Starting i/o in the garage

[nightvision]

Hi all,<br />Can you walk me through the process starting the motor (out of the water) to charge the battery and keeping thing lube during the winter. I live in central California so winterization is not necessary. I have an Mercruiser 130 3L with an Alpha one (2005). As I understand it, you purchase a muff and connect the hose to it, turn the water on, and start the engine. <br /><br />a. Where do you put the muffes on?<br />b. How long would you run the engine? If figure the boat has been sitting for about two months or so. <br />c. Anything you woud recommend I do at this time for maintaince purpose?<br /><br /><br />Thanks.

 

[QC]

Re: Starting i/o in the garage

You put the muffs on the smooth area with holes in it just above the propeller shaft portion of the lower unit. It'll make sense when you are looking at it. Make sure you cover up ALL of the holes there. About five a side.<br /><br />Get good flow and wait a second or two to get the water flowing good into the drive. Make sure there is nobody near it (propeller ) and go for it. Watch the temp gauge and see if you can "watch" the thermostat open. I usally rev it to about 1200 RPM to speed up the process and get some heat going. I run it for about five minutes like that.<br /><br />Then I check again to make sure nobody is back there and put her in gear, forward and reverse just to get everything spinning. I don't spend a lot of time in gear as water is flying everywhwere and it sacres me to death having the prop spinning (dogs, cats, little people, big people).<br /><br />When it is nice and hot it is a good time to drain and change your engine oil and drive lube. Check your owners manual for info on that . . . Good luck!!

 

[tommays]

Re: Starting i/o in the garage

i would pull it into the driveway its not worth the mess and sucking up the Carbon Monoxide even if you open the door<br /><br /><br />tommays

 

[Lou C]

Re: Starting i/o in the garage

Yep for sure pull it out, and if you are going to put it in gear, why not remove the prop to be safe, only takes a minute. Also then you can grease the prop shaft when you reinstall the prop. I would never put it in gear when running on the hose, you never know!!!<br />Oh, and by the way, make sure that your wife is not doing the wash or taking a shower right then, it will lower the water pressure enough to overheat the motor and you will have to replace the impeller--I learned that the hard way once!

 

[hearly]

Re: Starting i/o in the garage

do not rev above 1500 RMP and you probaly should add Gas Stabilisation treatment to your tank as gas breaks town after 60 days.<br /><br />Yuo will also need to change the oil & Fuel filters, best to do it now before the boat hit hte water.<br /><br />best of luck

 

[Scaaty]

Re: Starting i/o in the garage

Go to the FAQ's section and read up on how to 'Winterize". Just because it don't freeze means zip. Stabil the gas, change the oil, and put a float charger on the batt and its good for a year for a short answer

 

[JStutz]

Re: Starting i/o in the garage

I don't think running it just to "keep things lubed" is a good idea. Best off to throw a battery tender on the battery and leave it sit for the winter months. After winterizing of coarse!<br /><br />Jeff

 

[CATransplant]

Re: Starting i/o in the garage

Well, when I lived in California, there was no non-boating season. I used my boat every month of the year.<br /><br />Now that I'm in Minnesota, it's a different story, by far. Boating season here seems to be late May to October. Not nearly long enough.

 

[MFG197]

Re: Starting i/o in the garage

Bad Idea. although fun to hear boat run you are better off maintaining the batter electrolite level and trickle charging. you may not be subject to freezing, but probably should fog the engine to keep it "lubed up" running engine just creates moisture and contaminates oil.