Winter time - Should I bring my 9.9 Merc inside?

[rooooney]

I have a 2000 9.9 mercury 4stroke on my boat. After I winterized it I thought about taking it off the boat and putting it in my heated basement. Would the benefits of it bringing it in heat would be worth all the trouble or is she fine out in the cold?

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Winter time - Should I bring my 9.9 Merc inside?

Not familiar with winterizing recommendations for 4 strokes. One would think that the owner's manual would instruct you if you had a block drain petcock (similar to an auto engine) that needed attention.

On 2 strokes, if the engine is vertical, all the water (to speak of) drains out.

Only problem you could have would be water in your lower unit gearbox. Easy test is to not have run the engine for several days, have the engine tilted with the rear up slightly, loosen the lower screw (on the bottom of the lower unit gearbox housing) and carefully remove it just enough to get some fluid to drain out. If you get oil and no water you are good to go. If any water comes out you need to find the leak, fix it and refill the gearcase with fresh oil.

You tilt the engine to get the screw to the lowest point of the gearbox.

Oil floats on water so any water is on the bottom and first out the hole.

If you haven't changed your oil lately now would be a good time to do so and change your gaskets on your drain/vent screws.

How frequently you change oil depends upon usage (as far as I am concerned; some say annually; I say that depends). For no more than I use my boat and the fact that I never encounter water when changing, I do it every couple years or so and use Merc's best lower unit oil.

I usually do my changing this time of year so that if I do have a problem I can catch it before water cracks my lower unit housing.

HTH

Mark

 

[rooooney]

Re: Winter time - Should I bring my 9.9 Merc inside?

She's already winterized - I was just wondering if there are any advantages to bringing her inside.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Winter time - Should I bring my 9.9 Merc inside?

Suit yourself. Those engines are used all over the world in all seasons for years on end.

Only reason to not do it if that's what you want is fuel and explosion/fire issues with your dwellings heater.

Now that you mentioned it, I see where you mentioned that you had already winterized it. Sorry for the oversight.

Mark

 

[CharlieB]

Re: Winter time - Should I bring my 9.9 Merc inside?

Half the reason we winterize motor is to protect the cyl walls and rings from oxidation caused by water vapor.

The heated air inside the house, even in the basement, has more water vapor than the cooler air outside and in any UN-heated garage space.

Granted, fogging the motor adds a measure of protection, but reducing the water vapor level is also of benefit.

If the craft is left outside, a proper fitting cover is also recommended not only to help keep out leaves, etc. but reduce sun fading.

Remember to remove the bilge plug and raise the nose just enough too drain any possible water intrusion.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: Winter time - Should I bring my 9.9 Merc inside?

Well that's all well and good, but temp variations cause air to move back and forth; constant temps don't. I have farm machinery weighing 10,000 + #. I live in the south. Cold fronts from the north come in and chill everything down with cold dry air with obviously very low humidity and no sweating of any kind....actually dries things out including the leaves in the yard. Two days later, the wind reverses and comes up from the Gulf of Mexico; warmer and much more humid. Well everything is cold soaked by now and is much cooler than the environmental air.

SO everything in my shop drips condensation and the heavier it is, the more it sweats. Nothing in my house does this because I have a relative constant temperature and even put a pan of water on the stove to add humidity to the otherwise dry air in the house that dries out you sinuses and helps you to get a cold if you don't do it.

So if it's humidity you are worried about and live in the south, bring it indoors. Up north, it may get cold and remain there and never get the opportunity to warm up (and sweat) till spring.


Mark

 

[jbjennings]

Re: Winter time - Should I bring my 9.9 Merc inside?

If I lived in Ohio, I'd most definitely bring it in my basement. I had the impression that's what everyone up there does. You wouldn't have to worry as much about your lower unit freezing although that shouldn't be a problem since as you've said, it's winterized. I'd think that the constant temp. would be IDEAL. It might also keep folks from putting the 5-finger layaway on your motor. And keep things from falling on it, etc., etc. No way that keeping it inside at a constant temp. is not better for it.
JMO,
JBJ

 

[CharlieB]

Re: Winter time - Should I bring my 9.9 Merc inside?

Both good points.

But I ain't big enough to carry my 115s down these stairs to my basement.

 

[sschefer]

Re: Winter time - Should I bring my 9.9 Merc inside?

It's only a 9.9 throw it on your sholder and put it in the basement. Why debate common sense?