Long Term Engine Storage

[linckeil]

My 1973 850 is being pulled from the boat this winter and will be replaced by a 1972 1400.

The 850 runs great but I haven't decided what to do with it just yet. I'm gonna build a stand for it and it will sit in the basement for at least a year before i even consider selling it.

My question is how should I prepare this motor for long term storage? It's going to make its final run within the next month. What steps should I take while its still on the boat running? And what steps should I take once its off the boat?

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Long Term Engine Storage

If it were mine, I would do a thorough decarb using SeaFoam then run the engine to blow out the crud. If this has not been done before, you might do a second or even third treatment. Treat the fuel with Stabil or SeaFoam and run the engine until you are certain the treated fuel is pulled into the engine. Then fog the engine using any of the available fogging oils. Remove the plugs, give each cylinder and extra shot of fogging oil and rotate the engine a few times to distribute the oil. Change the lower unit lub and put it to bed. If the carbs have drain screws, you might want to drain them but for just one years storage, I would leave them full.