Cost of Outboard Winterization

[MickinMO]

What should be the typical cost and services involved on a 4 stroke winterization service from a reputable marine dealer service dept? My first season of owning a 4stroke and a new enough boat that I need to take proper care of it by the book. I have a 2012 Mercury 60HP 4 stroke

[fishinwrench]

4-stroke outboard winterization on a fishing boat (should you choose to) is 2.2 hours at whatever the shops labor rate is, plus the cost of materials.

It entails changing the engine oil/filter, changing the lower unit gear lube,  adding stabilizer to the fuel, draining the vapor separator if so equipped, or draining the carbs if not. Disconnecting the fuel supply hose, charging up the battery and then disconnecting the ground lead.  Then you add a splash of RV antifreeze to the livewell drains, and blow the water out of the speedometer tubing.  Charge up the trolling motor batteries and disconnect the ground lead(s) on them.  Put a squirt of grease in each trailer wheel bearing to push out any water,  then cover the boat up and kiss it goodnight.  😘

Expect to pay 280.00 - 320.00 P&L

 

[MOsmallies]

On 10/16/2018 at 11:48 PM, fishinwrench said:

4-stroke outboard winterization on a fishing boat (should you choose to) is 2.2 hours at whatever the shops labor rate is, plus the cost of materials.

It entails changing the engine oil/filter, changing the lower unit gear lube,  adding stabilizer to the fuel, draining the vapor separator if so equipped, or draining the carbs if not. Disconnecting the fuel supply hose, charging up the battery and then disconnecting the ground lead.  Then you add a splash of RV antifreeze to the livewell drains, and blow the water out of the speedometer tubing.  Charge up the trolling motor batteries and disconnect the ground lead(s) on them.  Put a squirt of grease in each trailer wheel bearing to push out any water,  then cover the boat up and kiss it goodnight.  😘

Expect to pay 280.00 - 320.00 P&L

 

This is great info!

[rogerdodger]

That’s why I drive an Etec

[jdmidwest]

10 hours ago, rogerdodger said:

That’s why I drive an Etec

What makes the Etec better?

Seems pretty simple to me, that is what you would do to any outboard.  You don't have to change oil in a two stroke would make it cheaper.

[rps]

1 hour ago, jdmidwest said:

What makes the Etec better?

Seems pretty simple to me, that is what you would do to any outboard.  You don't have to change oil in a two stroke would make it cheaper.

I will defer to the Wrench, but the design lessens the labor costs as well as the frequency in which maintenance is needed. In addition, as I understand it, if you have had one of the 300 hour maintenances done recently, you can fog the engine yourself and add your own stabilizer and be good to go.

[fishinwrench]

3 hours ago, rps said:

I will defer to the Wrench, but the design lessens the labor costs as well as the frequency in which maintenance is needed. In addition, as I understand it, if you have had one of the 300 hour maintenances done recently, you can fog the engine yourself and add your own stabilizer and be good to go.

Correct, that's why I added the "should you choose to".  

Winterization of outboards is really not needed.  The only thing truly mandatory before letting one sit through freezing conditions is making sure there's no water in the gearcase or anywhere else where it could freeze and bust something.  

Fogging the cylinders and stabilizing the fuel is pretty much "hokey b.s." ...but if someone requests it then service establishments certainly don't mind getting paid for it.   When someone requests "winterization" then they get the whole 9 yards. 😊

[shrapnel]

I'm gonna try to run mine enough it can't freeze!

 

[fishinwrench]

4 hours ago, shrapnel said:

I'm gonna try to run mine enough it can't freeze!

 

He says "try"......   cuz that's the way it goes with Mercury owners  🤣

[shrapnel]

1 hour ago, fishinwrench said:

He says "try"......   cuz that's the way it goes with Mercury owners  🤣

It's a 99 on it's original powerhead, and as we know it will run on 1/2 gas 1/2 water for quite some time. 

It loves to run, it just doesn't like to start!  Thank gosh for neutral rev.