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Author Topic: Optimax winterizing  (Read 12161 times)

Offline clvalent

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Optimax winterizing
« on: December 01, 2016, 07:38:26 PM »
What do I need to do to successfully winterize my '99 200hp optimax? From what I understand I need to:

-Put stabilizer in fuel and run the outboard.
-change lower unit oil
-spray fogging oil under spark plugs

What else, if anything do I need to do to successfully winterize?
1999 Ranger 518DVX w 200hp Optimax
2011 F-150 Lariat

Offline Curt

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Re: Optimax winterizing
« Reply #1 on: December 02, 2016, 10:00:45 AM »
What do I need to do to successfully winterize my '99 200hp optimax? From what I understand I need to:

-Put stabilizer in fuel and run the outboard.
-change lower unit oil
-spray fogging oil under spark plugs

What else, if anything do I need to do to successfully winterize?

All of the above. Some people also fog their outboard while it's running and then shut it down. This draws the fogging oil into the entire fuel system and coats the cylinder walls with a light mist also.

One hint is to run fuel stabilizer in your tank all season long, which will help keep your fuel as stable as possible during the entire fishing season. This should especially be done if you burn gas with ethanol in it, since ethanol based fuels go bad much faster than those with no ethanol.

It's also a good idea to change the fuel filter on the engine and the water separator filter (if you have one), which is typically mounted in the bilge area.

Another thing you might want to consider is dropping the lower unit and checking the water pump impeller. And change it out if it shows signs of wear.

Some people change their spark plugs immediately after fogging the engine and shutting it down. I disagree with this, however, since those brand new plugs can get fouled in the Spring when you fire the engine up for the first time with all of that fogging oil still in the combustion chambers. When you start the engine for the first time after being fogged, it will tend to smoke quite a bit for the first few minutes of running, as the fogging oil burns off. That heavy fogging oil can wreak havoc with those shiny new spark plugs.

So leave the old plugs in for the winter and for the first trip out in the Spring. And then change them after that first trip is out of the way.

Hope this helps. And I'm sure some others might have some additional things to add.
« Last Edit: December 05, 2016, 03:09:52 PM by Curt »

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Offline frugalangler

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Re: Optimax winterizing
« Reply #2 on: December 05, 2016, 11:53:43 AM »
AND, come spring, change the water pump impeller, don't do it in the fall as it sits all winter and will conform to the housing, change in spring. Changing the LU oil in fall is so that if there happens to be water, it's removed and won't freeze and crack the LU housing - expensive and it happens.

Personally, I've found that if the engine is running correctly, the plugs will burn off first time out, provided you let the engine warm up correctly and then run WOT for a few with a light load. New plugs in an Optimax is an EXPENSIVE deal and not normally necessary. If it were a carb'd or EFI, that might be a different story as they inject oil much differently.

Also, if you are treating the fuel for winter, be sure to fill the tank completely, so there is no room for air expansion, a near empty tank is much more prone to breathing in moist air which will condense and leave water behind.

Most fuel filters/separators have a drain for getting the water out, and some also have a separate separator, use it, and you can replace the filter less frequently.

Also, be sure you raise and lower the engine fully in both up and down, some will trap water and you need to get it out before it can freeze and crack the LU.

The other thing I didn't see mentioned is battery care, if you have a GOOD charger that is a multi-stage unit, leave it plugged in and check the water level monthly, if it's a older charger, or you don't know if it's a multi-stage, make it a ritual to plug the charger in for a day every month. You don't want to over charge a battery (good multi-stage chargers won't) but if you leave it and it discharges it could freeze. A fully charged battery will NOT freeze (see my  other post in a thread on winterizing for details).
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Offline Curt

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Re: Optimax winterizing
« Reply #3 on: December 05, 2016, 03:15:51 PM »
AND, come spring, change the water pump impeller, don't do it in the fall as it sits all winter and will conform to the housing, change in spring.


I'm a bit confused about this one. What would cause the impeller to conform to the housing? Are you saying that the impeller blades will hold a certain shape from sitting all winter? The only way I can understand this happening is if the impeller blades are actually making contact with something that would hold them in a bent position while it sits. But that doesn't seem plausible to me, since the impeller itself shouldn't be making contact with anything that bend the blades.

Can you clarify that for me? Thanks  :thumbup:

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Offline frugalangler

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Re: Optimax winterizing
« Reply #4 on: December 05, 2016, 04:12:12 PM »
@Curt, that is EXACTLY what I'm saying. The impeller housing is egg shaped (so to speak) and it's the compression/expansion of the chambers between the blades of the impeller that creates water pressure, when the impeller blade cavity then (at it's most compressed point) hovers over the discharge plate there is a hole that exits to the water jacket, hence a flow of water through the engine.

The worst thing for a impeller is to sit long periods of time, I've removed one that had sat for a year and it was hard, not springy, and conformed to the shape of the housing, and showed signs of fatigue cracking - you really don't want to have chunks of rubber let loose and go into the water jacket!!

Personally, around these parts we can get by replacing the impeller every other year because we (meaning die hard anglers) typically have a very short winter season. Just last weekend my boat was out in the water, and I suspect it will be again at least once between now and early March, our first TX will be the 25th of March, and I usually have the boat out once before that in March to check out all the systems. You  guys with a long winter over and hard water will leave them set much longer, and it's my recommendation to change yearly in that environment. Learn how - not hard, and not expensive to order just the impeller and gaskets - don't need the complete kit, I usually get mine for about $28 or so.
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Offline bullet20dc

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Re: Optimax winterizing
« Reply #5 on: December 05, 2016, 04:41:26 PM »
Like Frug mentioned NEVER change out the impeller in the fall   from not being rotated it will harden and conform to the shape of the cup and in the spring it takes a while to pump correctly or might break a vein altogether  i like changing them every spring some guys go 2 years but the way I look at it you have a 19,000.00 motor  (250 or 225)  cheap insurance at 45.00 for impeller and 20.00 for oil every year   ez to do by yourself  look at utube for instructions or pay a mechanic 100.00 plus parts   still cheap insurance    donr forget to plop some grease into the center shaft , helps   keeps water out
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Offline Curt

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Re: Optimax winterizing
« Reply #6 on: December 05, 2016, 06:54:10 PM »
@frugalangler amd @bullet20dc Thanks for the heads up. Definitely excellent info!

And all this time mine was getting changed in December  (fp)

As for the length of my boat's down time, I will typically fish right up until the first week of December or so and start up again in mid March, provided that we have open water. So my off season isn't as long as many who live here in the Northeast  (nope)

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