Outboard motor lower end left in water???

[CHARLES333]

I have a crest pontoon boat with a mercury 90 hp outboard 2 stroke motor & i'm wondering if i should trim the engine lower end, out of the water when it's parked in the water, which is in my backyard or should i trim it up out of the water???
I keep the pontoon in the water year round as i live on a lake & have been told both leave it in water & also that i should trim it up out of the water??? The person that said to leave it in the water said that raising it out of the water would dry out the impellar or some gaskets???
Also what should be done in the summer vs leaving the lower end in the water all winter as we do get into freezing tempertures here in mississippi???
Thanks in advance !!!

 

[robert graham]

Re: Outboard motor lower end left in water???

I'd trim it up out of the water all the time when it's parked. Set the tilt lock. Good Luck!

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Outboard motor lower end left in water???

If you can trim it completely out of the water, that is the thing to do, in the summer. If you are going to get freezing temps, leave it all the way down in the water, so it won't freeze.

Nothing will be damaged by tilting it all the way up in the summer.

 

[72seastar]

Re: Outboard motor lower end left in water???

depending on where you live you would need to have it tilted out of the water during the winter months too where we live the ice on the lakes will get thick enough you can skate on and that will do damage to the internals of the lower unit i imagine

 

[CHARLES333]

Re: Outboard motor lower end left in water???

I'm still abit confused, as i see answers both ways???
To clarify, it does get down below freezing occaisionally but never does the lake get frozen enough to walk on or more than an inch thick & it doesn't stay that way for very long.
For the past couple of years i've tilted it out of the water & not had a problem, but this year i've left it in the water so far so stay tuned & we'll see what happens???
Thanks for all your replies though!!!
And
happy new year to you all!!!

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Outboard motor lower end left in water???

Tilting out will help to reduce corrosion. You were given preferences to tilt it out; all the way out if you can, since it didn't freeze (all that much) where you live, not where someone else lives.

HTH,
Mark

 

[steelespike]

Re: Outboard motor lower end left in water???

We used to boat into the first week of December motor in the water here in the frozen north and many mornings you would have to pour hot water over the the lower unit to be sure the impeller was thawed out.
I would suggest raise it out of the water on all extended dockage it will reduce corrosion and keep gunk from growing on the motor.
You very likely need to keep your logs clean as well.

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: Outboard motor lower end left in water???

It's really best that you pull the whole boat out of the water if you're not going to use it for a number of months--much less during the winter.

It's just not worth the hassle of cleaning the boat bottom, and your engine will last so much longer if kept out of the water. Your boat will also be worth so much more on the used market whenever you decide to trade or sell it.

At the least, you need to change the rubber impeller and lower unit grease the first of every season--before using it. You would want to keep the motor down when not used.

 

[sschefer]

Re: Outboard motor lower end left in water???

If you can trim it completely out of the water, that is the thing to do, in the summer. If you are going to get freezing temps, leave it all the way down in the water, so it won't freeze.

Nothing will be damaged by tilting it all the way up in the summer.

Theres only one reason not to trim it up.. Prop thieves.. They scrap them out and make a pretty good living at it from what I hear at the marina. If the motor is trimmed down they tend not to mess with them.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Outboard motor lower end left in water???

In the summer trim it out of the water in the winter leave it in the water because if you trim it up you trap water in the exhaust housing that can freeze and ruin your lower where if you leave it in the water it won't freeze.

So it is the freezing you are worried about, there is no worries with seals or pumps, I store my boat in my garage so my engine is dry most of the time and it hasn't hurt the seals at all.

 

[Sea Rider]

Re: Outboard motor lower end left in water???

If you moor your boat in cold weathers at temp below 0?C, there is danger of water freezing in the water pump, which might damage the impeller. To avoid this issue, submerge tail in water or tilt above water level and pull rope or electrical starter with lanyard disconnected ro darin water out from tail area.

Happy Boating