Final winterizing tips ?

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From: Chuck S (Original Message) Sent: 10/21/2003 4:32 AM
Winter is arriving fast on the North Coast.

Amelia Anne is going indoors at the county fairgrounds on 1 Nov, so this is her last weekend home. She'll be under her Sunbrella cover inside the building.

I've been thru the winterizing pages in the Honda 50 owner's manual. I've run the engine out of stabilized fuel, disconnected and drained all the fuel lines, and lightly fogged the engine cylinders. Fresh oil in the crank case. She's only a few hours out of her 20 hour service, so I'm leaving the lower end alone.

Battery is indoors, sitting next to the camper battery for monthly charging. The tanks are here in the garage, full of stabilized fuel, and will feed the snowblower all winter.

Any other tips for the land-of-hard-winter-water?

-- Chuck
 
Chuck S,
I didn't see any answers to your winterizing question, but the only thing I would add would be to remove the prop and grease the shaft each fall. Your motor is so new that it probably isn't a factor this year anyway. But if you use it in salt water it is an important annual procedure. I know from experience that it can be very hard to remove otherwise, especially if you are leaning out over the motor in rough water 10 miles from port. I always carry a spare prop and the tools to change it on the water.
 
Hello C-Dory Folks,
Winterizing Levity before we get hit with some real winter. Anybody have any experience changing the oil filter on a Honda 90? Specifically, what method is used to prevent the oil contained in the oil filter from draining out once the filter is cracked loose and before the filter can be freed from the threaded fitting and then tilted so the oil remains in the filter itself. It seems to me that without some method the oil will drain into the impossible to clean engine housing? Do you tilt the engine to the maximum horizontal position before breaking the filter loose? Use a rag to collect the little that will pour out? Make a funnel to direct the drainage into a container?
Also has anyone replaced the oil drain plug cover screw with a bolt? The slotted screwhead is begging to get stripped every time I put my best wide blade screwdriver on it. Seems like a bolt head tightend with a socket would be a more durable fastener.
Thanks.
Mike 'Levity"
 
Mike -

Yep - tilting the motor nearly all the way up is how I do it. On both the 130 and my previous 75 (same as 90) Hondas, the oil lost from the filter that way is drips at most. A rag at the ready takes care of that. It seems to me that the filter is less than half full after sitting for a while, so theres not much to worry about. I like to crack it loose before tilting because it's easier to get at.

The hard part is catching the stream of oil from the drain hole. She shoots right out. I fashioned a funnel out of a plastic milk jug for that. Just start whittling holes in the side until the plastic fits under and around the little plate sticking out in the way beneath the drain plug, then drain through the jug into a bucket. It also helps keep the last little bit of oil from running down the side of the motor.

I know what you mean about the slotted screw.

Cavu's suggestion to grease the prop shaft is a good one. An old Honda mechanic (not Les - believe it or not, even older!) told me that the lower unit should be removed once every three years to grease the splines for the drive shaft and shifter shaft. And, he says, since you have it off, replace the water pump impeller at the same time. It is pretty easy to pull the lower unit with the boat on the trailer. I even saw an old Honda mechanic (yep - it was Les) do it with the boat in the water.

Have a good winter! What are you going to do until spring?
 
Thanks Mike,
Tilt to horizontal is what I will do then! Switch to a bolt rather than srew for the drain plug cover, have already fashioned the drain oil funnel from a water bottle, and apply some anti-seize to the prop splines.
If time allows this winter a Barber chair, additional bilge pump, and new ground tackle will be added to Levity. What's your plan for the cold and dim season?
Mike 'Levity'
 
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