Starting Boat after its has been sitting for 2 years
 

My poor boat has been sittingin dry storage for the past 2 years and we are going to try and get her ready for the season this year. Just wanted to get some o-pinions of the not so obvious things that I should do (ie oil and filter, drive oil etc) to get her back on the water. I have a 7.4 MPI with a bravo outdrive. Also, the boat had a half a tank of gas in it when it was last stored (it is in Florida) should this be drained?? ANy advise would be appreciated. Thanks.

Fixx
 

Drain fuel, change oil,Greece all Greece zurts,Greece coupler,check trim pump reservoir,check power steering fluid,check belts for cracking,change sea pump impeller,change oil in sea pump(refill with merc hp drive lube),change drive fluid, check throttle and shift cables,last but not least add some chevron concentrated fuel injection cleaner

Top off the fuel with some 93 and maybe a few gallons of race gas:drink: change the oil filter and oil. I would hold off on the fuel/water filter until you run that old gas out if you don't drain it. Change your raw water impeller they tend to brake when they sit that long without use. Change your plugs.

Check all your hoses and power steering fluid. Pull the coil wire and turn it over until you have oil pressure.

One thing I also would do is make sure you have a good battery, disconnet your kill switch/saftey lanyard (so it won't start) and turn the engine over until you have good oil pressure on the gauge. I actuallly do this everytime I start my boat if it's been sitting a while, a few days or more. This way you know you have oil moving through the system and it won't be a dry start.

I don't post very often but this thread relates to something I've dealt with several times with a variety of pieces of equipment. My response is different than the previous and I'll probably take some heat for it. The only caveat I offer is that I live in New England and possibly the Florida environment will offer differing results. Here goes......

Unles you're prepared for regular or unexpected repairs do a stem to stern inspection or overhaul or sell it. From experience with my own boats, race cars and snowmobiles and those of friends and family I've found a pattern. Once you've followed the previous suggestions, which are all good, it will probably start up and run fine. Lots of joy. Then further down the road... an alternator, water pump, fuel injector, engine or about anything else that moves or carries current will begin to fail. Without doing a lot of deep maintenance you have no way of dealing with the rust and crud that gets into bearings, seals, cylinder walls, guides, pumps or about any other mecahnical or electrical component. Just my two cents and that may be all it's worth but consider that these failures occur regularly when the lay-up is only for one season. It won't be better after a second.

All of the above suggestions are fine with the exception of turning the engine over to build oil pressure. Pull the distrubutor and spin the oil pump with a priming tool to build oil pressure. DO NOT turn the engine over to build pressure. After sitting that long, there will be absolutely no oil on the bearings. You will spin the crank with it rubbing on the bearings for over 10 seconds until it builds pressure. This is an excellent way to destroy the bearings. Spend the time to pull the dist. and prime the oil system the correct way. Good luck
Eddie