Winterizing Your Outboard Motor: What You Need to Do

Winterizing Your Outboard Motor: What You’ll Need to Do (And Discover Our Top Outboard Motors for Sale)

Once the boating season is winding down and winter is knocking on the door, properly winterizing your outboard motor is important. Not only will this preserve the life of the engine, but your next boating season will be in high gear without costly surprises. If you’ve been doing this for years or are just starting out, taking the time to learn how to properly winterize your outboard engine will save you time, money, and frustration. Winterizing Your Outboard Motor

In this ultimate guide, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of winterizing your outboard motor, explain to you why it’s so crucial, and highlight the best outboard motors for sale with innovative features if you do find yourself in the market for a new engine. Because let’s be honest—sometimes winterizing is the perfect time to make an upgrade.

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Why Winterizing Your Outboard Motor Is Important

Not winterizing your engine can lead to:

• Internal corrosion
• Damage to fuel system
• Icicled water cracked engine blocks
• Clogged carburetors or fuel injectors
• Shortened engine life

They are all costly repairs, ranging in the hundreds or thousands of dollars. Winterizing prevents all of it from occurring by preparing your engine for sleeping through the winter, and removing any nasty surprises when springtime at last comes around.

Regardless of whether your 2-stroke or 4-stroke outboard motor is, winterizing will be something you ought to add to your annual maintenance schedule. And if your motor is a bit worn out, we even have some of the finest outboard motors for sale—by well-known manufacturers like Yamaha, Mercury, and Honda—to get you feeling safe by next season.

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Step-by-Step: Winterizing Your Outboard Motor

1. Flush the Engine with Fresh Water

Flush your engine with fresh water after your previous trip with a flush muff or built-in flush port. This removes salt, sand, algae, and other material that can corrode or clog the cooling system.

• Allow the engine to idle for 10–15 minutes.
• Check that water pump is pumping water properly.

Tip: Never allow your engine to dry out, even briefly. Have the water inlet in or connected to a water source at all times.

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2. Treat the Fuel System

Gasoline degrades with age and tends to deposit varnish or gum that clogs fuel lines and carburetors.

• Fill the tank 95% full to reduce moisture and condensation.
• Add stabilizer to the tank and run the engine 10–15 minutes to circulate it into the system.
• For carbureted engines, drain the carburetor bowl if possible.

Want to get rid of fuel system problems altogether? Our newer outboard motor designs feature electronic fuel injection (EFI) systems that won’t clog and are more efficient.

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3. Change Engine Oil (4-Stroke Engines)

If you own a 4-stroke outboard motor, you need to change the engine oil before storing it.

• Warm up the engine briefly to loosen oil.
• Drain plug removed and allow old oil to drain fully.
• Oil filter changed.
• Filled with manufacturer-approved marine-grade oil.

Dirty oil stored over wintering will acidize and ruin internal parts.

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4. Fog the Engine

Fogging oil prevents corrosion of internal metal components (such as pistons and cylinders) when stored for extended periods.

• Spray fogging oil into air intake while engine is running until engine dies.
• For EFI engines, refer to manual; others use different fogging requirements.

Looking for low-maintenance options? Our EFI units, such as our Mercury 60 HP EFI 4-Stroke, reduce fogging needs and are more efficient.

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5. Drain and Replace Lower Unit Gear Oil

Water can leak into the lower unit and lead to freezing, cracking, or rust.

• Loosen bottom drain plug and inspect the oil.
• Milky oil = water contamination = possible seal leak.
• Refill with marine gear oil, beginning at top plug.

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6. Grease All Moving Parts

Lubricate with marine grease:

• Steering linkage
• Tilt and trim pivots
• Propeller shaft (pull off propeller and inspect for line or trash)

This prevents it from seizing and rusting.

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7. Drain Battery and Store

Batteries drain or freeze in cold weather.

• Take out and disconnect battery.
• Clean terminals and store in a warm, dry location.
• Recharge monthly or trickle charger.

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8. Store the Engine in the Right Way

• Put motor in an upright position so that any water standing in it can drain.
• Cover with a well-ventilated motor cover.
• Store in a dry, cool place—preferably indoors or under a ventilated tarp.

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Considering an Upgrade? Shop Our High-Performance Outboard Motors

Winter is also the perfect time to assess your current engine. If you’ve had issues this season, now might be the right time to invest in a new outboard motor—especially with end-of-season deals available.

We offer a wide range of outboard motors for sale from top brands like Yamaha, Mercury, Suzuki, and Honda—2-stroke and 4-stroke models to choose from.

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🔧 Outboard Motors of the Day with Specifications

🛥️ Yamaha F70LA 4-Stroke Outboard Motor

• Horsepower: 70 HP
• Engine Type: 4-Stroke, SOHC
• Displacement: 996cc
• Fuel Delivery: EFI
• Starting: Electric
• Shaft Length: 20″
• Weight: 253 lbs
• Warranty: 3-Year Limited

Lightweight and very efficient engine ideal for mid-size boats. Great fuel economy and quiet running.

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⚓ Mercury 60 HP EFI 4-Stroke Outboard

• Horsepower: 60 HP
• Engine Type: 4-Stroke
• Fuel System: EFI
• Displacement: 995cc
• Alternator: 18 Amp
• Weight: 247 lbs
• Shaft Options: 20″ or 25″

Ideal blend of power, weight, and price. One of the most popular engines among weekend boaters and anglers.

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🌊 Suzuki DF140A 4-Stroke Outboard

• Horsepower: 140 HP
• Engine Type: DOHC 16-Valve
• Displacement: 2,045cc
• Fuel Injection: Multi-Point Sequential EFI
• Starting: Electric
• Weight: 394 lbs
• Shaft Length: 20″ or 25″

Compact footprint with greater performance-oriented action. Perfect for offshore fishing boats.

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🌀 Honda BF50D 4-Stroke Outboard Motor

• Horsepower: 50 HP
• Displacement: 808cc
• Ignition: MicroComputer Programmed
• Fuel System: EFI
• Starting: Electric
• Trim/Tilt: Power
• Warranty: 5-Year Factory

Fuel-smooth and dependable, Honda implements automotive-level reliability to the marine application.

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2-Stroke vs. 4-Stroke: Which Is Right for You?

When purchasing a new outboard, you’ll have to choose between 2-stroke and 4-stroke motors:

Feature	2-Stroke	4-Stroke
Weight	Lighter	Heavier
Power-to-Weight	Higher	Moderate
Maintenance	Frequent	Less frequent
Fuel Efficiency	Lower	Higher
Emissions	Higher	Lower (EPA-compliant)
Starting	Manual or Electric	Mostly Electric

Newer 4-strokes offer more reliability, cleaner emissions, and reduced noise, while newer 2-strokes (like Evinrude E-TEC) are narrowing the gap with cleaner technology.

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💡 Pro Tip: Save More in Winter

Purchasing an engine off-season nets you:

• Year-end discounts
• Overstock promotions
• Factory rebates
• Rapid shipping
• Better availability

We also offer financing and installation support, so you can be on the water come spring.

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Having Trouble Selecting the Perfect Engine?

We’re here to help you find the ideal horsepower, shaft length, and configuration for your boat and use. From an in-portable 6 HP kicker to a 200 HP monster for your offshore boat, we’ve got you covered.

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Final Thoughts: Protect or Upgrade This Winter

Winterizing your outboard motor isn’t maintenance—it’s an investment in protection. Do it today, and you’ll be happy you did when your motor hums to life like new come spring.

But if your motor is running low on fuel or you simply want improved performance, never was the time better to upgrade. Browse our entire inventory of outboard motors for sale—full features, warranties, and first-class service included.

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🛒 Shop Our Top-Selling Outboard Motors Now

✅ Top Brands: Yamaha, Mercury, Honda, Suzuki
✅ Range: 2.5 HP to 300+ HP
✅ 4-Stroke and EFI Models
✅ Free Shipping on Some Models
✅ Expert Service & Financing Available

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Must winterize or replace your outboard motor?