winterize or not?

My boat is kept in an insulated garage .....never gets close to feezing. Should I winterize and if so can someone give me some suggestions on winterizing. I am new to this. The motor is a 2001 50 HP 2 cyl. Mercury.

Thanks

I wouldn't winterize. I would just fill the gas and put stabil in it.

Jim said:

I wouldn't winterize. I would just fill the gas and put stabil in it.

Click to expand...

I agree with Jim.I'd also check the lower unit gear case oil and change it if there's water in there.It'll look like coco if there is water in the gear case.I'd also drain the carb bowls.This will keep sludge and varnish from clogging the tiny passages inside the carb.

WINTERIZE that is when i do most of my fishing . take the bottom oil plug out and see if it has water [ oil looks like chocolate milk ] . if you live way up north you can`t run the boat for several months . yes winterize .if you have ethonol in the gass drain it . it has a short life span . try not to run it and leave some it the tank and carbs .

Shoot! This cold snap screwed me. My insulated garage didn't keep it warm enough. The water dishes for the pets froze. I have yet to winterize my boat.; am I screwed or not? The gasoline tank is half full and had stabil in from last year. Should I top it off and add stabil? You guys mentioned that I should check the lower unit for the oil to look like chocolate. I have no clue what/where that is. I am checking to see if I have the engine book...in the mean time any help would be appreciated.

okay, i found the maintenance book and i checked the oil in lower unit. No water and clean oil....It was winterized by a dealer last year.

You should winterize.

Having said that,I don't think your "screwed".
This is not a good practice but I have a few smaller outboards that I have never winterized and they have been fine,along with lawnmowers,chainsaws..etc..The worst problem I've run into is the carbs need a cleaning.Maybe I'm just lucky.
Wouldn't want your rings to stick or water to crack your lower unit so winterizing is a peace of mind.

I don't winterize. Of course, I boat throughout the winter, just usually once every 2 - 3 weeks, instead of more than once a week like in the summer. Only thing I do is change the gear lube before the first freeze, and store the motor tilted down, so water drains out of the cooling system, as opposed to leaving it on the motor toter in the spring/summer/fall months. All you should do is run stabil through, and fog the cyls. on top of what I do, and then replace the water pump impeller come spring. Or, pull it out and run it on muffs once every 3 weeks, and replace the impeller every 2 + years, and don't bother fogging it. Just bump start it (with kill switch pulled) to drain the rest of the water out after you do that.