Winterize Question

[Dave C]

Will a "72 50 Hp Evinrude self drain enough to not suffer freeze damage, or is some additional "help" needed ?

T I A Dave

[Lootas1]

Motor will drain but you should drain the oil in the lower unit. If any water got past the seals, it can freeze and crack the lower unit housing.

[Tim_Mattson]

Dave ,
You should always check for water and debris inside lower units at the end of each season ,draining it and re-filling with new lube will keep rusty lines and scum lines from forming inside.If leaking, fix it when you can but store it full of good lube if waiting thru the winter.
Used Lube and oil gets acidic,which eats seals and O-rings.
Check Weep holes for debris and tilt / lower the motor a time or too to get trapped water from inside cavities.
You can blow lower presser compressed air thru the tell-tale if you like,just rotate the flywheel clockwise when done so you don`t blow the impellor blades backwards.
Some even pull lower units,opening the water pump and letting the impellor relax thru the off-season with blades not stuck in the cup and taking a hook.
Just turning every so often is what I do.
A light bulb or small source of warmth can really help in temps lower than 20`,and a blanket or tarp will keep it from getting the "deep freeze test".
Freeze damage is very rare but pricey when it happens.
TimM