Winter Storage

[racerone]

Fogging oil was available 50 years ago !!

 

[airshot]

Synthetic lubricants are designed to provude more lubrication than dinosour lubes ( petroleum based). They are also far more stable under extreme temperatures. Dino oil gets thin under high heat and gets thick in the cold. Syn lubes dont do that, so they flow more uniformly at temperature extremes. Their molecules are smaller to get more into tiny spaces. I use syn lubes anywhere extreme wear is present. I run my OB motors hard, and want the best lube I can get, for a few dollars more they are worth it to me. Same for my offroad buggy which gets extreme use in temps, water and mud as well as hill climbing. The lube weight is not critical with syn lube as they dont thin out or get thick. For my daily driving vehicle I just use std lubes but change them frequently, on my toys that get extreme use get full syn lubes, well worth the extra few bucks !!

 

[LaqueRatt]

Any recommendations for synthetic gear lube? I see kits that have the pump and also include a brand specific lube, like Mercury. Can I use that in my motors? Approx how much do I need? A quart per engine? Will a quart do both? One other thing, do I need gasket washers and if so where the heck do I find these for such old motors?

Back out on the lake today, probably last time this year. The Fastwin is sure running nice, I'd like it be this way come next summer too.

 

[racerone]

The washers for the Evinrude drain screws are in stock at every boat shop.

 

[LaqueRatt]

OK, cool. What about the McCulloch?

 

[airshot]

OK, cool. What about the McCulloch?

If you cant find some, you could make your own or go shopping at a good hardware store. Over my many years of tinkering with old boat motors, I have found or made many of these little gasket/ washers. Look at "fiber washers", found at many hdwe stores with a variety of special type washers, also have used O rings and have also made my own from heavy gasket material. At one time I used a plastic washer with sucess. You might need to get creative !!!

 

[Horigan]

Any recommendations for synthetic gear lube? I see kits that have the pump and also include a brand specific lube, like Mercury. Can I use that in my motors? Approx how much do I need? A quart per engine? Will a quart do both? One other thing, do I need gasket washers and if so where the heck do I find these for such old motors?

Back out on the lake today, probably last time this year. The Fastwin is sure running nice, I'd like it be this way come next summer too.

I use Volvo or Amsoil gear oil. Can't use in engines since the viscosity is wrong (75W-90 or so for gear oil). Amount depends on your outboard or drive. My drive take less than two quarts.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Any recommendations for synthetic gear lube? I see kits that have the pump and also include a brand specific lube, like Mercury. Can I use that in my motors? Approx how much do I need? A quart per engine? Will a quart do both?

Motors are nothing special. One is a Fastwin 18, the other is a McCulloch 14.

make sure you look at what is needed for both outboards.

being low output. wallyworld gear lube would be fine

OMC spec'd their premium SAE 90 hypoid gear oil and that would be fine in the Mac

 

[LaqueRatt]

Is it a must to change the seals? Or is it only needed if they look damaged. Like the oil plug on your car? Should I not even worry about it unless a leak is found later? Found an old chart on an obscure web site that says the Fastwin holds 9 oz of lube. Can I assume the McCulloch should hold a similar amount?

 

[airshot]

Is it a must to change the seals? Or is it only needed if they look damaged. Like the oil plug on your car? Should I not even worry about it unless a leak is found later? Found an old chart on an obscure web site that says the Fastwin holds 9 oz of lube. Can I assume the McCulloch should hold a similar amount?

No need to change those little gaskets/ seals unless they are leaking or damaged. If I use my motor a lot thru the season, I check the lower unit a few times during the season to be sure no water has leaked in. Small motors mabey half quart, larger motors mabey a quart, my I/O took a quart plus some.

 

[JimS123]

Fogging oil was available 50 years ago !!

Likely longer than that. The Owner's Manual for my 70 year old Merc also said to use gasoline stabilizer....

Hahaha...Stabil ain't a new concept.

 

[LaqueRatt]

Yet, Stabil never was any good really was it?

I read that all it does is create an air proof barrier on top of you gas, but if you move or bump the vehicle/container you break the seal and ruin the protection. Basically only good for a vehicle or container you know for sure won't get disturbed. I got a bottle of the stuff, but might toss it.

Seafoam mixes with the fuel keeping it from going bad for 2 years. Don't know if I believe it, but everything I'm using it in is ready to go after storage. Unlike Stabil which is hit or miss.

 

[JimS123]

Yet, Stabil never was any good really was it?

I read that all it does is create an air proof barrier on top of you gas, but if you move or bump the vehicle/container you break the seal and ruin the protection. Basically only good for a vehicle or container you know for sure won't get disturbed. I got a bottle of the stuff, but might toss it.

Seafoam mixes with the fuel keeping it from going bad for 2 years. Don't know if I believe it, but everything I'm using it in is ready to go after storage. Unlike Stabil which is hit or miss.

That is the most bizarre idea I ever heard. Even the owner's manual says you need to mix it with the gas and then run the engine so the stabil gets thru the entire fuel system.

Please, please give us a link to where you READ this. I am extremely anxious to see who wrote that piece.

Separate layers of fluids require differences in chemistry and density. If you ever added stabil to gas you would immediately see that whoever wrote that was either a moron or had a hidden agenda.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Seafoam mixes with the fuel keeping it from going bad for 2 years.

Chemically impossible

 

[LaqueRatt]

Do your own research. I've read this many places. I'm bringing it up here simply to get more opinions. It does seem though that the two products work vastly differently. All I can say is since using mainly SF I've not had any issues and I did have issues with Stabil. Especially in my mowers. It definitely didn't keep the gas from gumming up. I've yet to have to clean a carb after using SF at the end of the season.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Anyone who has ever mixed Stabil into a gallon can of gas can see it instantly is diffused throughout the liquid. It does not float on the surface of the gas.

 

[LaqueRatt]

Do you generally mix your fuel in a clear glass bottle? In my part of the world cans are opaque. Plastic or metal. I'm not so sure a thin layer would be detectable anyhow.

So none of you have ever researched this? Plenty of comparisons out there. I was just wondering how come if I put Stabil in my tractor, but don't drain the carb, over the winter it gums up. Happened again this spring. Now I'm SeaFoaming everything, running dry, draining bowls. Isn't Stabil mostly kerosene?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Do you generally mix your fuel in a clear glass bottle? In my part of the world cans are opaque. Plastic or metal. I'm not so sure a thin layer would be detectable anyhow.

So none of you have ever researched this? Plenty of comparisons out there. I was just wondering how come if I put Stabil in my tractor, but don't drain the carb, over the winter it gums up. Happened again this spring. Now I'm SeaFoaming everything, running dry, draining bowls. Isn't Stabil mostly kerosene?

Fuel evaporates from carbs that sit more than 2 weeks

If you drained and added nothing you would get better results

Seafoam is kerosene and naptha with some light oil

Stabil can only extend fuels life by a few months

 

[LaqueRatt]

I think you're right Scott. I now drain the bowls on everything after adding SF and running them dry. I get so sick of cleaning carbs. I've cleaned carbs 7x this year already, although most of these machines were new acquisitions.

 

[Captain Caveman]

I still own eight motors that have carburetors. I haven't had to clean or rebuild any of them since I got convinced to switch to non-ethanol fuel. These are all seasonal toys, so they aren't running a ton of gas through them. I'm not trying to start a gas debate, but giving you another option to consider.

As for your boat motors, definitely change your oil now. With smaller motors it isn't much oil. Pumping greatly reduces the likelihood of air getting into your lower unit.

As others said, you could fog those motors or just run them rich before shutting down. I'll usually put a little 2-stroke oil directly into the cylinders and then pull the starter rope a few times to coat the cylinder walls. Put your old spark plugs in for spring startup. After you run that old gas and oil-soaked motor in the spring, swap in some new spark plugs.

If you are storing somewhere around mice, plug any entry holes around the cowling and maybe some dryer sheets on the inside. Cleaning out mouse nests sucks.