Winterizing the Promax

[flying07]

Hi All,
Well, it's MN, and about that time of year again. Snow will fly, lakes will freeze, and I'll re-gauge my boat during it all. Question I have, is what should I do to winterize my Promax? I always run non-ethanol fuel, and it's always got Stabil in it. Obviously change lower unit fluid, and then fog cylinders, what else? Anything with the cooling system ? (fyi: i'm on a 1 piece plate, so a 280 cooling system necked down and plumbed like a 2.5). the boat will be in a 50 degree heated garage all winter. any advice or links to pages on what to do would be great. Thanks all!!

 

[Lotus 50]

I did just what you listed to my pm. Hope it's good

 

[Honda92]

That is all I do with my promax as well and have not had any issues

 

[ROBERT CROSS]

Pretty much covers it...we store indoors with the battery out and on a BT.

 

[flying07]

Perfect, thanks everyone!!

 

[hirk]

Mothballs or cloves under the cowling too, the little rats will eat your wiring.

 

[flying07]

Mothballs or cloves under the cowling too, the little rats will eat your wiring.

True story! i once had a mouse eat a hold in the hood of my new snowmobile!! yeah, the glass itself, damn mouse! i've found dryer sheets work pretty well for keeping them away, i have prior had a mouse make a nest in a container of moth balls!haha. . . .

 

[Bobalouie]

On my 280, I mixed up some double oil fuel and ran it thru the engine for about 15 minutes in the driveway, and while I was doing that I ran it in gear for a couple of min to get the gear oil warmed up a little bit. Put it back in the garage and changed the lower unit oil. Then I removed the lower unit and stored it in the house since my garage was not heated. About every month while in storage, I rotated the engine with a breaker bar about 90 degrees.

In the spring, put the lower unit back on after a water pump change, and she always fired right up. Let it run for about 15 min in the driveway on fresh new regular mix fuel to run the double oil stuff out, change the plugs, and its off to the lake.

 

[silverbullet02]

On my 280, I mixed up some double oil fuel and ran it thru the engine for about 15 minutes in the driveway, and while I was doing that I ran it in gear for a couple of min to get the gear oil warmed up a little bit. Put it back in the garage and changed the lower unit oil. Then I removed the lower unit and stored it in the house since my garage was not heated. About every month while in storage, I rotated the engine with a breaker bar about 90 degrees.

In the spring, put the lower unit back on after a water pump change, and she always fired right up. Let it run for about 15 min in the driveway on fresh new regular mix fuel to run the double oil stuff out, change the plugs, and its off to the lake.

If you've got the gearcase off, you could go ahead and pull the impeller out of the housing and it'll be good to go still in the spring. I've found sitting for long periods of time to be the worst thing for the impeller. By taking it out the ears won't take a set.

 

[whipper]

Heated garage = no worries. The biggest thing is the prep before you fire it up in the spring. Drain gas and lines of old fuel. yep thats about it. haha New impeller and plugs doesnt hurt and a little extra oil for the first run and be nice to her she will be waking up from from a long sleep. Must have coffee before you open her up and good stretch or she might pull a muscle.

 

[flying07]

Thanks everyone! The water pump and impellar is the biggest help, I've never pulled one before, but have pulled the lower unit. Just don't want to mess up aligning all the tubes and such, did that once and wondered why i had no water ! haha. . . .

 

[hirk]

+ on adding extra oil to your gas when you run the stabilizer through it. If its 50* you can leave the case on but rotate the fly wheel a few times over winter to to change the position of the impeller to help avoid it taking a set like mentioned above.

 

[allimax]

Some real good sugestions above. I'm at the mercy of ethanol fuel here so my thinking is to run it on Stihl MotorMix with an extra dose of 2 stroke prior to storage and as of this year not draining the VST. A heated garage is a huge plus but I never hear anyone explain why? A machinist buddie of mine explained it to me about not letting the shop get below 50* or the machinery will sweat. I worrie a lot about rust forming on the crank and needle bearings when storing for the winter. IMO the Pro Max is a PIA to fog.

 

[skewby]

man i'm glad that i live in south, i was taught to just put it in the river at least once a month and go marina hopping.