mcollinstn

I'd steer clear of the "Heet" or moisture absorber. Alcohol (the main ingredient) will harden rubber hoses, needle seats, and powervalve diaphragms (as well as any rubber parts in an injected system).

Go with the Sta-Bil, fill the tanks to the top. When you pull her out in the spring, drain the water separator after letting it run 10 minutes on initial startup. You'll also want to clean or change the plugs after that startup cause they will have oily residue on them from the fog.

You also left out drive lube. Change drive lube on winter button-up to make sure there is no water left in the drive to rust the bearings.

Shooter

does putting 2-cycle thru a new fuel-filter cause problems. I did it with a new one last year - 1st EFI I have owned

SledgeHammer

I would also suggest some mothballs in a container and some rat poison in a container left out on the floor of the boat in case any rodents decide it might be a good place to spend the winter. I have known several that did not do this and ended up repairing upholstery that became part of a nest.

technicalx

Any comments(about the winterizing), deletions or additions for those of us in Texas? I'm from Chicago so understand that winter starts...last week.

Just curious as to steps taken in a more subtle climate.

thanx.

Airpacker

Wash and wax hull. Its nicer to see a clean boat when you unwrap it

Wally

iTrader: (1)

OK guys....#19,24,25 have been added or amended. great list coming out of this! keep the suggestions coming!

WildThing-You should be just fine following this list for your 496H.O. For the most part a motor is a motor no matter what you have.....the main thing is to make sure you dont have any straight water left anyplace for it to freeze and do damage to anything.

Shooter-not sure what you are asking...if its about having 2cy oil in the filter during winterization its not a big deal because as i have writen you put a new filter on right after you are done with it. Check out #11

mcollinston-heat has been removed from the list.......though i think with the size of most tanks on a boat (100gal+) one or two bottles in the mix wouldnt affect much if at all and would get any moisture out of the system.

Dave1972

In regards to mothballs inside the boat I would not recommend it because that smell stays with the boat for quite some time.....a trick I learned and have been using for the past 10 years or so is to use Bounce dryer sheets inside the boat to fend off rodents. I'm not sure what's in them but apparently they don't like dryer sheets. I buy a big box of them and have the sheets spread out all over the carpet in the cuddy and cockpit areas as well as the bilge and storage areas. Smells much better than mothballs.

Packn....good point...a nice clean fresh waxed boat is much better to see in the spring when unwrapping.

Wally

iTrader: (1)

OK the mothballs have been 86'd

bcoffield

What about the sea water pump.
Replace impeller

Wally

iTrader: (1)

Good suggestion! And has been added/updated