I strongly endorse regular, preventative maintenance
as one way of avoiding those $75 an hour mechanic’s
bills.
Kicker maintenance
·
Run your kicker once a month, year around.
·
On four-stroke outboards, change engine crankcase lube oil
at end of cruising season, or as recommended by the
manufacturer
·
Clean lube oil is cheap insurance
·
Two-stroke outboard engine lube oil is pre-mixed with
gasoline
·
Opti-2
has higher-than-average lubrication specifications
Changing leg oil
·
Do it at end of cruising season
·
(Gives you fresh oil in the leg for spring start up)
·
If oil drains clean, simply refill with fresh OMC leg oil
·
If it drains white and milky you have emulsification (water
in the oil)
·
A trip to the outboard repair shop is in order!
Salt deposit removal
·
Flush with Salt Away prior to putting outboard away
for winter
·
Fresh water alone does not remove salt build-up
·
Salt Away
flushes tank, dissolves build up in cooling water
pickup tube and power head water passages
·
Also circulates through thermostat, reducing risk of
sticking in open or closed position
·
Add
a few ounces to freshwater flush tank then run it up
·
Run for five to 10 minutes then drain
·
Add clear fresh water and run for another five to 10
minutes
·
A strong stream of cool water will be pumped out
·
If not cool to the touch, check in at the outboard shop!
Water pump impeller
·
Made of neoprene, they do wear out
·
Worn impellers make outboard engines run hot
·
Remove and replace, as required
Plugs, hoses and fuel
·
Old plugs get oil fouled
·
New plugs are cheap and easy to replace
·
Clean the rubber gasoline line hose before trying to start
up
·
(Sure makes for less pulling on that starting cord!)
·
Gasoline goes flat after three months, creating start-up
problems
·
Make your own bleed line, using a short piece of hose and
primer bulb
·
Connect and bleed off the old gasoline in the line
Following these tips should make your spring
outboard start up a lot easier.
