Help (New to me) boat sat for 2 years

[surfduke]

I just bought a used 1990 Seaswirl 17' center consol boat with a Evinrude 90hp motor. It has been sitting for 2 years. The older gentleman who owned it said he had just had it in for service before he stored it. The boat looks perfect. The man I bought it from is maticulas about his stuff.... except he stored it for 2 years with the gas tank full.<br /><br />Now that I have it, before I take it out the first time, what shoulld I do to make sure it's ready to use? Thanks for your help!

 

[Goodoleboy]

Re: Help (New to me) boat sat for 2 years

If it were my motor I would first pull the plugs. Then tilt motor all the way up and put about a tea spoon full of tw3 oil into each cylinder and then spin it for a few seconds with starter.<br /><br />Fill tank with fresh 50:1 mix. Start motor on muffs and let idel till warm. check and see that water is comeing through teltale. Run for good fifteen to twenty minutes if no warning overheat horn goes off.<br /><br />Then I would head for the lake. Id run that first tank of premix through engine and make a check on the VRO and see if for certian it is lowering the oil level in the oil tank. <br /><br />I wouldnt run it full throttel for more than a couple minutes for the first half hour, then half throttel for a while. If your oil warning horn starts sounding off not to worry thats what the premix is for.<br /><br /> Then puter in the wind, letter all hang out. should turn up to 5500 to 6000.<br /><br />Thats what Id do if it were mine. But its yours, do as you think best.<br /><br />More power to ya!

 

[Goodoleboy]

Re: Help (New to me) boat sat for 2 years

Oh Ya...forgot to mention you should also check that lower unit has full fill of oil before you fire up for the first time.<br /><br />Hopefully the old guy gives you the service manual. If he dosent have one you really need one soon as possible. Those warning horn sounds need to be understood throughly. Their are slow beeps...fast beeps....and continous. Continous is overheat. Shut down emediently...if not sooner!<br /><br />Put in new water pump kit at this point. If your the worrying kind you cold replace water pump before you ever fire it up for the first time.<br /><br />Two years of setting they will take a set, dry out and become brittle. Me Iam uh chance taker if it dosent over heat during the first warm up Id keep on going.<br /><br />But its yours do what makes you feel comfortable.<br /><br /><br />More power to ya!

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: Help (New to me) boat sat for 2 years

Insurance Surfduke. Whatever else you do - <br />Change the impellor. <br /><br />It'll save you time in the end, and give you more reliable time with peace of mind out on the water.

 

[surfduke]

Re: Help (New to me) boat sat for 2 years

Thanks guys.... I will follow your advice. I am assuming I should dispose of the full tank of 2 year old gas. <br /><br />Another quicky Q. This motor has about 200 hours on it. That seems low to me for a 15 year old engine. But, I am a noob so I really don't know. What kind of life expectancy should this engine have? There were two privious owners. Both were old guys who didn't use the boat too much but seemed to take great care of the boat (hardly a scratch on it. I almost felt bad buying it because the guy had a tear in his eye telling me "I am an old man now and this is my last toy. I am no longer in good enough health to go fishing." Man, that's a real tear jerker... <br /><br />here's the boat:<br /><br />

<br />

<br />

 

[Goodoleboy]

Re: Help (New to me) boat sat for 2 years

Nice looking rig thats for sure!<br /><br />Life expantecy for an outboard motor should be in the thousands of hours. Your preventive maientance program is the key to long life.<br /><br />Motor will detoriate faster siting in the shed than if it were run everyday.<br /><br />Ya I know how the old guy feels. At 63 Iam starting to slow down uh mite my ownself!<br /><br />good luck!

 

[umblecumbuz]

Re: Help (New to me) boat sat for 2 years

That looks a real well-kept outfit - and your girl's got a smile on her face too!<br /><br />Better keep it polished in case the old man comes round to take a looksee.

 

[monoshock]

Re: Help (New to me) boat sat for 2 years

Very nice boat, better get that young lady in the picture out on the water soon. Kids grow up way to fast.

 

[Cricket Too]

Re: Help (New to me) boat sat for 2 years

You should definitely get rid of that 2 year old gas and check the oil resevoir. Maybe dump whatever oil is in it out, clean it up and inspect the filter sock on it and re-fill with good oil. I would also probably put carb kits in it, especially if they sat full of gas for 2 years, and a waterpump. Any chance you can ask the guy what he meant by having it in for service before he put it away, did he do anything to it or just fog it and change lower unit oil? 200 hours is very low for 15 years, you should have many many more years of fun with that thing, any idea what the compression readings are? Definitely looks well taken care of. Congrats and good luck with it.

 

[billaranguren@yahoo.com]

Re: Help (New to me) boat sat for 2 years

IMPORTANT! <br /><br />If the boat does not have a high quality gas filter - add one before starting it the first time. The aluminum tanks may had had some oxidation which creats a fine sand-like material. Once it gets into your carbs, you will have additional problems. <br />And - bring spare filters with you for the first year on the water. Took my son-in-lay about 6 filters before things leveled out on a boat that sat about 5 years. Firt couple filters had to be changed at sea on the first trip.

 

[surfduke]

Re: Help (New to me) boat sat for 2 years

Thanks guys.... this is one of the finest forums I have ever seen.. full of very helpful and caring people. keep up the good work. I'll let you know how the first run goes.

 

[surfduke]

Re: Help (New to me) boat sat for 2 years

Well, we have an excellent evinrude mechanic here in town so I decided, since I am a total noob, to take it to him and let him go through it once before I take over responsibility. I figure he'll know exactly what to do and when I get it back I can take over the day to day maintenance and work as needed.<br /><br />THanks for your help all.... I will be sure to refer back to this post for future maintenance.<br /><br />Dennis

 

[surfduke]

Re: Help (New to me) boat sat for 2 years

REPORTING BACK: Well, we fired up the old 90. I was frought with anticipation..... Crank, Crank... 4 revolutions and it spuddered to life after more than 2 years sitting in the garage. After the old gas burned out of the carbs.... Old 90 ran Great. Will take it for a spin on the river soon and see how she runs. Salmon and Crab season starting soon... can't wait to see a 20lb Coho on my daughter's line. Oh the dreams of GLORY. Thanks for the help ya'll.