How to Winterize a Yamaha Outboard Engine

Winterizing is a process that protects your boat and engine from the cold temperatures and weather conditions associated with winter. If you own a boat, it’s something that you absolutely must do if you want your boat to be ready to run when spring comes. A Yamaha outboard engine is an easy one to winterize because you only need to take a couple of hours out of your busy week and you’ll be ready for spring.

Things You'll Need

• Fuel stabilizer
• Gas
• Fogging spray
• Lubricator
• Oil
• Cloths

Instructions

1. Add a fuel stabilizer to a Yamaha engine, but first make sure you fill up the gas tank. During the winter months it’s easy for water to seep inside your engine. Watered down gas will make it harder to start up in the spring. Using a fuel stabilizer will solve this problem.

2. Let your engine run for at least 10 minutes for the fuel to stabilize in the motor. Then spray the inside of the carburetor with a fogging spray. Continue spraying this until the engine stops or stalls. The fogger will cover the inside of your engine and add an additional layer of protection during the colder months.

3. Use a lubricator with rust protecting abilities on the outside of the engine, making sure to cover the carburetor and any other areas that you want protected. You can find this in a spray can from any marine or outdoor supply store.

4. Drain the oil from the Yamaha engine and replace it with an oil that holds up well in the colder months. At the same time go ahead and replace the seals on your water pump and add grease to the grease fittings. You don’t need to worry about first removing any older grease since the new grease will force it out.

5. Disconnect the speedometer and battery from the engine. The last step is to wipe everything down with a damp cloth and then dry it off with another cloth. You can then put the engine cover back in place and be ready to store your boat for the winter.

Tips & Warnings

• If you’re worried about doing the winterization yourself, take your boat to a local dealer. They’ll usually do the process for you and it’s usually not as expensive as you might think. It can also be easier for those who aren’t very mechanically talented.

• Winterizing is an absolute must for any boat owner, whether you use your boat often or not. It protects the engine from the harsh winter weather and ensures that it will be ready to go once the warm weather comes back.