Winterizing

[Eli]

What should we be doing for winterizing?

[Basscat7]

This is what I've done since it was new in '04.

Make sure you have treated the fuel tank with either Star Tron or Stabil, run the motor at least 30 minutes at idle or ten minutes under load to be sure the stabilizer works it way thru the entire system.

Make sure the motor is drained well, leave it sit  trimmed all the way down for an hour to drain, work the trim up and down completely a few times.

Change lower unit oil.

Make sure livewells are completely empty with the drain open and the plug out of the boat.

Sponge out any water that is trapped in the bottom of the well.

Grease any Zerk fittings on the motor and the end of the trim rams.

Charge batteries full and top them off at least once a month by plugging in the charger for a few hours.

I also cover the end of the prop to prevent water from sitting in it and freezing.



DO NOT use any fogging oil on any DFI motor as it will clog up the fuel injectors and rails.


( for long term storage )
If the motor is going to sit for a long time, you can remove each spark plug and put one teaspoon of Merc Oil in the spark plug hole, remove the kill switch and turn the motor over once then reinstall plugs.

[DelcoSol]

What about fuel level? Seems to be a bunch of different theories on what to do. Top it off which allows less room for condensation in the tank, empty it out which leaves less fuel to potentially go bad. My old tracker we would just top off and never had a problem but it was a four stroke. Should anything be done to the oil?

On a side note, does anyone elses cat smell of fuel very bad when topped off in the compartments? I don't seem to have a leak but the odor is so bad in the rod boxes to the point when I put my rods in my car the rod socks smell of fuel badly. I only use the under seat tank.

[Basscat7]

Condensation is about non existent in the plastic gas tanks.  The old metal tanks would condensate and that is where keeping the tank full helped.

Any bass boat built over the last 20+ years has a plastic tank so fuel level over the winter is not much of a concern as long as the fuel has been treated.

I generally run it down to 1/4 tank or less and then fill with fresh gas first time out.

Make sure your vent caps are open on the back of the hull to vent the tanks.

[sdub]

I've never had a problem with a partially filled tank (I treat it with additives).

I have seen gas leak out the vent when full tanks get warmed up.  - steve

[Basscat7]

I have seen gas leak out the vent when full tanks get warmed up.  - steve

Gasoline will expand on a hot day due to thermal expansion. The coefficient of thermal expansion varies with the ambient air temp that's why you should never fill the tanks completely full.

[Eli]

I always hate when it's time to reread this post each year...