Dewinterize your Outboard Engine
The time of year has quickly come around again and you will be wanting to Dewinterize your Outboard Engine and boat ready for the coming great weather. This blog will go over the simple things that YOU need to do before you try and start your engine up. Here is what we will cover;
- Engine Oil
- Cooling System
- Fuel system
- Batteries (If applicable)
Check your Engine Oil
Firstly if you have winterized your outboard correctly in the first place you should have no oil left in your outboard. If you haven’t already dropped the oil out of your engine now is a good time to change it and check your oil is clean and there are no shiny metal bits floating around. Replace the oil with the recommended amount in the owner’s handbook.
Check your Fuel System
Secondly the fuel. Most outboard/engine problems occur with the fuel. If you are not going to use your outboard for a prolonged amount of time you should always drain the fuel. Carburettors are well known for getting clogged. This is because after a few weeks of sitting in your carb the fuel will produce a sort of varnish which will clog the fuel jets of the Carb. Which will then stop you from using your outboard.
Clean your Fuel Tank
While we are on the subject of fuel. Old fuel is the number one suspect for none starting or troublesome outboards. Always get rid of your old fuel. Old fuel stagnates and becomes far less volatile with time. So you may as well de-winterize your outboard properly to save any future problems. A simple test for this is if you stick your nose in the tank and can sniff without pulling your head back your fuel is off and it needs throwing away. While you are draining your old fuel out you may as well clean your fuel tank out. This will make sure there are no sneaky hidden bits anywhere waiting to ruin your day.
The best way to clean out a portable outboard fuel tank is;
- Empty the tank completely
- Use a degreaser or brake cleaner and shake the tank
- You can scrub the inside in different ways. Place a chain in the tank with the degreaser and shake, Bended brush with a rag or you can use gravel or aquarium quartz but if you use this method don’t leave any inside the tank
- Rinse the tank with water several times
- Unscrew the aspiration system and carefully clean
- let it dry completely
- Make sure there is no water left and rinse with petrol then let it dry
- Store your tank in a dry place with a constant temperature
- recycle your old fuel responsibly
Check for Contaminated Fuel
Contaminated fuel is another headache for any outboard user. We always filter our petrol before putting it into a tank and if we have an external tank we add another fuel filter after the primer bulb to doubly make sure no bits enter our fuel. Again with the small jets in the Carb any bits of muck or dirt will block these and cause problems further down the line. Please make sure you do not use old fuel that has been left in the shed for 6 months. Recycle your old fuel responsibly. Buy a new outboard fuel tank here
Flush your Cooling System
After you have done the above you are ready to start her up. Always make sure your outboard unless air-cooled is in a vat of water or on flush muffs before you get started. After you have started your outboard up make sure the tell tail is strong. If there is no tell tail make sure you quickly turn the engine off and take your engine to an outboard specialist. If your outboard overheats the engine will seize then you will be in for a big repair bill or depending on the age and hours a new engine. We sell all the flushing accessories you will ever need from flush muffs to Blu Thru we have you covered on all bases.
Batteries
While batteries are not applicable to everybody you should always give them a quick test and charge before you go out. It’s a pretty simple task that anyone can do and is well worth checking in advance you don’t want to be caught short when you are excited for a day boating.
Conclusion
Once you have checked the above you should be ready to go. If you need any more advice or parts for your outboard please feel free to get in contact with us.
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