lou C

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 10, 2002
Messages
11,798
A 2 stroke outboard I would not worry about fogging if you think you will use it during the winter if the weather is warm enough. I would just make sure the gas was stabilized and the lower unit oil does not have water in it. I have a lot of 2 stroke yard equipment that never gets fogged but they are all stored inside. Blower, weed wacker, chainsaw and hedge trimmer, none of which get used during the winter. The Toro snowblower (Suzuki 2 stroke) gets stored three seasons but not fogged. Never had a problem with any of them. The boat I fog because its a 4 stroke, gets stored outside and our climate is damp.
 

hvymtl939

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Feb 6, 2017
Messages
495
So just an update, I ended up completely wrapping it up for winter. Gear lube changed, fogged, fuel treated, boat wrapped. Figure if we get nice enough weather to get out, I'll just take my Jon boat. We'll see the pontoon again in March!
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,758
I would not recommend storing 6 months w/o fogging. That is fishing for trouble.Charlie
Why? The internals are already coated with oil -- especially a two stroke. If collector cars for example needed to be fogged when stored for six months, up here in the tundra they would all be seized up as they are stored longer than six months. How about construction equipment that sits outside for six months of the year. That equipment is turned off in the fall and walked away from until spring.
 

dingbat

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 20, 2001
Messages
15,414
I would not recommend storing 6 months w/o fogging. That is fishing for trouble.Charlie
What is magical about 6 months?

Why not 2 or 8 months? Are you allowed a longer period of time in the desert compared to the coast?

My rotors on my trailer show surface rust within 48 hours yet a golf cart that was given up for dead and left sitting in a field for 3 years showed no signs of internal corrison when I tore it down to replace the crank seal.

In reality, six months Is an arbitrary number pulled out of some marketing guy’s rearend. No scientific basis whatsoever.

Sorry, never been one to flush dollar bills down the toilet becouse they’re cheap or paint my home once a year becouse I paid a lot for it.
 

WIMUSKY

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Sep 26, 2009
Messages
19,789
I believe 6 months is used because that's usually the longest winter lasts in most places. But then again, a lot of us don't take our boats out as soon as the ice goes out so 6 months can turn into 8 or more because life happens...... The OP laid up his 'toon....... Pretty much ends the discussion....
 

QBhoy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Mar 10, 2016
Messages
8,286
As mentioned. Turn her over quickly with motor trimmed right down...and leave motor down. She will be just fine. Especially being a 2 stroke. No real need for fogging really. If anything, pull plugs and a small spoon full of 2 stroke down the bores and turn her over. Plugs back in, coat the whole lot in protective oil and all good.
 

Old Ironmaker

Captain
Joined
Dec 28, 2015
Messages
3,050
I imagine the degree of winterizing depends on the degree of winter. A winter in Thunder Bay Ont. is a tad colder than the winter in Atlanta. -40C antifreeze can get rock solid there. I pulled out of a parking spot there in January at a Motel one morning and ripped 2 tires off the wheels. That my friends is stupid cold.
 
Top