Winterizing Your Boats Mechanical and Electrical Systems: Part I
In other boatsforboaters.com articles on winterizing you’ve read about how to physically store your boat on the ground and what to consider regarding fuel, particularly Ethanol or E-10 fuel. In this article we’ll talk about some of the items you need to consider to put your engine, gearbox and electrical systems, including electronics, to bed safely for the winter months.
The fundamental philosophy behind doing a good job of preparing your boat’s ystems properly before winter is that the small investment you make in preparation for storage is worth it considered against the large investment you’ll potentially have to make if you do a poor job, or none at all! So let’s look at your systems and steps you should take. By no means is this an all-inclusinve list but it covers the essentials, whether you do it yourself or a mechanic/boatyard does it for you.
Engine: For 4-stroke inboard and outboard engines you should change your boat’s engine oil and filter before storage. This will ensure that clean oil has had a chance to coat all interior components of the engine. The new oil will "stick" longer to wearing surfaces and prevent corrosion. Contaminated oil will separate more easily and has corrosive elements built up in it from combustion by-products and water. To change your oil run the motor up to operating temperature and then drain the oil. If possible let it drain until the motor is cool to make sure all the contaminants and sludge have been removed. Change the oil filter and then add new oil, running the engine again to make sure oil has fully circulated. Then shut ‘er down. The new oil will retain it’s lubricating ability when your start up in the spring.
Whether 2-stroke or 4-stroke, some mechanics advocate "fogging" the cylinders with an aerosol storage oil. The reasoning is that the cylinder walls are scraped clean by the piston rings and the bare wall is then prone to corrosion. Fogging oils coat the inside of the engine to protect the cylinder walls and valve seats. Fogging the cylinders is certainly a good treatment on top of providing the engine with fresh oil via the oil change, but can be difficult to do depending on the engine since the carburetor or air intake will have to be exposed, then the engine run and allowed to die down as the fogging oil fouls the plugs and the mixture becomes uncombustible. Read the instructions carefully when you do this, and also check with your engine’s manufacturer to see if they have special fogging oils and techniques that they recommend.
2-stroke outboards obviously do not require an oil change, but will benefit from "fogging" which will add a layer of protective lubrication to all internal parts.
If you intend to leave coolant in the engine all winter, check that it has ability to handle below freezing temperatures, depending on where the boat is stored and the prevailing winter climate. We saw a frozen, cracked engine block recently and it wasn’t pretty.
For all engines, use a storage spray like LPS-1 or similar and spray parts of the engine that might be prone to corrosion such as linkages, hose clamps, fuel lines and electrical connections. Allow some air to circulate around the motor if it’s an inboard to keep moisture to a minimum.
A tip for spring start up is to turn your engine over with the spark plugs disconnected. This will get the new oil to circulate again and coat all important surfaces before the engine is allowed to run. If you replaced the spark plugs after fogging your engine, then you’ll be all set to go.
Gearboxes: For inboard, inboard/outboard and outboard motors, thoroughly draining the gearbox oil is a good annual practice, especially if you don’t put enough time on your boat to meet the recommended oil change interval before winter. When you run the engine to temperature for the engine oil change, try to run the gearbox as well. If the boat is in the water this is easy and safest. If out of the water, clear the area, set up a protective zone around the propellor (or take it off) and put the boat in gear. Then drain the oil and change it, finishing by running the gearbox again to coat all surfaces. If you’ve taken the propellor(s) off, store them indoors for the winter. Grease the exposed propellor mounting shaft with a good marine grease.
Remember, the time you spend doing proper winterization will give you peace of mind as winter sets her steely grip upon the landscape, and make commissioning your boat in the spring a breeze.