Outboard Freezing Opinions

[JeffM]

So I am looking for some opinions from ppl that know more about outboards than me.  I have a 1yr old Mercury Optimax 150.  I took it to a local marina last fall to be "winterized".  Granted they do not do much on an outboard,  It sounds like he hooked the motor to a tank running a fuel mix with more oil then killed the motor.  He also changed the gear lube.  He disconnected the battery and sent me home.  Here is where I am concerned.  The motor was in the trailer position with the support bar under it when the first cold night came.  I notice the wheel barrel next to the boat had water in it that was frozen solid.  I jumped in the boat connected the battery and lowered the motor.  No water came out at that time. When I got home from work I noticed a fairly large wet area under the motor so I assumed water thawed and slowly dripped out during the day.  What are the odds I just destroyed my brand new 15k motor?  Does anyone have any experience with outboards being ruined in this manner with a cracked block etc?  If so how will I know in the spring?  I appreciate any input.

 

Thanks

[steelydan]

not likely, the damage will occur when water is mixed in with the lower unit oil. that is why it gets changed every fall. i fish seneca in the winter as i am laid off. i never wintrize my motor, i use it maybe 6 t0 10 times per winter. the small amount ofwater that is in the motor will drain freeze and thaw and drain.i have never had any problems with anything breaking. you could cover the prop with a bag to stop water from entering thru the exhaust hub, thats probably where the water you saw came from. tight lines. by the way, i should add that my mercury is a two stroke but i am pretty sure the water will not destroy your motor. the motor will most likely have freeze plugs anyway.

Edited February 22, 2013 by steelydan

[Don Supon]

My experience goes like this: My boat was storred outside for the winter.Boat and motor cover were tarped for snow. The 50 hp Merc. motor was left tilted up slightly on a transom saver rod. The exhaust hub in center of propeller was not protected, allowing snow to get in. In the spring all looked good with no buldges, etc. and it took her out fishing. I fished the morning and returned to the launch I had used. Approaching in shallow water before the ramp, there was a loud clunk from the prop and I thought I had hit some unseen obstruction as I was in 3 ft. of water. I suspected a pipe or similar, with nothing showing on the FF. The motor ran, but movement was difficult the rest of the way. A Mercury serviceman found the problem when he took the lower unit appart. The gears had split in half with no damage to the housing. I could have saved this repair cost if I had simply left the motor completely down or covered the exhaust port.

[JeffM]

Thanks for the info.  It sounds like the most risk may be with the lower end gears and housing.  I assume that would be a costly repair.  what really concerns me would be a cracked engine block.  It sounds like that would mean a new motor.  

[Chas0218]

I always store mine in the lowest possible position.

[CaptSpike]

With my outboards I was told that after you fog them out (2 stroke) or restart after changing the oil (final run) before they cool trim the motor up and down all the way several times. This works most of the water out of the powerhead while the thermostats are open and everything is nice and warm. I don't know how true this is but it made sense to me and I have never had an issue. Always tore in lowest possible position as well. Now my boat is in a portable garage so the following weather is not a factor compared to storing out in the elements.

Make sure to run compression checks at the end of the season and after you start her up for the first time (check the end of your plugs for metal deposits which could indicate cylinder wear). Most major issues (that may have occured over the winter) can be highlighted by your compression reading. I don't check the four stroke compression readings just the 2 strokes.

Then you have other that do nothing and have no problems. Knowing my luck I take every precaution. They are expensive toys now and not easily replaced.

 

Spike

[A*M]

I'll try to paste the instructions from merc. First ,you're not supposed to hook the Optimax to a tank with oil.  You may have some bad problems in the spring with injectors, and it may lead to computer program issues also.  You're supposed to remove the plugs and spray down into the cylinderrs.   Only stabilizer goes into the gas. This motor is a different beast. Yes, you're supposed to put the motor in the down position also according to merc. How can you do that with the battery disconnected ?  Sounds like you caught it early so my guess is no problem with the freeze. I'd remove the plugs, turn the motor over ( put some rags in the holes ) throw in some new plugs, drain the fuel filter as described, add a couple cans of sea foam. Hope for the best.  

 

http://www.mercurymarine.com/media/mercury/pdfs/service-and-support

[JeffM]

Thanks A*M.  Yes I agree I always quote the manual and the mechanics feel insulted that I act like they dont know what they are doing.  I will keep my fingers crossed and insist that they follow the manual next fall.  I noticed they had a bunch of Mercs there so I assumed they knew what they were doing.  I have heard all types of horror stories where guys try fogging the Optimax etc.  For now I am just hoping that he lowered and drained it when he was done.  I would have to think that he would have done that before slapping the winterized sticker on it and disconnecting the battery but you never know.

[jimski2]

For twenty years my winterization of my outboard Evinrude 90 HP has been to crank the engine over, after lowering it. Every few years I change the lower unit oil. No fogging and check the spark plugs if I hear a miss. The money I have saved will pay for a new engine if I need one. I have a constant charge battery charger that is plugged in year round and the battery lasts a long time. The boat is always ready to go 365 days a year. In the spring I grease the steering and grease fittings. I jack the tires up and spin them and if no growling or noise is heard off we go although I check the wheel bearings for heat after hauling the boat some distance regularly. In the winter I build a frame to form a tent with a plastic tarp so the snow slides off and has a lot of ventilation to keep mold from forming on the seats and vinyl.

[Sk8man]

I have a 2 stroke 135 Merc Salt Water Optimax. I have stored it inside every year but this one because the place I stored it has been sold. A couple years ago I decided to put it away without winterizing it in the barn all covered up with custom canvas and a heavy duty mooring cover on it (including a motor cover). The next Spring when I went to use the boat for the first time it ran rough and seemed sluggish etc. I took it to the marina and had it checked and they found that the lower unit seal was shot and surmised that it was that water had gotten in from ice deposits during the winter. It cost me $600. This year I had it winterized and then the entire boat AND MOTOR including the prop hub shrink wrapped in very heavy duty plastic. I should also mention that the year I didn't have the winterization done I have a live well and I had to also replace the pump as well because of left over water in it during storage. I learned....   Incidentally, they don't need to "fog" your motor anymore they run a little heavier mixture with marine stabilizer directly into the engine by-passing your lines and tank etc. I also run a lot of marine triple strength stabilizer all year long in my tank (hoping to prevent moisture buildup...although I realize the jury is still out on whether it helps) I think the key to it might be making sure that the water is run out of the lower unit completely  when the boat is put away. Unless the lower unit fluid is changed when the boat is stored  then water in there might not be detected (you may already have a bad seal) and even covering the prop hub etc. may not be the answer come Spring and running the motor may cause MAJOR damage. Keeping the lower unit in the full downward position seems always a good idea as far as drainage. I know a lot of folks (including one of my fishing partners) don't believe in "winterizing" but based on the above I'm a firm believer