Outboard winterizing

Hi guys, just curious, how does everyone winterize their outboards, I've been fogging for years, but since I started seeing my new mechanic as of a few years ago he has told me to pull the gas line and run it dry so it doesn't gum up over the winter. Have had both done over the years, I guess I'm just curious as to what people on here prefer, I suppose there's no real one answer, again just curious. Thank in advance guys.

And change your lower end oil and motor oil for 4 strokes in the fall, no point in putting stuff away with dirty oil. Don't forget to service the wheel bearings too, no point in letting them sit all winter if water got into the hubs and rust up the bearings.

I have a Merc 40--4 stroke and I go through a process each Fall & Spring

In the Fall, I pull the boat out of the garage and put the water muffs on, make sure I have Sea Foam in the premium gas, run it for 5 minutes and then change the oil in the bottom end and the motor and the oil filter.

Take the prop off and grease the splines, check if any line around prop. shaft.

Change the gas line filter, even if it looks fine.

Check the fluid level in the motor lifting system.

Take out the plugs and clean and regap.

Make sure I have greased all the motor fittings and the bearing buddies on the trailer.

Shoot oil into the cylinders and put the plugs back in finger tight.

In the Spring take the plugs out and shoot oil into the cylinders and turn the motor over by hand and put the plugs back in tight, but do not connect plug wires. The next day, after putting the battery back in, attempt to start the motor for 15 or 20 seconds-it wont start as the plugs are not connected. This builds up the oil pressure and puts oil into all engine parts. The 3rd day, connect the plugs, ensure fresh premium gas in the tank, push the garden water hose on the water exhaust and run some water through backward to ensure water galleries are clear, hook up to the water muffs and start. She will smoke for a few minutes and then settle down. Make sure the motor is "peeing" properly and check for any oil leaks.

I've had the boat and motor since 2006 and I have followed this ritual each year and it runs like a top.

SDC

All good advice here so far. I have a 115 4 stroke. I add fuel stabilizer and fill up the tank. Run the motor with muffs for at least 10 minutes. Change oil and filter and lower unit oil, grease everything and away she goes for the season.

put proper amount of stabilizer in fuel dont cheap out on quality fil tank with premium shell fuel no ethonal put muffs on and run engine for 10 mins once warm take off hose and i run antifreeze through engine with muffs on to make sure all water is out dont trust engine to drain itself like they say. then fog engine with fogging oil . no need to run engine out of fuel efi are closed systems. just a lite spray of wd around motor , then gear oil and check outboard trim unit to make sure no water in it many people forget about this unit. dont forget to pump some antifreeze through the livewell system and check boat bilge for water where pump is. lots more to do to boat before ready to put away. but going over boat now means less problems in the spring when the season starts

Older 2 strokes, I fog and let run dry, timing the fog right. Newer and specifically smaller 25 hp and under carbureted 4 strokes, just get run on a preserved premium fuel mix and left full of fuel in the carbs. As a marine tech, I see small 4 strokes almost every spring for a carb clean, when they are run dry. The low speed jets are sooooo tiny (and usually sealed EPA style) and when run dry, the residual gas will be exposed to air in the tiny passages where it evaporates and forms solids, from oxidation. Old metal float bowls show what happens when run dry... anyhow, the bro-science is like this.....carb parts and passages are meant to hold fuel at rest and when functioning....leaving these passages open to fresh air will cause corrosion. Simply leave them with conditioned fuel in them. Think for a sec, which will go bad first a fuel tank sitting with a bit of fuel and mostly air, OR a full tank of fuel????? The bowl is meant to be full of fuel not air and there will always be residual fuel no matter what. Larger motors and 2 strokes (2 to 3 times larger jets, have no issues. The fuel also covers the little bits of water in the bottom of your float bowls, we never want that exposed to air...my 2 cents.

Thank you slayer for mentioning Shell. Me dummy sold myself to Petro's 94. Apparently all their grades have ethanol, higher may mean more of it! Only Shell 91 now.

Thank you slayer for mentioning Shell. Me dummy sold myself to Petro's 94. Apparently all their grades have ethanol, higher may mean more of it! Only Shell 91 now.

There is no ethanol in Cdn. Tire premium gas.

SDC

Thank you slayer for mentioning Shell. Me dummy sold myself to Petro's 94. Apparently all their grades have ethanol, higher may mean more of it! Only Shell 91 now.

There is no ethanol in Cdn. Tire premium gas.

SDC

Noted.

Thank you SDC.