Anything special I need to do about boat

[Mediumheavyaction6'6]

I was just wondering if there was something I needed to do to protect my motor from this hard freeze. It is under the carport right now but I wasn't sure if there was something else I needed to do keep the little Suzuki from freezing.

[Jordan]

crack the bottom lower unit screw..

[Mediumheavyaction6'6]

will that drain any water that is in it?

[speck-chaser]

just ignore all that oil spilling out on the ground.lol

[Dink]

You run it lately? If there is any water in the motor it will freeze and expand. It is possible to have a cracked block from this. Make sure there is no water in your lower unit. Pull bottom plug then top. Water will settle under the oil so if any comes out the bottom let it drain till nothing but oil is coming g out. Same goes for Hull. Make sure there's no standing water in it.

[Mediumheavyaction6'6]

I ran it last Wednesday. Is that soon enough that I need to drain the lower unit.

[Ray]

If you take the boat out of the water and leave the outboard all the way down,
most all the water normally runs out the motor. You shouldn't have to do anything,
but if you want to, you can go to West Marine and get the pink environmentally
safe antifreeze for winterizing boats. Remove the thermostats and pour some in.
This will push out any water out the bottom of the motor and replace that water.

[Ray]

Pull the boat out of the water (or remove the ear muffs) and keep the motor in a vertical position for at least ten minutes to ensure all water is drained from the block and passages (outboard motors are self draining and require no anti-freeze for storage). If possible, the engine should be stored in an upright position in the coldest condition possible (rust processes are slowed considerably at low temperatures, and no humidity to promote rust exists below freezing). The worst place to store your outboard is in your basement beside your furnace — high humidity and warmth will seize an engine in no time.
For those that may be storing for extended periods of time or in warm humid conditions, you might want to remove the spark plugs and squirt some additional 2 stroke engine oil or fogger into the cylinders, then roll the engine over by hand to thoroughly coat everything. Re-install the plugs to minimize condensation during the storage period.

Edit: got this online.

[Mediumheavyaction6'6]

My motor has no hydraulic tilt so it always stays down.

[huntin fool]

My motor has no hydraulic tilt so it always stays down.


yours will be fine, you don't have it in water, its a tiller handle,etc.

[flounder_smacker]

the only way your lower unit will crack from freezing is if its completely full of water. when you fill your lower unit with oil you only fill it until it comes out the top drain. that leaves you about a quarter of the space in the lower unit filled with air. they do this so when the lower unit oil gets hot it has room to expand. so if you have water in your lower unit mixed with the oil it will only freeze and expand and when it gets warm it will defrost. and if you do have water in your lower unit you shouldnt be running it anyway because you need to have it resealed and if you have been running it knowing you have a broken seal then you really dont care about your motor and shouldnt worry about it freezing anyway.

[Ray]

My old Mercury went thru a 5 day hard freeze with no issues.
I always kept the motor all the way down.

[huntin fool]

My old Mercury went thru a 5 day hard freeze with no issues.
I always kept the motor all the way down.

I kicked the 25 all the way up for tonight, its bone dry, and not supposed to rain, and being that if i didn't kick it up, tide will get water in prop..

[Ray]

The only thing you have to worry about if there is still any water in the pump housing.
Most should run out but might have a little still in there. Is there any way to chock
her stern up a little and drop the motor to make sure there is none left in the lower
unit?
If all else fails, wrap a few layers of newspaper around it and tape it up. That will give
you some extra time before the cold temps will get into the foot.

Edit: This was for Fool.

[Mediumheavyaction6'6]

Thanks guys! I am new to the world of boating and I just wanted to make sure I wasn't going to to lose the old girl to old man winter. She has been good to me so far and I want to keep it that way.

[Mediumheavyaction6'6]

The only thing you have to worry about if there is still any water in the pump housing.
Most should run out but might have a little still in there. Is there any way to chock
her stern up a little and drop the motor to make sure there is none left in the lower
unit?
If all else fails, wrap a few layers of newspaper around it and tape it up. That will give
you some extra time before the cold temps will get into the foot.

do you think there could still be water in the housing if it hasn't been run in a week and half?

[Mediumheavyaction6'6]

ok then never mind.

[Ray]

do you think there could still be water in the housing if it hasn't been run in a week and half?

That was for Fool. He pulled the boat up and tilted the engine up. It might
have a little water still in it.
If you have your motor all the way down, all the water should have already
ran out by now.

[huntin fool]

The only thing you have to worry about if there is still any water in the pump housing.
Most should run out but might have a little still in there. Is there any way to chock
her stern up a little and drop the motor to make sure there is none left in the lower
unit?
If all else fails, wrap a few layers of newspaper around it and tape it up. That will give
you some extra time before the cold temps will get into the foot.

Edit: This was for Fool.


It has been down all day, water has been way down, so i kicked it down to drain it all out..i should be fine, if not daddy can buy a new motor. :*****:

[Ray]

It will be cheaper to buy a new pump housing. < $100
I don't think anything else will break.

[Shawn Braquet]

It has been down all day, water has been way down, so i kicked it down to drain it all out..i should be fine, if not daddy can buy a new motor. :*****:
if thats the case there goes the new shotgun :p