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| Probably going to store the lil Honda in the basement again for 4 months. Is fogging necessary? Have not done it yet. This was the 2nd season with this 2006 15 hp. Thanks. |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | I take it that your Honda is a fourstroke. There is no need to fog a fourstroke. Only thing I would suggest, if you haven't already done it. Change your lower unit oil. After two seasons, if you haven't, it probably couldn't hurt and just might need it. Especially if you haven't done it at all since you bought it.
Edited by Merckid 11/7/2007 10:21 PM
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| Thanks. I had been reading other sites and did not see anything mentioned regarding 4 strokes. I did chane the lower lube last fall, as well as oil, oil filter and plugs. One fellow who has one on his sailboat said he just laid it down inside his boat for the off season, then hauled it out to hang it again the the spring, and it fires right up. I have been tempted to leave it out this winter. I'd rather wait til spring to do the lower lube, because I may fish later this year than last. If i wait til the spring, I believe I will store it indoors again. Oh my ache-ing back..... |
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Posts: 226
Location: W. PA. | You absolutely should fog a 4 stroke. The cylinder walls of a 4 stroke are the same as a 2 stroke and can begin to form rust in a short period of time without the protection of fogging oil. This is less likely being inside but could still happen. You have a $3000 engine, the better question would be why wouldn't you take 5 minutes to shoot some oil into the spark plug holes and turn it over once? |
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Posts: 4
| Fogging oil will loosen and prevent varnish and prevent rings from sticking as well. Small block chevy in a 20 footer. Four stroke? You bet. Stored in the garage. You bet. Fogged the cylinders through the plug holes, pulled the coil wire off and turned it over for 3 sec. YOU BET.
30 hp Johnson, 100:1 fuel/oil, stored outdoors. Same thing? Nope. Run it on the muffs and the hose so you don't burn the impellar and fog it through the carb till it stalls. Next spring, every spring, new plugs. Don't cut corners while winterizing if you want to fish in the spring.
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Location: Athens, Ohio | You should also store it in the basement standing up, not laying down like your buddy's with the sailboat. Keeps lower unit lube on the lower seals and prevents them from drying out and leaking. m |
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Posts: 341
| What about gas, empty or fill her up and add stabil? I store mine outside. |
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Posts: 226
Location: W. PA. | You'll get mixed responses on the gas question. The old line of thought was to keep them full to reduce condensation. With the new boats having plastic tanks this is not much of a problem anymore. Presently most people seem to think keeping them empty is better because the gas breaks down over the winter so you get a full tank of new gas in the spring. I still run the stabil in mine though, I just put it in what I figure will be my last fill up. |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | Bruce,
You will be fine if you don't fog this motor. I ran a 2001 Mercury 115 for many years and I never fogged that motor. I started that motor up the first time, everytime in March for the early season walleye run on the Fox River. I too ran stabil through the lines but that was it. Like you mentioned Bruce, you haven't seen anything on fogging fourstrokes online because there is no true need to. One other thing you can do is, run premium gas through the motor. That way, the gas will hold up better than regular gas. I've had the go around on this subject with multiple people, and working for one of the largest Ranger dealers in the country. They do not fog fourstrokes. But say what you would like, there is no need to fog a fourstroke. |
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| i suggest you call an actual Honda Marine authorized service provider and ask them.
a certified Honda mechanic will give you the right advice based on their training and expertise working on your kind of motor.
there's certain things that i'm very cautious about getting expert guidance about, and expensive motors is one of those things for me. if they say to fog it, i'd fog it. if they say it isn't necessary, then don't.
you can locate your nearest one here:
http://www.honda-marine.com/dea.aspx
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Posts: 341
| I winterize my Honda four stroke every year and the Honda auth dealer fogs it.
FYI |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | Well that's good that you do. You don't have too...that's how a dealer makes money. |
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Posts: 341
| As long as it starts every year I could care less what they do  |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | well that's all that matters. Nothing more to be said. If your happy thats what matters. I'm not trying to put you down on it, so don't take it that way. I'm just stating the facts. |
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Posts: 341
| Not at all.
I used to fog all my lawn equip, snowmobiles etc but lately just run 93 octane and stabil last tank full, like you said.
What actually do I get for my 150.00 winterizing service on my outboard?
Fog
Blow out water
Oil change
disconnect batteries
grease fittings
That's about it right?
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| Wow, did I stir up something or what?? I'll call the local dealer for the Honda's. Oil into the cylinders I can do. The more complicated things I have read here recently on winterizing i question if it is needed for mine. One local fellow does not run Stabil at all. He has a 115 Merc 4 stroke. He fishes right up til ice and says his motor/tank sits for only 3 months. Said something about Stabil eating on some seals. Anyone hear of THIS? Thanks for all the help. |
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| Ok I found out that Merc would void his warranty if he used Stabil. He had to use some Merc treatment. The Stabil will loosen up and gum up things in an OLDER motor. He changes out the lower lube and the bearings. He fishes into December and then starts up again in March. |
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Posts: 3508
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | I guess I look at it this way...fogging won't hurt the motor, so if you do it and it does not require it, you're still safe. I personally feel that a little extra lube to coat the cylinder walls cannot hurt... a little more smoke to start the year, but that is small beans...
Steve |
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| Absolutly fog the motor. Fogging a motor is done to protect the cylinder walls and rings in a four stroke. If you do not are you going to notice anything in spring? Probably not, in the long run is it better for your motor, yes. If not fogged year after year you will get small rust pits and loose performance over time. With a valve open your cylinder is open to the environment and moisture, thus condensation with temp changes. |
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Posts: 2323
Location: Stevens Point, WI | Bruce, you are right on the Stabil. Mercury actually has there own stabilizer they say to use. However, you have to go to a Mercury dealer to obtain this. Not to just any hardware store. I said stabil because it's the most common thing and I didn't know the exact name of the Mercury product off hand. When I took my fourstroke in every fall, I would get the lower unit oil changed and they would put the Mercury stabilizer in the fuel. I can't remember the name of the stuff off hand, but can find out real quick. |
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Posts: 86
| You can get the Mercury/Quicksilver brand at Bass Pro as well. I just dumped in a bottle this last weekend when I filled up. |
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Posts: 166
Location: Gurnee, Illinois | I have a Yamaha F115 fourstroke, and the owners manual says to fog the engine before storage. Been doing it every year, and the motor has performed flawless. 20 extra minutes of time is worth the piece of mind.
Dave |
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| Finally dug out the manual and they said to put a teaspoon of oil in each cylinder and then pull the rope several times to disperse the oil inside. That is it. No starting it up. |
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Posts: 144
| why will stabill void your warranty. I see a lot of guys using seafoam too. Does that void mercs warranty. I think merc recommends using their products but my warranties don't say anything about being void because of stabill. |
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Posts: 5
| Fogging:
I have owned boats for 32 years and used to work at a marina. I don't always fog because I use the boat late into the fall (December) and get the boat back out usually in February. If my boat was going to sit for awhile, and I wanted to skimp on fogging, I would probably skimp on my 2 stroke, being that those cylinders are already coated with oil (oil mixed with gas), while the four stroke gas has less lubrication.
A good point was made though, it only takes a few minutes and the expense is minimal, so why not fog if the rig will be sitting idle for an extended period ?
Edited by campfire 11/9/2007 4:16 PM
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Fogging really necessary?