Today’s Lube Tip: Boat Storage
Originally e-mailed Mid November 2007.
The Open Water season is drawing to a close. It’s time to think about getting your boat ready for storing over the winter.
Fuel and Fuel Tank
First, while there are still a few weeks of open water fishing (or for those who use your boat for backwater duck hunting) start preparing your fuel tank NOW! I recommend using fuel stabilizer in all your gas now, that way your tank will be treated and all the gas in the system will be treated too. There are several popular products on FM, but I recommend the AMSOIL Gasoline Stabilizer. It gives up to 18 months protection of your fuel, so you will be well ready to go in the Spring. You use 2 ounces per 5 gallons of gas, a 16-oz bottle will treat up to 40 gallons. AMSOIL Gasoline Stabilizer
Secondly with your fuel, store with your tank full over the winter (see pre-mix exception below). A full tank will have the least amount of condensation with the varying temperatures over winter, whether you store your boat in a heated or unheated garage, or in the back yard under a shed or tarp.
If you have already taken your boat out of service for the fall, you can still properly prepare it for storage over the winter. Of course when running the engine to flush new stabilized gasoline through the fuel system make sure to hook up your hose to the cooling system.
Pre-Mix 2-Cycle Engines
For pre-mix 2-cycle engines, the AMSOIL Saber Outboard will stay mixed while in storage, no separation, and helps provide fuel stabilization too. This can be used as lean as 100-1 just like the Saber Professional for you air cooled – auger. The Saber Outboard is a diester base synthetic that burns away clean leaving no carbon. It will reduce emissions at least 65% as compared to petroleum based oils. When using AMSOIL Saber Outboard you can safely leave your tank full over the winter storage to prevent condensation and corrosion problems. However if you are using petroleum based and some other synthetics these oils may separate and gum in the tank causing even more problems, if using them you may prefer to leave the tank empty and take your chance that the condensation and corrosion problems are less than the separation and gumming problem.
Oil Injection Engines
For Oil Injection 2-cycle engines, the AMSOIL HP Injector will give far better flow over a wide temperature range to give better controlled oil flow now as the weather turns cool as well as in the spring when you start it up in cooler weather. Again, the same as your gas tank, store over the winter season with the oil tank full to minimize condensation in the oil tank. HP Injector can be used in all oil injection systems as well as a 50-1 pre-mix oil. The HPI is another diester base synthetic that burns away clean leaving no carbon. It too will reduce emissions at least 65% as compared to petroleum based oils.
4-Stroke Outboard Engines
For your 4-stroke engines, I recommend doing a oil change now at the end of the season and have your boat ready to go in the spring. AMSOIL 4-stroke Marine oil is FC-W certified so you are also fully warranty covered when using it. Most outboards prefer the 10W-30, but it is available in 10W-40 also.
Fogging
Fogging. Stabilize, prepare your gas tank and fuel system first, then take care of fogging the engine to complete protecting the cylinder walls, rings and more from corrosion during storage. AMSOIL Fogging Oil is an aerosol that will spray in any can position. In general, spray in the intake with the engine running, then pull the spark plugs and finish by spraying directly in the spark plug holes. Replace the spark plugs and any intake you removed to spray the fogging oil. Follow the specific instructions on the can.
Lower Unit
For your lower unit, do a complete inspection first. Have you hit any stumps or under-water brush? Check you prop and check your shaft that it is true. Have you wound you line around the prop? If so you have probably damaged the seal. Take care of these repairs first. Service the oil using AMSOIL Marine Gear Lube. It is rated for all marine lower units, as well as in/out units on larger boats. Plus, even with 10% water contamination you lose no protection.
Drain the water – I believe that all outboard motors today will fully drain the water when the motor is left in its fully down position, so there is no worry about it freezing. Drain it thoroughly then position it as you need to store the boat.
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Tight lines and good fishing
Don Dawson, Your AMSOIL Dealer, Your Fishing Minnesota Lubricant Partner
