...18' Crownline boat.
The boat is 4 years old and has blown a sparkplug. They appear to never have been changed, although we have taken the boat to be winterized every year to the dealer we bought it from and they have charged over $250 a year to winterize the boat and change the oil. We were never told that we should change the sparkplugs. Any help out there?
What is entailed with winterizing a boat? Does that include changing spark plugs? We have a...?
How to Winterize a Boat Motor
Contributor
By eHow Contributing Writer
Article Rating: (17 Ratings)
It signifies the end of summer when you pull the boat out of the water and get it ready for winter storage. Of course, if you own a boat you know it's not quite that simple. You have to winterize the motor, which is probably the most important thing you do regarding maintenance of your boat. The following guidelines will help you take the right steps to winterize your boat motor.
Instructions
Things You'll Need:
* Fuel stabilizer
* Boat flushing kit
* Fogging spray oil
* Antifreeze
Step 1
Pull your boat out of the water. Thoroughly wash and clean the entire boat including the deck and the cockpit areas. Don't forget to run and drain the bilge pump so nothing is left in that line and leave the plug out while in storage. If your boat has toilet facilities, drain, flush and clean these areas as your boat manufacturer recommends. Leave the storage areas open so moisture doesn't build up inside. Make needed repairs or make a list of things that need to be repaired before putting the boat back in the water next boating season. Place life jackets in an area where they can air out.
Step 2
Take special care to %26quot;winterize%26quot; your boat motor. Fill the fuel tank first with some fuel stabilizer and second with marine fuel. Run the motor long enough to make sure the gas treatments have reached the fuel lines and engine area. This will keep the fuel remnants from spoiling in the tank or turning into a gummy varnish, which may ruin your tank, not to mention the condensation and oxidation that may occur.
Step 3
Flush out the cooling system to clean out or %26quot;flush out%26quot; sediment or bits of rust. Start this by removing the plug to drain the water from the engines. Use a %26quot;flushing kit%26quot; that you can purchase from a boat supply or boat dealer. Then, pump back into the cooling system some anti-freeze. If you don't flush out the cooling system, you can have ice freeze in the line and seriously damage or ruin your engine.
Step 4
Spray the engine with oil that will help to prevent rust build up. It is recommended that you use fogging oil that you can purchase at a boat supply or boat dealer. This type of oil is specially formulated to not slide off the boat cylinders, but rather stick to it. The fogging oil can be sprayed through the spark plug holes once the engine has cooled down enough to remove them. Don't forget to replace the oil and the oil filters as well. Change out the lubricant in the lower unit gear casing. You don't want any water left in these areas as it will freeze and cause damage to the gear casing.
Step 5
Take a good look at the prop on the boat. This is your chance to examine it for nicks and damage. If your prop isn't in good condition it can cause a %26quot;trickle down effect%26quot; to damage other parts of the engine.
Step 6
Refer to your instruction book or owner's manual to be sure that you can use a moisturizing spray lubricant, like a silicone product, on the electrical terminals and fuse panels. Check out your steering system and make any necessary adjustments.
Step 7
Cover your boat with a boat cover made for your model of boat if the boat will be stored in an outdoor area.
What is entailed with winterizing a boat? Does that include changing spark plugs? We have a...?
You had a loose plug if it blew a spark plug, Telling me the dealer didn't do anything.
Go to Walmart and get a Bottle of STABIL read the instructions and fill the Tank with Gas and add the stabil. Change the plugs and cover the boat and change the lower unit grease and you should be good.
Winterizing a boat consists of protecting the engine from the cold, and the elements along with it.
The basics of winterizing is to fog the engine (this coats the pistons and the cylinder walls with thick oil and protects it from rust,)
Changing the oil is recommended but not necessary this will assure you that when you are ready to take your boat out in the spring you are worry free about any service issue, same thing with the plugs, if they dont need to be changed, dont do it. Remember winterizing is only to proctect the engine during the cold.
Also you will need to remove the battery and keep it indoors, and once a month plug it into a battery tender.
Remember to flush your engine, and dont leave any water in the hoses, because it could freeze and bust your hose, flushing will also help to protect the engine from oxydation and rust, depending where you rode at.
yiy
Some dealers recommend changing the plugs others don't but we do the standard winterization and then commission the boat in the spring which involves changing the plugs and insuring everything is up and running right with an on the water test.
Basically you get what you pay for.
Changing spark plugs is not a normal part of winterization. It is a part of regular maintenance. Your owners manual should describe tune up requirements. I've never seen a spark plug %26quot;blow-out%26quot; unless it had been loosened, and not reinstalled correctly. They don't just loosen by themselves.
Nobody has yet mentioned drive belts. You should ensure these are all slackened off so they are not left tight all winter. Cold temperatures causes the belts to tighten and therefore stretch. This will cost you nothing if you have a spanner or two. Also a good squirt of Duck Oil or WD40 all over the engine will inhibit rust formation.
It would be nice to know what motor is in your Crownline. Different motors have different winterization procedures, but the basics are the same for all:
remove the prop, check hub for damage, grease propshaft and re-install the prop.
drain and replace gearcase lubricant, checking for water/ contamination.
grease all pivot points / grease fittings
check swivel shaft, tighten if nessecary
check trim/tilt function and fluid level
remove/ stabilize fuel, change fuel filters
engine oil %26amp; filter change
if closed circuit cooling, check level/ strength of coolant
remove all petcocks and applicable hoses, drain seawater cooling system. Some engines require you to flush the system with RV antifreeze, some don't.
%26quot;fog%26quot; engine if applicable. Most EFI engines do not reccomend traditional %26quot;fogging%26quot;.
Check all other fluid levels, inspect engine and boat for any signs of damage, wear, etc.
For more complete info, refer to your owners guide / service manual, or to the engine manufacturers website. Changing spark plugs is generally part of a tune up, not winterization, and is usually performed in the spring, after launching the boat.
The best place for your boat to be during the winter is out of the water, under cover, in a climate-controlled boat storage area. This, however, can be expensive. If don't have this option perhaps you should consider shrink-wrapping your boat. This, too, is a little expensive but provides a very protective cover. Short of these two items, make sure that your boat is well covered with a tarp or some other sturdy cover.
Inboard Engine(s) - You should run the engine(s) to warm it up and change the oil while it is warm. This tends to allow impurities to be drained away with the oil. You should also change the oil filter(s). Flush the engine(s) with fresh water. You should circulate antifreeze through the manifold by using a pickup hose from the waterpump to a bucket of antifreeze. Start the engine and allow the antifreeze to circulate until water starts to exit the exhaust. This process will vary slightly depending on whether you have a %26quot;Raw Water%26quot; cooling system or an %26quot;Enclosed Fresh Water%26quot; cooling system. While you're in the engine room you should also change the fluid in your transmission. Remove spark plugs and use %26quot;fogging oil%26quot; to spray into each cylinder. Wipe down the engine with a shop towel sprayed with a little fogging oil or WD-40.
Stern Drive(s) - You should thoroughly inspect the stern drive and remove any plant life or barnacles from the lower unit. Drain the gear case and check for excessive moisture in the oil. This could indicate leaking seals and should be repaired. Clean the lower unit with soap and water. If your stern drive has a rubber boot, check it for cracks or pinholes. Grease all fittings and check fluid levels in hydraulic steering or lift pumps. Check with your owner's manual for additional recommendations by the manufacturer.
Outboard Engine(s) - Flush engine with fresh water using flush muffs or similar device attached to the raw water pickup. Let all water drain from the engine. Wash engine down with soap and water and rinse thoroughly. Disconnect fuel hose and run engine until it stops. It is important to follow a step by step process to make sure that all fuel is drained from the carburetor to prevent build-up of deposits from evaporated fuel. Use fogging oil in the cylinders to lubricate the cylinder walls and pistons. Apply water resistant grease to propeller shaft and threads. Change the gear oil in the lower unit. Lightly lubricate the exterior of the engine or polish with a good wax.
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