How to Winterize a Honda Outboard Motor

Winterizing one of Honda Marine's outboards may seem awkward the first time you do it. You don't fog the engine with fogging oil; you don't slap a pair of "ear muffs"---the common flushing attachment for outboard motors---over the raw water intakes or, for that matter, even run the motor at all. With a bit of planning---since your last outing is the start of the motor's winter preparations---your Honda outboard will be ready for winter.

Things You'll Need

• Fuel stabilizer
• Garden hose
• Screwdriver
• Approved gasoline container
• Oil drain pan
• Drain bolt sealing washer
• Oil filter
• Oil

Instructions

1. At the end of the last boating trip of the season, dock the boat. Lift the latch handle on the rear of the motor and lift the top cover from the motor. Set the cover aside.

2. Drain any fuel in the vapor separator, located on the front center of the engine compartment, into an "approved" gasoline container---a gas can. Add fuel stabilizer to the gas tank and run the motor for 10 minutes to circulate the stabilizer through the engine's fuel system. Replace the engine cover. Haul the boat out of the water and transport it to its storage location.

3. Remove the engine cover once more and disconnect the flushing port connector from the raw water manifold. Screw a garden hose into the connector and turn it on. Flush---but do not start---the motor for at least 10 minutes to remove salt, sand or other particles from the cooling system. Remove the hose and reconnect the flushing port connector to the raw water manifold.

4. Unscrew the drain bolt cover with a screwdriver and set the cover under the oil guide. Remove the oil filler cap, the drain bolt and its sealing washer and allow the oil to drain into an oil change pan. Install a new sealing washer on the drain bolt and reinstall the drain bolt, sealing washer and the drain bolt cover. Tilt the engine. Move the drain pan under the oil filter. Use a strap wrench to remove the filter, dumping the filter and the oil from the filter into the drain pan.

5. Screw the new oil filter into place and tighten the filter as tight as it will go with a strap wrench, then shift the wrench and loosen the filter 1/4 turn and add fresh oil through the oil filler, in the quantity specified in the motor Owner's Manual. Remove each spark plug and put two teaspoons of clean engine oil into each cylinder, through the spark plug hole. Turn the engine over, either by grabbing the flywheel and turning the crankshaft or by putting the emergency stop switch clip back in place and "bumping" the starter a few times to circulate the oil in the cylinders.

6. Reinsert the spark plugs and replace the motor cover.

Tips & Warnings

• Dispose of drained oil and gas properly.

References

• Honda Marine: Owner's Manual---BF200A, BF225A