Should my outboard be up or down for the winter?

[ZmOz]

When I tarped my boat in september I had planned on building a nice PVC framed cover for it...so it wasn't really "put away". I think now I'm just going to leave the tarps on it the way it is. As some of you know, my Mercury 1500 is dead, so I don't need to worry about fogging it. Anyway...I have power trim, should my motor be left up or down? Or does it really matter? Also, is there going to be any problem leaving the lower unit exposed to the rain?

 

[wayne h]

Re: Should my outboard be up or down for the winter?

i would say down if you leave it up and rain gets in the lower unit and freezes it can crack.

 

[Elmer Fudge]

Re: Should my outboard be up or down for the winter?

I would trim it down, that way any water in the passages would drain out and not freeze.also it's a good idea to go ahead and change the lower unit oil.

 

[Trent]

Re: Should my outboard be up or down for the winter?

Down..

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Should my outboard be up or down for the winter?

Would it be better on the hydraulics if I covered the LU with a tarp and put it up, with the locking clips it has?

 

[radsrh]

Re: Should my outboard be up or down for the winter?

With the trim down there will be no load on the hydraulics so no need to worry about that, also the rams will be in so they will not be exposed to the weather.

 

[Skeeter1993]

Re: Should my outboard be up or down for the winter?

Leave it down to drain.

 

[ted655]

Re: Should my outboard be up or down for the winter?

My boat lives in the water. It does'nt freeze hard in Louisiana, but it does freeze. Shoud my 140 stay down or up?

 

[Elmer Fudge]

Re: Should my outboard be up or down for the winter?

Down,Down,Down, same answer Ted, freezing is still freezing, don't take chances it's not worth it.

 

[seahorse5]

Re: Should my outboard be up or down for the winter?

Another reason for leaving the motor down is that the trim and tilt rams are retracted and protected from the elements. A common problem causing leaking trim seals is the pitting and corrosion buildup on the exposed rams that damage seals and orings.