Makes sure that the boat has the bow lifted into the air. What we can do is find a good place in the fuel line close to the engine, and disconnect the fuel line from the boat to the engine. Then, depending on what kind of fuel was left in there there could be a lot of water in the tank.Īlso, depending on what kind of additives have been put in the fuel, it could be sludgy, slimy, or have sediment in it! It’s best to avoid running any of that junk into the engine. With oil in the cylinders, good spark plugs, and clean gear lube, it’s time to get serious! Fuel! When fuel sits for a long period of time.
(For more information on Gear Oil and What Color it Should Be, Check out this article we wrote about that) Disconnecting the Boat Fuel Line & Checking the Condition of the Fuel Then, fill the case back up with some fresh, brand new gear lube, and a couple of new seals on the drain and vent plugs. Then if there is water, we want to make sure the lower unit shifts in and out of gear properly. When we remove the drain plug, if there is any water, it will come pouring out before the gear lube. Gear oil is lighter than water, so if there is any water in the lower unit, it will be below the oil. Seeing that there is no warning for when a lower unit is about to blow up this is the perfect time to get this out of the way. Making sure that there is good gear lube in the lower unit will also play out in our favor when it is time to get the boat and motor back into commission on the water. The next order of business is to check out the condition of the gear lube.