# Winterizing a Mercury Optimax



## ohiojmj

I have winterized classic carb'ed 2 stroke Mercury outboards, but now I have a 90 Optimax. Are there any special techniques for draining the gas since I don't see a quick disconnect on the fuel line and there are no carb bowls to drain? Thanks for any help.


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## K gonefishin

My dealer does my Optimax but your owners manual should tell you what you need to do, change lower gear fluid is one. Put up a post on Walleye Central, under boats you don't have to register to post. Those guys are the motor guru's...or call Vic's Sportscenter or another Mercury dealer.


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## Hetfieldinn

I think the majority of boaters keep the tank full during the winter. Dump some Sea Foam in the tank, run it for a few minutes, then shut it down. Put the engine in the down position to let the water drain out of the motor. The Opti Max manual says to remove the plugs, and pour an ounce of your two stroke oil into each cylinder, then turn the fly wheel a few times to distribute the oil, and put the plugs back in. Change the lower unit oil, clean and wax the motor, grease any zerks on the motor, and put your cover on it. You also want to remove the prop so you can grease the shaft and check for any fishing line wrapped around it. I also put a trash bag over the lower unit, and cut one of the bottom corners out so any water that may get into it will drain out.


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## ohiojmj

Thanks guys. It seems like no one drains the gas out of the motor and that made me think some went beyond the recommended stuff.


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## Marshall

Got a 200 opti and i just run the tank low and add stabilizer to the tank on last trip out. I used to keep the tanks full until all this ethanol in the gas. I read a lot about ethanol blend gas on www.bassboatcentral. and winterizing. That way in the spring i don't have 48 gallons of old gas. I also don't think you want to run that opti motor completely out of gas like the older carb motors.


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## K gonefishin

I like to keep my tank very low on gas before I put it up for the winter the less the better...same as marshall I'd rather fill er up with fresh clean gas in the spring.


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## downtime8763

I have keep my fuel tanks full and stabilized since owning them( over 30 yrs) not including my dads who's first boat was bought new in 1956 and never had an fuel problem as a full tank draws less moisture than an empty one.My last Merc was a 2000 115 hp opti max and I did as Hetfieldinn stated my preset is a 2004 150ei and I do it the same way as it's in the manual. I also put a little oil on the linkages,steering rams and touch up any paint on the lower unit if it needs it


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## Marshall

Todays gas is not what it used to be. Thats why I run them low. Alot of talk been going on on other boards and supposedly the ethanol in the gas can seperate from the gas during long storage. Stabil makes a product that is supposed to prevent this but I have not used it.


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## Skunkedagain

Fish until ice-up and then make a trip to lake Cumberland in late February and don't worry about winterizing!


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## K gonefishin

Marshall said:


> Todays gas is not what it used to be. .


You got that right! my last Evinrude 250 Di smoked two fuel pumps due to bad gas the motor was out of warranty and cost 1000 to replace them. I only run Shell or Marathon and only run 89, even though my new motor has a 5 year warranty I don't need a break down 20 miles out on lake erie. I'll pay a little extra now to keep my motor running top notch to eliminate a maybe.


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## KaGee

STABIL MARINE will take care of your fuel over the winter.
Add fresh gas in the spring and you will not see a difference... provided you are changing filters in the fall.


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## ohiojmj

Finally gave up the fall bite on Erie and winterized my 2008 Optimax 90 per Mercury recommendations. Drained gas (2 places) from the aluminum gizmo that houses the gas filter. Unscrewed the plastic filter assembly from gizmo with a large screw driver shaft across the slots and deformed some of the fragile tabs on the flimsy plastic, oh well. Dumped the two teaspoons of Merc fuel stabilizer and two teaspons of Merc Quickleen into gizmo, replaced filter (lotsa torque to seat two orings even with 2 drops of 2 stroke oil on threads) and closed two drain plugs with hex wrench. Pumped fuel bulb (gas already treated with Stabil and Quickleen). Run with muffs for 5 minutes and shut off. Pull plugs, spray rust preventing oil into cylinders, turn flywheel, replace plugs. Plan to drain/replace low unit oil with Merc gear oil grease fittings at my leisure soon, before I forget.

Optimax manual warns of the evils of ethanol gas. I don't know if I used any ethanol gas, but will never again (knowingly) and have all winter to decide if I will siphon about 15 treated gallons out of my 27 gallon tank and burn it in my crappy car.

The '08 Lowe FM175 is now resting dry and comfortably in my semi-heated 50F-55F garage with batteries disconnected. Had to remove swing hitch to gain a couple more inches so I could close the garage door, yikes. Might just move the front winch frame up 3" sometime for better fit next year.

Can't wait to be jigging out front of Davis Bessie in the spring!


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