Will My Engine Be Okay

I have a 18 foot SeaArk with 90HP Merc Jet, and I dont want to lay the boat up for the winter because of all the good fishing that can happen on the big lake in the winter months.

My question is will my engine be okay if I keep the boat in a garage that isn’t heated. Bought the boat from a guy in Grand Rapids michigan and he regularly used it in single digits.But it is quite a bit colder here.

Thanks

I would just make sure you lower the motor all the way down to make sure all the water gets out of there and probably drain your lower unit to make sure you have no leaks.
Other than that you should be fine, but if you do get it out, make sure you get all that water out of the motor at the landing or you could have issues with it freezing.

It will be fine.

Just put the outboard in the full down trim position. that will allow all water to self drain out of the outboard.

All of the usual other steps apply for storage. Run the carburetor dry if applicable. Remove spark plugs and fog all cylinders with fogging oil.

I personally run non ox gas so I don’t do anything to fuel left in the tank. I am not a fan of unnecessarily adding a whole bunch of snake oil to gasoline because I believe there is potential for it to do more harm than good.

Grouse

Thank you. Nice thing about a jet is it’s easy to run dry in a day of fishing so fuel isn’t my concern. Also I have to tow it with the engine trimmed all the way down (the foot on Jet puts too much strain on trim and Jack Plate if its tilted too far). Guess I just have to be smart and take the time to ensure all the water is out of it.

CaptainMusky wrote:

I would just make sure you lower the motor all the way down to make sure all the water gets out of there and probably drain your lower unit to make sure you have no leaks.

Drain the lower unit? The bearings in a jet pump are grease filled and enough new grease should be pumped in, that it purges any water, regardless of the temps. You will be able to see the difference between water contaminated grease and uncontaminated grease.

Not sure if your motor has a water pump for the engine cooling or relies on bleeding some water from the jet and redirecting it up thru the engine for cooling. If there is no rubber impellor (no water pump as such) one can run the engine (on the ramp before leaving) for just a couple minutes to heat up the engine block, just enough to truly dry the cooling passages.
Probably not necessary but could be done, just don’t overdo.

I have a merc jet 40. There are no special requirements for winterization. The only issue will be the shift cable freezing up while out on the water below freezing. I carry a hand torch to heat it up.

Dave maze wrote:

I have a merc jet 40. There are no special requirements for winterization. The only issue will be the shift cable freezing up while out on the water below freezing. I carry a hand torch to heat it up.

Thank you! I imagine its just wonderful to have shift cable lock up in subzero weather.

I’d like to add to make damn sure your batteries stay charged and maintained. If you have a low battery it can freeze and explode at very cold temperatures. This happened to a friend of mine last year.

biggill wrote:

I’d like to add to make damn sure your batteries stay charged and maintained. If you have a low battery it can freeze and explode at very cold temperatures. This happened to a friend of mine last year.

Holy crap, how did your friend make out biggill?

Drizzy Musky wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dave maze wrote:</div>
I have a merc jet 40. There are no special requirements for winterization. The only issue will be the shift cable freezing up while out on the water below freezing. I carry a hand torch to heat it up.

Thank you! I imagine its just wonderful to have shift cable lock up in subzero weather.

I had mine freeze up on rainy while on the water. I pulled my tiller handle apart so I could unhook the shift linkage so I could start my motor. It worked out that it was froze with the gate down. Coating your shift cable with WD-40 will help with freezing up but it won’t always be enough.

Explode is a strong word. Think pop in the freezer explosion.

Funny thing is, I sold him a 1 year old battery the prior summer. He blamed it on me because he thought the battery I sold him exploded. He later found out it was an older battery. Makes sense. Older battery will have a lower voltage.

Unrelated to your engine, of which you have gotten good advise, but has to do with cold weather and boat launches. A few years back, I was heavily into musky fishing in cold weather, right up to ice up. One thing that really helped was to keep a bucket of sand, with a little sidewalk salt mixed in with it, for the launches, especially if someone else put in or took out just before you. Sand alone, by itself doesn’t work all the time, as in the cold, it will tend to freeze up in the bucket. Really helped in getting the boat out at times, as even though I had 4 wheel drive, there were times I couldn’t pull the boat out without sand.

Not really sure why you are keeping it ready anyway. Nothing bites out there in the winter.

dbright wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Drizzy Musky wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Dave maze wrote:</div>
I have a merc jet 40. There are no special requirements for winterization. The only issue will be the shift cable freezing up while out on the water below freezing. I carry a hand torch to heat it up.

Thank you! I imagine its just wonderful to have shift cable lock up in subzero weather.

I had mine freeze up on rainy while on the water. I pulled my tiller handle apart so I could unhook the shift linkage so I could start my motor. It worked out that it was froze with the gate down. Coating your shift cable with WD-40 will help with freezing up but it won’t always be enough.

I disabled my neutral safety for that reason. Ive tried grease and slick 50 on that cable but it will fill up and freeze anyway.

I’ll have to coat shift cable in WD thats for sure.

I already carry salt in my car for getting up ramps. The main thing is to let your trailer drain over the water before driving up the ramps…but like you said not everyone considers this.

Biggill; I’m keeping it ready for sight seeing purposes

Drizzy Musky wrote:

I’ll have to coat shift cable in WD thats for sure.

The WD40 Silicone lube version, might be better than the standard WD40. My jet had exposed linkage rods rather than an enclosed cable, so no freezing issues there.

Tire chains on the truck has helped me a time or two when I used ramps that no one else does late or early in the season.