Mercury Marine has me stressed...

[BigAngus752]

New boater drama here.  I've read all the threads about winterizing but I'm still confused.  We bought our first "real" boat this summer.  It's a Ranger RT188C with a Mercury 115 4 stroke.  The motor has Mercury's Platinum protection plan on it, which is great, but I get a couple emails a week from Mercury about "winterizing" my outboard.  The emails are pretty graphic about how much damage I can do and how expensive it will be and how it isn't covered by our Platinum warranty if we don't winterize.  Here's the thing...I don't want to stop fishing yet.  It is getting cold at night here (in the 20's) but we are a long way from hard water yet.  I keep the motor all the way down so it drains.  I use Mercury Quickare every time I put gas in it.  It only has 12 hours on in since the last service (and 22 hours total on the motor) so I don't think it needs any fluids or filters changed.  But I'm worried about voiding my warranty and/or damaging the motor.  I called the closest Mercury dealer and they quoted me for a full service but when I told them it was serviced 12 hours ago they said they could just "winterize" by changing the lube in the lower unit.  How does that winterize it?  I've searched the forum and see that guys use fogging oil in the motor and various other things but when I asked the dealer about that stuff they acted like I was a moron.  I'm getting way confused.  Any help would be appreciated.  Thank you!

[TnRiver46]

Wish I could help, i winterize mine by driving it down the river all winter. You can drain the gear lube yourself if you have a giant flathead screwdriver. Don't use a regular one, you can get another 1/2 turn if not more with the giant screwdriver 

[WRB]

Ask your dealer what exact lube do they recommend and change it if it's different then what is already in your lower unit. No need to winterize the engine if you keep it garaged and still using it. If the boat is stored outdoors than freezing can be an issue.

Tom

 

[J Francho]

The issue of leaving the old crankcase oil in the LU is if water somehow mixes with the oil.  This can happen if the seal on the impeller leaks.  If that freezes, you have a cracked LU housing.  A best practice many up here do is drain and fill the LU after each trip.  I don't know about you guys, but when it's 22° outside, it's the same in my garage, so I don't think that's always a safe bet, unless your garage is heated.  And yes, I have cracked a lower unit on one of my boats.  Embarrassing, but true.

[Scott F]

I live in Northern Illinois and have had the same Mercury motor since 1995. I've never winterized it and it runs as good as it ever has. I do keep the boat in an unheated, attached, garage and I put some Stabil in the tank at the end of the season and that's it. It certainly won't hurt to winterize your motor but, I believe Mercury is trying to drum up service business by scaring you into believing you'll do serious damage if you don't have it done. 

[BigAngus752]

1 hour ago, WRB said:

Ask your dealer what exact lube do they recommend and change it if it's different then what is already in your lower unit. No need to winterize the engine if you keep it garaged and still using it. If the boat is stored outdoors than freezing can be an issue.

Tom

 

 

1 hour ago, J Francho said:

The issue of leaving the old crankcase oil in the LU is if water somehow mixes with the oil.  This can happen if the seal on the impeller leaks.  If that freezes, you have a cracked LU housing.  A best practice many up here do is drain and fill the LU after each trip.  I don't know about you guys, but when it's 22° outside, it's the same in my garage, so I don't think that's always a safe bet, unless your garage is heated.  And yes, I have cracked a lower unit on one of my boats.  Embarrassing, but true.

My bad.  I should have mentioned that it stays outdoors.  I don't have a bay long enough for it so it is outside (covered with an all-weather cover).  The water mixing into the lower makes perfect sense.  I appreciate that explanation.  And it's warming up during the day still but that won't last much longer.  I'm sure my LU oil is factory-recommended because it was serviced at a Merc/Ranger dealer last time but no guarantee it didn't get some water in it over the past six months.  Maybe it's time to call it a season just to be safe.  Can I drain the lower unit and leave it empty over the winter?  Does that alleviate the potential freezing issue?  One other question, I'll pull the Hook 7 on the bow, but how about the one on the dash?  Would that screen be affected by below-zero weather?

[moguy1973]

Fogging helps coat the cylinders and valves with a film of oil so they don’t get rust on them if the engine sits for more than a couple months over the winter.  With a 4 stroke there will always be a valve open on one of the cylinders when it is off so moisture can get in and cause rust. Two strokes don’t have this issue due to the way the piston can cover the intake port so no moisture can get inside the cylinder.  If you won’t be keeping the engine shut off for more than a couple weeks or so you don’t have to fog it. 

[J Francho]

51 minutes ago, BigAngus752 said:

Can I drain the lower unit and leave it empty over the winter?  Does that alleviate the potential freezing issue?

Get the oil can with the built in pump.  They sell the Mercury stuff at BPS, West Marine, and maybe even WalMart.  Drain it opening the top screw and removing the bottom screw.  The pump it until it runs out the top.  Close the top, remove the pump, and replace the bottom.  There's a million videos that show how it's done, if your unsure.  It's totally a user job, no need to pay someone to do it.  Easier than finding your winsheild wiper fluid fill tank for the first time, lol.

[moguy1973]

To go with what J Franco said, there may be 2 vent screws at the top of the lower unit, my 60hp Merc does.  Make sure you put the screw in the vent that is closer to the prop and leave the one in the front out before you start pumping lube into the bottom hole.  That way the lube gets all in where it needs to get before it starts coming out the front vent.

[MickD]

Boy, don't know where to start with these comments.  I think you need to find a good dealer and go with them.  There is a lot of misinformation on here, IMHO.  I'll give you my opinions and you can evaluate them along with the others.

 

Water pump impellers seals are not the seal that causes trouble with lower units.  The reason for changing LU lube annually is to let you see if there is any water in it, which can happen if the PROP seal is damaged by fishing line. Also, you then will be confident that it's full.   But when you drain the oil, if it shows water in it, the prop seal can then be changed to prevent water from entering in the future.  

And the LU lube can be replaced with new.  No need to leave the lower unit empty.  I think that's a bad idea-you might forget it's empty and run without lube. 

 

If the engine is stored vertically, there will not be enough water in it to damage anything at any temperature.  This assumes no water, or not much, in the LU.  It is likely that your new engine is fine.

 

I have always fogged mine, but many dealers do not,  especially the four strokes.

 

I change  plugs annually, but many do not.  Again, it gives me a chance (and will give the dealer a chance if they do it) to see if they look normal.  A lot can be determined by the appearance of the plugs.  If you are not handy, let the dealer do it.  The most likely problem with changing plugs is starting the new plug cross threaded, thus failing the head.  This is easy to do with aluminum threads in the head.  Very expensive.

 

The fact that your engine is so new makes potential problems a pretty rare possibility.  If it were my engine I would use it until I wanted to store it, I'd fog it, and that would be it.  (Keep adding gas treatment with any added fuel)

 

But why believe another poster on the forum like me?  Get a trustworthy dealer to guide you.

[BigAngus752]

5 minutes ago, MickD said:

Boy, don't know where to start with these comments.  I think you need to find a good dealer and go with them.  There is a lot of misinformation on here, IMHO.  I'll give you my opinions and you can evaluate them along with the others.

 

Water pump impellers seals are not the seal that causes trouble with lower units.  The reason for changing LU lube annually is to let you see if there is any water in it, which can happen if the PROP seal is damaged by fishing line. Also, you then will be confident that it's full.   But when you drain the oil, if it shows water in it, the prop seal can then be changed to prevent water from entering in the future.  

And the LU lube can be replaced with new.  No need to leave the lower unit empty.  I think that's a bad idea-you might forget it's empty and run without lube. 

 

If the engine is stored vertically, there will not be enough water in it to damage anything at any temperature.  This assumes no water, or not much, in the LU.  It is likely that your new engine is fine.

 

I have always fogged mine, but many dealers do not,  especially the four strokes.

 

I change  plugs annually, but many do not.  Again, it gives me a chance (and will give the dealer a chance if they do it) to see if they look normal.  A lot can be determined by the appearance of the plugs.  If you are not handy, let the dealer do it.  The most likely problem with changing plugs is starting the new plug cross threaded, thus failing the head.  This is easy to do with aluminum threads in the head.  Very expensive.

 

The fact that your engine is so new makes potential problems a pretty rare possibility.  If it were my engine I would use it until I wanted to store it, I'd fog it, and that would be it.  (Keep adding gas treatment with any added fuel)

 

But why believe another poster on the forum like me?  Get a trustworthy dealer to guide you.

Thanks much for the tips.  The main issue I'm having is the closest dealer is an hour away and they just aren't very helpful.  The place I bought the boat (used with 10.2hrs on the motor) is a couple hours away, but they were fantastic and very helpful.  I think I need to suck it up and make the further dealer my go-to place.  

[slonezp]

Winterize it when your season is done. Until then, drain as much water out of the motor after each trip as possible. I will trim up and drain, trim down and drain, then up again and down again. Each time out, make sure the engine warms up before you gun it. I'd let it idle for 5-10 minutes before initial take off and then 5 minutes after each restart during the day. If you use your livewell during this time, make sure you drain it. If you have cartridge style pumps, pull the cartridge and dump a little RV antifreeze in them and put the cartridge back on. Keep the livewell door open or it may freeze itself shut. Lastly, I wouldn't ever recommend draining oil out and not refilling. Why run the risk of forgetting to refill it when you head out in the spring.

[Fishing Rhino]

Two hours is no big deal for something that is done once a year, particularly if will give you peace of mind. 

 

It shouldn't take more than an hour or so for them to winterize your motor.  

[WRB]

The 2hour drive dealer is only a phone call way, ask for their servive departments advice.

Tell them it's stored outdoors, it makes a difference!

Tom

[gim]

How is it possible that its getting down into the 20's at night and the lakes aren't freezing?  Is it getting to 70 during the day?  If it were me, I would not leave my boat outside and continue to use it if the temperature was regularly getting that cold.  Any sort of moisture or water could freeze up and cause problems.  Why risk it?

Also, you mentioned "a second unit" do you mean another Hook 7 unit?  Don't leave that outside.  If it has a liquid crystal display, the screen can get damaged (or stolen) in temperatures below freezing.

[BigAngus752]

1 hour ago, gimruis said:

How is it possible that its getting down into the 20's at night and the lakes aren't freezing?  Is it getting to 70 during the day?  If it were me, I would not leave my boat outside and continue to use it if the temperature was regularly getting that cold.  Any sort of moisture or water could freeze up and cause problems.  Why risk it?

Also, you mentioned "a second unit" do you mean another Hook 7 unit?  Don't leave that outside.  If it has a liquid crystal display, the screen can get damaged (or stolen) in temperatures below freezing.

It's high 20s and low 30s at night.  It's high 40s during the day.  You have lakes freezing over in those temps?  Puddles don't freeze overnight here, but I understand what you are getting at.  I didn't realize that freezing temps could be detrimental to my Hook 7s.  I will figure out how to get the one out of the dash.  Thanks. 

[gim]

On ‎11‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 8:10 PM, BigAngus752 said:

I will figure out how to get the one out of the dash. 

Mine is flush mounted in the dash too.  There should be a wing nut in the back on one side that you can loosen and remove and then push it out from the inside.