Winter treatment for Outboard motor

B

baz

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Fluid Motion Model
C-24 C
Subject: Winter treatment for OB motor

For the R-23 and new 2018 R-27 with outboards (OB) I'm wondering if there's special attention required for these motors during the winter time when freezing condition occur.

With the OB in its raised position and out of the water it's exposed to temperatures below what be experienced if completely in the water here in the PNW. We do have winters where freezing temperatures can be present for a full month.

I intend to keep my new 2018 R-27 in salt water year round. For my R-25 (Classic) which was kept in water at same marina as I intend to use for my new 2018 R-27, I took no special actions for protecting the diesel engine and had no issues whatsoever.

My marina will turn off the water to the docks when freezing temperatures have been forecast so this tells me that the OB motor will also be exposed to freezing temperatures.

The Yamaha OB has a feature that allows all salt water to be flushed from the engine simply by connecting a hose to it and running fresh water for maybe 5 to 10 minutes. Will this leave some fresh water in some parts go the engine's internals ? I dunno. If it does then this water could freeze I suppose.

What's the advice for dealing with freezing temperatures for the Yamaha outboard motor ?

Thank you. 🙂
 
Due to the size of that motor I would check the manual and consult with the local Yamaha tech as to what precautions they may take. Most smaller O/B's are self draining when in the vertical position. We have a local fleet of RI quahogers that use their motors daily below freezing without any issues.
 
I've checked the Yamaha Manual for the F200 and F300 and neither has any mention about protecting the engine during winter freezing conditions. 🙁 I will certainly be checking for this situation with my local Yamaha engine service shop.

It's not so much of an issue presumably if the engine is used daily in winter; my concern is with leaving the engine unused for several months during winter freezing conditions.

Thank you. 🙂
 
When I had my C-dory I would pump antifreeze through the wash down hose fitting. I assume the Yamaha has one. I covered my entire boat while on the trailer in the winter so I was never concerned about water getting into the engine. Maybe you may want to consider an engine cover in the winter as a safety precaution.
 
Thanks Mike.

I just had a chat with my local Yamaha engine service person and this was what I was told for winterizing the engine

1. Flush engine with fresh water with engine raised. All the water will drain out.
2. Place optional canvas cover on engine (cost around $120) and secure it with its tie string.
3. Optional pour in some gasoline additive into fuel tank.
4. Leave for the winter... all done.

This is easy and comforting to know this is all that needs doing.
 
knotflying":ml0dhh2e said:
Call me anal, I would still pump a little RV antifreeze through the wash down system. Can't hurt.
Click to expand...

Fair enough.... However, I'm a little mystified about how one would pump anti-freeze into the engine via the flush water connection. This method requires pressure and as you've said "pump" then some device that would pump anti-freeze will be required.
 
Though loving the comforts and features of the 25SC I still miss some things about the C-Dory 23 Venture, the Wallis stove being one and the simplicity of outboards being the other. That boat had 2 x 60 HP Yamahas. After moving from twin inboards to outboards years ago I swore I would never go back but the outboard Tugs and Cutwaters were too long, with the outboards raised, to fit in the boathouse. Enough said, life is a compromise.

Every year I changed the lower unit oil and the primary fuel filter on the Yamahas and every three years changed the impellors and the secondary fuel filters. Since I flushed with Salt Away after every trip (a 5 min job) and raised the motors after each run I changed internal zincs once in 8 years. They didn't need it but I felt I should. For winter time in the boathouse I did nothing more.

In the first season when the boat was in the open I was worried about rain water settling in the prop. (exhaust) and freezing. That was probably based on fears remembered from hard freezing on the east coast. Rather than try and 'pump' antifreeze through the motors I simply filled a short (10ft) hose with antifreeze, shut off the male end with a plastic hose on/off fitting from the hardware store and then attached it to the motor while keeping the female end raised. You guessed it!! Stick the female end in the antifreeze jug and open the on/off to allow antifreeze to siphon down through the motor. Sticking the jug on the roof works great. Cover the prop with a plastic bag and tie. Never a problem.

A note for the interested. When we were on the Chesapeake we kept the boat and the 225 HP outboard on a lift. I would always tilt it up but in winter the issue with the possible rain water would arise. That Mercury motor had no flushing fitting. (Try flushing with 'ears' with a boat on a lift and motor down!). My neighbours simply put the motors down when it was going to freeze hard (brackish water) until the year when it really froze hard. The river froze to about 2 inches thick and on the next high tide the ice took the motors off a couple of transoms. I was glad I had pulled our boat.

Hope this was interesting for someone. 🙂
 
Chimo:

Thanks for those details & insights. 🙂

The problem I have with using Salt Away is that my marina disallows its use. I once use Salt Away at my marina to wash down my boat after having returned from salt water cruising. All went well until I was horrified to see the surrounding water surface all around the boat frothing white. I got serious disapproving looks from other people on the docks 🙁 and later was told not to ever use Salt Away again.

BTW... I loved my Wallas stove on my R-25 (Classic), and it never gave me any troubles whatsoever.

That was good info on oil and anode replacements... 🙂

Thanks for mentioning the rain water settling in the prop exhaust tube and that it might freeze in a hard winter. A plastic bag of some sort tied over this would certainly be a solution for this aspect.

The hose pipe syphoning technique is certainly a way for pushing anti-freeze through the fresh water flushing connection system. However, I would have a problem doing this in my marina as the anti freeze would exit from the engine and into the marina's waters. 🙁 The only way I would contemplate doing this was if my boat was out of the water on the hard in the ship yard so that the anti freeze could be directed to special drains etc.

My marina is super sensitive to materials/fluids that can enter its waters as it tries to maintain its Leadership Level of the Clean Boatyard Certification and and stewardship of Puget Sound. 🙂
 
I worked as a marine service technician for 20+ years Mercury marine and Evinrude certified. I also worked on many Yamaha outboards because Mercurys Mid range engine line was manufactured by Yamaha (Power heads). I worked in the Saltwater and fresh water environments, Massachusetts Southern area and Midwest Chicago area. Winterized program includes
Fresh water flush with engine running to bring the engine up to running temperature to help loosen deposits and to prepare for oil drain
Drain engine oil and R&R oil filter
change fuel filters
Add fuel additive Stabilizer to fuel tank to help keep fuel fresh
Grease all grease fittings
Drain gear lube, pressure check gear case to test oil seals integrity 15psi, fill gear case
Full inspection of all electrical connections, if corroded clean and reinstall with dielectric grease
Run engine again, inspect for oil leaks at oil filter and fuel leaks at fuel filters. This also gets treated fuel thru complete fuel system. Now fog thru Carburetors, maintenance valve, or air intake depending on what type of fuel system.
Remove spark plugs and spray a small amount of fogging oil in cylinders, bump starter to rotated to distribute oil through cylinder.
Remove prop, clean prop shaft, coat with marine grease and reinstall prop tightening to proper torque
Spray a coating of corrosion preventative over complete power head all metal components and electrical connections. I used CRC it goes on wet put dries and protects.
If the engine is stored in the raised position I would shink wrap the lower unit to prevent water from getting in the bullet. I have seen gear cases crack from freeze damage. If the engine is stored in the down position nothing needed. When I worked in MA. we removed many engines and stored them in a building and reinstalled in the spring.
As far as running with antifreeze or trying to fill the power head with antifreeze. This is really not necessary.The outboards are designed to be self draining. I have never seen an outboard block crack from freezing. When the motor is in the down position it drains. Refer to your owners manual to verify.
This was my fall winterize and always had turn key start ups in the spring.
Brian Brown
26 Cutwater
PORT-A-GEE
 
BB Marine has reminded me that there is more to annual service than my comments on 'winterizing'. My apologies for not thinking about the other items he mentioned. He detailed perfectly the procedure I used to follow in the cold of the eastern states. When I moved here to the warmer PNW I could run the boat year round and realigned my annual service times. I ran fuel stabilizer full time and did my annual service, all the lubrication steps BB Marine detailed, in the summer time. It was much more comfortable.

All the annual service steps detailed in the manufacturers schedule should of course be followed and things like fogging and the timing of oil change become much more important if a motor is to be laid up for the winter. I hope I didn't mislead anyone.
 
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