10 Things To Keep Your Outboard Running Forever (or almost forever)

Today we look at 10 things that you must do to keep your outboard running well!

Motor used in this video is a 2018 Mercury 6HP 4-stroke
Boat 1984 12' Coleman Crawdad

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Disclaimer: Use at your own risk. SAFETY FIRST! Always read your own owner's manual and service manual and understand all safety items for your specific boat, motor, and parts. I am not an expert mechanic or electrician. All of the information I share is for entertainment purposes only. Consult your boat, motor, and parts' manufacturer, owner's manuals and service manuals for expert advice. Boating and repairing/maintaining a boat motor can be dangerous. Please make sure you fully understand all risks involved so you do not get injured or worse. Once again, all content on this channel is for entertainment only. Please only attempt any of the things in these videos unless you have adequate skill, have fully read the owner's manual and service manual, and even then continue at your own discretion and risk. I am not responsible for your boat, motor, and am not responsible for keeping you safe. I am not an expert and not responsible for any errors or omissions, or for the results obtained from the use of this information. This is for entertainment only. All information in this video is provided "as is", with no guarantee of completeness, accuracy, timeliness or of the results obtained from the use of this information.

[mikezelenko]

Thank you. I’m a beginner. Very helpful

[zbazz]

Dude, I've learned alot from you videos. One thing I do all the time is run the engine with the fuel line disconnected until the engine runs out of gas, just before coming up from water. This way, the carburetor is out of residues.

[PapaMav]

Another tip: try not to use gas leftover from the prior season (this likely pertains to different regions differently). I rarely go through a 3 gallon tank in a season. What is left, I pour into my Tacoma, which is around October. I actually got this idea from an ECHO equipment salesman; he said the amount of oil in the gas is so minimal and the electronic engine controls in the Taco and other moderrn vehicles, is so good, having a little bit of oil in a gallon or less of gas, does no harm (when I was in college, I worked for a painter who swore by putting a can of Marvel Mystery Oil in the tank of his van each year). I have been doing this for about 8 years now to no ill effect. I add the boat gas when the tank is just a little less than full.

[WoodboogerFishing]

Good reminders that I need to hear (more than I’d like to admit)👍🙂

[prynceal]

Keep up the awesome work I can tell u spend time on this stuff and you don't mind sharing the knowledge....btw...How do you go about flushing the 6HP Merc after use...mine will only be in Salt water?

[stroke-outboard-FRL]

I have two 35/40 yr old Tomos 2stroke air-cooled outboards ( 4hp ) they still run butter smooth. I don't leave the tail in the water in season, before season always fresh tail oil, new sparkplug, and ignition adjustment. They are mainly used as small engine to move around when fishing.

[Mazdaspeed]

What if it stays in a heated garage it won’t freeze .?

[MullockHeap]

I have the same motor, best thing I purchased just before petrol/gas prices went up. It sips fuel.

[aaronhastings]

The guy is right!!! I winterize with red armor fuel in the can. It is good for five years so a season it works great. It also has cleaning agents it it that keep the card and motor maintained. During spring and summer i found a MFA that has non- ethanol fuel. Ethanol does damage when it begins to break not when its fresh. When left in the lines and carbs it will eat away lines and gaskets playing hell on your outboard.

[TopBananaMan]

Hey man. Love your videos.

What are thoughts on adding seafoam to the gas on these motors?

[alexstubbins]

Great advice. . Also wise to change anode regularly especially if you use in salt water a lot. Keep up the great vid.

[fishsmack]

Great info Houston. I run my engine more in the winter then I do in the summer, so I have to summerize my engine. Letting your engine cool back down after a long run is also very critical, especially in cold water. People want to fly into a fishing hole, kill the engine and start fishing.

[Soladaddy]

The basics need to be said many times. What I learned from the used market is many outboards are neglected, just like many cars. It’s hard to find one that was well taken care of.

[tp]

Great video... I go back to your videos when I want double check something on my 2022 Tohatsu 6hp. Good fishing!

[MC-ujco]

I change the oil in my Mercury 8 horse 4-stroke every 25 hours it holds just under a quart and flush it every time it goes out and pull the fuel line and let it run out of fuel

[PapaMav]

Excellent advice. I use Stabil too which helps with octane breakdown but, bc I am not able to get gas w/o alchohol in my area, I also add an enzyme to combat the alcohol-blue bottle, put out by Star Tron found at Home Depot and Wal-fart.

[willfn]

I just got a brand new merc this year 6hp anything you recommend for breaking in

[semooutdooradventures]

Just a word to anyone who might be interested, I had mine stop spitting water, serviced the impeller checked all waterways turned out to be my thermostat was stuck closed, yes they have thermostats

[Engineersoldinterstingstuff]

On small engines:run the carb empty before storage. Always - I have small df2.5 as trolling engine, if I leave gas the carburetor needs cleaning once or twice a year.

[rjwintl]

93 octane is the best for my 6 hp Tohatsu !!!