Longggggg term storage

[Schmoe]

Got a question. With a new baby coming this December, I can almost kiss next boating season adios. My question. When I go to winterize, what should I do about the fuel in the carb.? It's a '97 3.0 Mercruiser engine. I know about all the other stuff, i.e. changing oil, lubing all grease zerts, putting trailer on jack stands, dropping the outdrive, fogging the engine, battery removal, etc. etc.
Boat will be stored on a concrete floor with metal walls. It has a mechanical fuel pump. Does that carb, Mercruiser not the Rochester, have a bowl drain? I'll add Stabil to it, but I think setting for 2 years, the Stabil might not have any affect. Take the fuel line going to the carb off? Or crack it enough so fuel will drain? I don't think that will drain the bowls though? Any ideas?????

 

[doyall]

What about siphoning all but about a half gallon of gas out of the tank and then running the entire system dry? That way you would get the tank, fuel pump and fuel/water separator emptied out the best you could as well. Just be sure to do your fogging at the same time. (p.s. The Pennzoil fogger doesn't fog like they say a fogger should fog.)

 

[JonS]

It should have a drain on the carb. You should at least take it out a few times next summer. My daughter was born in Sept, and we had her in the boat in May. 8 years later and she still loves it. I would not drain the carb. All you need to do is get out once next summer to get the gas moving thru the carb. BTW, i heard thicker oil (straight 40w or 50w) clings better for long storage.

 

[Schmoe]

Roger that. That's all I've used on this engine is the 40 weight. I'll probably go with the Pennz. LL 15w40 this time though, or the Delvac, same grade. Curious as to why you say don't drain the carb. I know from experience that gas will tear the #ell out of a carb that has been sitting for some time. I like the idea of running the tank dry, no fuel in the system, then filling it up. Or maybe, leave it empty. I've used the Mercruiser fog, and liked it, but it is pricey. I had another alternative that I learned from another BB site, but I forgot what it was. Fogging oil, isn't that simply WD-40? Or some composite thereof?????

 

[1 FMF]

If the boat is going to sit for over a year, I think it would be worth the effort to remove the carb from the boat and get all the gas out of it. I think you have the same 3.0L setup I do, if so it should be very easier to work on. I wouldn't trust stabilizer for longer than a year; better to have everything clean and dry than stabilized gas, just my opinion. Gas in anything, especially metal, will leave a varnish if it sits long time. Same goes for the fuel pump and metal fuel lines. If you can get all the gas out of the motor all the way to fuel tank including the fuel pump and fuel filters, that would be the way to go. Might take some effort priming everything when you go to start it, but that's still easier/cheaper than replacing the fuel pump or having to rebuild the carb. Or having recurring fuel related problems thereafter- been there.

 

[JonS]

Some times without any fuel in a system for a long time, some of the seals and o-ring will dry out and crack. I always feel good with Sta-bil in the carbs. It is good in gas for 2-3 years. Run the tank as low as possible. And just add fresh gas when you fire it back up.

 

[1 FMF]

about the fuel tank, best to have it completely full of gas that's stablized. That will keep moisture from forming and getting water in the bottom of the tank, especially if it's stored outside. If you're storing the boat indoors climate controlled then that's a different story, but I wouldn't worry about varnish or buildup inside the tank. That will happen no mater what over time and is normal and won't hurt anything. It's worse to get any water because if it's a metal tank will form rust.

 

[darrenc]

Schmoe,

Go to boatfix.com and under the Article menu there is a very good step-by-step article on Winterizing. I've used the method for fuel system and cylinder layup and it really is foolproof. For long term storage, you are really better off with fuel in the system and carb (that is well stabilized) to prevent seals from drying out and shrinking. Briggs and Stratton makes a fuel stabilizer that claims 24 month stabilization. Good luck. feel free to PM me for more direction. How's the new one comming along?

Darren

 

[darrenc]

quote:

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Originally posted by darrenc:
Schmoe,

Go to boatfix.com and under the Article menu there is a very good step-by-step article on Winterizing. I've used the method for fuel system and cylinder layup and it really is foolproof. For long term storage, you are really better off with fuel in the system and carb (that is well stabilized) to prevent seals from drying out and shrinking. Briggs and Stratton makes a fuel stabilizer that claims 24 month stabilization. Good luck. feel free to PM me for more direction. How's the new one coming along?

Edit: Opps, just saw your above Post on your Bun.

Darren

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[friendly_jacek]

Congrats on the new boater!

 

[Schmoe]

FMF, if I disconnect the supply line going into the fuel pump, and the pump is on the bottom left side, as your looking at the front of the engine, would that sufficiently drain the fuel in the pump and the lines running to the carb? I'm thinking that would relieve pressure and then gravity would do the rest. Boat will be inside, but I am leaning towards TOTAL fuel removal. I could occassionally fire it up next season, but if I don't get a chance to run it much, I'm looking at re-antifreezing and draining the block, removing the battery and re-fogging. Seems like a pain in the @ss to do that for that purpose, IMO. Or just take the youngster with us. Don't know if the wife will go along with that. It gets pretty hot down here in Ok-ra-homa some times. Taking the carb off.....been wanting to get it rebuilt, I have the "too much" fuel problem that pretty much all 3.0 L and LX users have that have the Merc. carb. You know, that sounds better the more I think about it. Taking that carb. off is a piece of cake, about 4 minutes, max.

Friendly Jack, thanks. My 2nd, her first. Been there, done that. I'm just gearing up for the worse about the boat. Found out it's a girl, going to be interesting around the lake when she gets older. But hey, she might have some cute friends....and guess what.....her Dad has a BOAT!!!!! Chick magnet!!!!

(God, I hope my wife never finds out about this site, I'm DEAD)

 

[1 FMF]

schmoe- with the fuel pump I want to say no because it's mechanical with a diaphram and I think it should hold pressure (around 6psi) on the output side even though the input side fuel lines are disconnected. When it doesn't hold it's prime like that means they're bad. It would be easy enough to tell though, just remove the input fuel line to pump. If a lot of gas drains out the input side of the pump, and the motor runs fine, then I'm wrong about the pump

But if it doesn't drain out then disconnect the output lines as well, and crank the engine a couple revolutions to push the fuel out of the pump.

 

[Schmoe]

Good stuff!!!! Danke Schone!!!

 

[Steve S]

Mercury marine must have recommendations on winterizing.How about letting me use your boat for the long term.

 

[Schmoe]

They do and there is a ton of information out there on that exact subject. However, they really don't get into long, long term setup's when it comes to fuel. I feel better getting input from the BITOG brethren. Use my boat? Awww, you got to be kidding. It's the only thing I have since I got married. It's like a kid to me.

 

[Bror Jace]

Slightly ...

What type of antifreeze should you use in a boat engine during the off-season. We have been using low-tox versions of automotive antifreze ... but it's very expensive and I don't think it's the right stuff to use.

I've heard the red/pink "RV" stuff can crystalize inside the motor blocking off passages. But this was only from one source and I can't verify it.

--- Bror Jace

 

[Schmoe]

The whole antifreeze toxic thing got a bad rap in my opinion. I think the Sierra stuff is for non-mechanical person that would probably let the stuff drain down the curb. I use and have used ONLY the green stuff, Prestone or its equivalent. I've heard bad stuff about the RV orange and I just don't like the Sierra stuff either. This is what I do after the winter lay up. Take the boat down to the local diy spray car wash. They have oil water separators that drain into the sanitary sewer lines that goes to the waste water treatment plant. Unscrew the manifold drains and let the antifreeze run out to the bottom of the boat through the hull. Spray out the bottom of the hull with the sprayer and screw the drains back on. Lake ready.

 

[Bror Jace]

I guy who professionally winterizes boats, RVs, etc ... came and winterized a boat (not ours) which is being stored on our property.

He used this really neat pump to get the oil out through the dipstick hole. It was "Tempo" brand. He (like we) had an electric pump but this neat thing (which lookd like an overgrown bicycle pump) worked much better.

--- Bror Jace

 

[Schmoe]

That's what I use. Has a metal tube in the middle, one end has threads so that you can screw it on to your dipstick (if so equipped) and the other end a hose. Got mine at Walmart 3 years ago. Saw them again at Auto Zone last week for about 20-ish bucks. I don't like the electrical ones because I'm not convinced they are intrinsically safe. One spark, KA-BLOOEY.