Grant Ferris
Grey/Bruce Outdoors

Except for a few diehard cold weather anglers, October means it’s time to do the chores that will ensure your boat is ready for spring. Shawn Nagle has the Aqua Marine shop at the south end of Port Elgin. He stressed that a few hours maintenance in the fall can save a fortune in repair bills in the spring. Some of the simple things cost only a few dollars but neglecting them may result in serious damage to inboard or outboard motors. If you aren’t comfortable with doing these tasks or have concerns with your particular motor, take it to your local marine dealer before cold weather arrives.

• Add fuel stabilizer to your fuel tank, according to directions on the bottle or can. Too much can be harmful to your pistons, according to Shawn. The stabilizer will prevent the breakdown of fuel and gumming up of your carburetor. Built-in tanks should be stored full but portable tanks may be either drained or treated with stabilizer.
• Change the lower end gear oil, noting colour and condition of the drained oil. Black oil is normal, white or creamy oil indicates a seal problem has allowed water to enter, metal filings indicate gear damage requiring repairs.
• Remove the propeller and check for fishing line which may damage seals. Grease shaft and replace the propeller.
• Grease all fittings, grease nipples and steering cables.
• Hook up a cooling water supply to the motor, start it and allow it to run until it gets up to operating temperature.
• Remove the engine hood and carburetor cover if applicable. Disconnect the fuel hose while running the motor or shut off the fuel valve on small motors. As the motor is running out of fuel, spray a commercial storage spray or engine fogging spray into the carburetors until the exhaust is smoking. This will coat the engine interior with a protective film of oil and prevent rusting of bearings and other components.
• Outboards with power trim should be stored in the down position, batteries should be removed, stored off cement floors, and trickle charged every couple of months during the storage period.
•  When spring comes, you should do a tune-up and then enjoy a trouble free boating season.

• Add stabilizer fluid to the tank, according to directions on the container. Leave the tank almost full so winter condensation is minimized.
• Drain the gear oil from the outdrive and replace with new oil. Take note of the colour as white or creamy oils means seals are leaking.
• Remove the stern drive. Grease U-Joints and the splined shaft. If the stern drive was difficult to remove, have the engine alignment checked to prevent having to pay for an expensive engine coupler replacement next season. 
• Replace the stern drive using a new gasket and o-rings.
• Remove prop and inspect for fishing line, lubricate the shaft and replace.
• Pump grease into all the stern drive grease fittings.
• Start the engine and let it get up to operating temperature. Shut it down and change the oil and filters. Do not leave dirty oil in the engine over the winter.
• Restart the engine and remove the flame arrestor from the carburetor. While the motor is running, spray storage seal down the carburetor, when the exhaust begins smoking, continue spraying an additional 30 seconds and then shut down the engine. 
• Remove all drain cocks and drain plugs from motor.
• Remove the hoses from the thermostat housing and pour in non-toxic anti-freeze into all of the hoses until antifreeze comes out of all open drains.
• Replace all of the drains and fill all of the hoses with anti-freeze to ensure the block is filled with anti-freeze. Re-attach and tighten hoses.
• Remove batteries and store off cement floors. Recharge several times during the winter.
• Store motor with the outdrive in the down position to prevent stretching the bellows out of shape.
• Although inboard marine motors have frost plugs to minimize ice damage just like a family car, corrosion can weld them in place. Southampton welder Gilles Roy has had to repair many inboard motor manifolds that were cracked by the tremendous internal pressure ice creates when owners failed to follow proper winter maintenance procedures.