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First:
Winterization is not just about freezing/cooler temperatures, it is also storage duration,
even if the air temperature around the ski never goes below freezing, the long sitting with out being run on the water is an important factor.
How To Winterize / Summerize a Yamaha FX or VX 4 stroke Model Waverunner.
Winterize:
1- Take ski and go to the gas station and add your fuel stabilizer, then fill your ski up with fresh gas, making sure you are at least above 3/4 full, (want to avoid condensation in tank this way). I suggest the Yamaha brand, add it at home and then go to gas station and fill her up with fresh gas, now drive home, this will help "slosh it" around and mix it.
2- Run ski on water hose for 10-15 minutes to clean out the ski good and to run some of the stabilized fuel through the engine. Shut off water and blow out excess water for 10 seconds with a couple half throttle hits. REMEMBER THIS: the water is added to the ski AFTER the ski is started, and is stopped BEFORE the ski is turned off... if the ski stops running while on water, immediately turn off water flow! Try and do this with the nose up slightly if possible.
3- you can change oil and oil filter at this point now or wait until spring. I think it's best done now but it's a personal choice really, but the engine is warm and the oil mixed around so just change it now if possible. *Use Yamalube 4w 10w40 or Amsoil synthetic 10 w 40 oil.*
This is also a good chance for you to look over the ski well, look for damaged hoses, check to be sure clamps are tight, look for wear items, brackets, and things that may be damaged, loose or worn... from a year of riding things get loose or damaged..... check over the bottom of hull from underneath it, including the impeller,ride plate and grate to.
Look for frayed electric wires around the engine, burned/melting wires, check the hose and clamps on your gas tank, Open fuse box and make sure nothing looks wet or damaged in there and seal is good, give it a light coat of silicone grease,etc. Give a good wipe down with a silicone lubricant on your front engine hatch rubber seal and on your rubber seal on the bottom of the seat. (I suggest doing this again in the spring, and then every 30 days during the season)
4- Now, wash, dry and wax ski, do a full detail, clean and dry out inside of hull, you can use a shop vac if need be, or just towels, suck out the small amount of water in the hose attachment where you hook up the water hose also.
5- The next day, or a couple hours later on that day, blow out water again..it should have be done 3-4 times total from when you rinsed out engine until your done winterizing it. As long as you give an hour or two break between each blow out to avoid over heating engine. An hour or so later do another final blow out, on the final blow out you should raise the front of your ski as high as you can when clearing water from the engine, this helps get it all out. Remember to not run engine for longer than 10-15 seconds each time.
6- VX MODELS: Remove the hose that goes from the air filter box to the engine at the engine side. now spray the Yamaha engine fogging oil into it for 3-5 seconds, re-connect engine hose then start engine for 10 seconds at idle only, shut off engine. At this point your done starting engine now for the winter, after you fogged it and ran it for a final 10 second at idle only.
FX MODELS: spray fogging oil into each intake for 3 seconds with the motor off.....replace air box lid, then start motor & idle for 10-15 seconds.
7- Now remove battery from ski and put on a trickle or float charger. If you don't want to use a charger, then disconnect battery cables and leave it in craft until spring, but the charger really is a good idea,if your storage time is more than 2 months.
8- now spray a engine/hull/hose protection over all exterior surfaces in your engine compartment, like a silicone lubricant, spray it over everything inside the hull.
9-now put seat back on, use a small folded over towel to prop up the back of the seat a inch for added ventilation.
10- cover ski with cover and your done. I don't use or suggest anti freeze on four strokes properly winterized. It's not required, when you properly do everything else above including the 3-4 blow outs of water, which you MUST do. I know of no confirmed cases where a 4 stroke engine cracked from winter, and the Yamaha manuals make no mention of adding antifreeze either, and if it was required, or there was a risk of engine damage, YOU COULD BET YAMAHA would have it in the manual in big bold words, but it's not there. AGAIN, the key is to blow out the water 3-4 times, which removes most of the water.
It's kind of like taking 2 empty bottles, fill one full of water, fill the other with a inch of water, lay them down on there side and freeze them for a few days, now check on them, the full one will be expanded, deformed and maybe ruptured, but the one with a inch or so of water will be normal, just like before it went into the freezer. same principal, a properly blown out ski will hold so little water that even in the hardest longest freezes no damage will happen.
11- If you live in a cold climate, where the trailer will be sitting for more then 3 months, or where hard freezes happen, take a good tip given to me from a friend/pwc rider. Take the tires off at the end of the season and put it up on blocks. This helps keep them from drying out, getting flat spots and dying a premature death. It also makes it harder to steal the ski for those left outside. The tires get sprayed with a wheel protectant (303, armor all, etc) and get stored in a basement. Before they go back on in the spring, check inner and outer sidewalls for any cracks, a sure sign of an upcoming blowout. (there is more for spring maintenance on trailers below).
.
Summerizing:
1- In the spring, simply be sure your battery is charged and connect battery back to ski, start engine for a few seconds to make sure she fires, now change oil/filter (unless you did this at the end of last season). Be sure to change air filter, lube cables and lube points now. I wait for spring to do the lube as I don't want any chances of dirt and debris getting on the grease during storage, plus once you lube it, your ready to ride it and that will work the lube into where it needs to be with operation.
Then I suggest running the ski a few more minutes (5-10) on water hose in the spring to make sure engine sounds right still and to clean it out of fogging spray, THEN change spark plugs with fresh ones. This will save you several dollars doing it yourself and allow you to check for any damages and have the pride in knowing you did it right and yourself.
Why pay 300-500 dollars for all that when you can do it yourself easily and for 80 to 90% cheaper than a dealer charges. I can guarantee you it will be a better job and much more pride and understanding of your ski if you do it. Most dealers just don't care, there is a few great dealers, but most don't care. In any case your savings could be enough to pay for your fuel during a season of riding and it was done right!
Spring is also the time to check tire pressure and wear on your trailer and tires, lube bearings and trailer ball, check safety chains, look over lights and connectors and scan the trailer and bunks in general for issues. Look for weld fractures, loose bolts/nuts, cracks on bunks and the like.
If you are having issues with your lights on the trailer, 2 good points to check. 1- see if a ground is rusted or not tight. 2- Run the wires on your trailer and do a visual inspection for wear and tear.
In spring, your ready to go!.
Note: I use the Yamaha brand products on everything mentioned above or Amsoil oils, a personal choice is all, there is other brands you can use and many people do, I just choose to stick with OEM products for most things. NOW HAVE FUN AND RIDE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT!
--------Helpful tips----------
Suggested Oils:
Yamalube 4 W 10w40
(if your manual says use 10w30, it has never been updated at Yamaha, they don't make that anymore, 10w40 is suggested now.)
or use
Amsoil 10w 40 - a very good choice for premium oil also.
Cup oil wrench size is 65 mm, if it's to hard to get off ,a strap wrench will do it. You could also opt for a K&N filter with a nut on the end which makes things real easy.
BEST ADVICE: Put back the amount of oil you took out. Don't overfill it!!!!!!!
-You know what they say about over filled oil don't you?? Bust out another hundred to replace the air filter.-
Winterization is not just about freezing/cooler temperatures, it is also storage duration,
even if the air temperature around the ski never goes below freezing, the long sitting with out being run on the water is an important factor.
How To Winterize / Summerize a Yamaha FX or VX 4 stroke Model Waverunner.
Winterize:
1- Take ski and go to the gas station and add your fuel stabilizer, then fill your ski up with fresh gas, making sure you are at least above 3/4 full, (want to avoid condensation in tank this way). I suggest the Yamaha brand, add it at home and then go to gas station and fill her up with fresh gas, now drive home, this will help "slosh it" around and mix it.
2- Run ski on water hose for 10-15 minutes to clean out the ski good and to run some of the stabilized fuel through the engine. Shut off water and blow out excess water for 10 seconds with a couple half throttle hits. REMEMBER THIS: the water is added to the ski AFTER the ski is started, and is stopped BEFORE the ski is turned off... if the ski stops running while on water, immediately turn off water flow! Try and do this with the nose up slightly if possible.
3- you can change oil and oil filter at this point now or wait until spring. I think it's best done now but it's a personal choice really, but the engine is warm and the oil mixed around so just change it now if possible. *Use Yamalube 4w 10w40 or Amsoil synthetic 10 w 40 oil.*
This is also a good chance for you to look over the ski well, look for damaged hoses, check to be sure clamps are tight, look for wear items, brackets, and things that may be damaged, loose or worn... from a year of riding things get loose or damaged..... check over the bottom of hull from underneath it, including the impeller,ride plate and grate to.
Look for frayed electric wires around the engine, burned/melting wires, check the hose and clamps on your gas tank, Open fuse box and make sure nothing looks wet or damaged in there and seal is good, give it a light coat of silicone grease,etc. Give a good wipe down with a silicone lubricant on your front engine hatch rubber seal and on your rubber seal on the bottom of the seat. (I suggest doing this again in the spring, and then every 30 days during the season)
4- Now, wash, dry and wax ski, do a full detail, clean and dry out inside of hull, you can use a shop vac if need be, or just towels, suck out the small amount of water in the hose attachment where you hook up the water hose also.
5- The next day, or a couple hours later on that day, blow out water again..it should have be done 3-4 times total from when you rinsed out engine until your done winterizing it. As long as you give an hour or two break between each blow out to avoid over heating engine. An hour or so later do another final blow out, on the final blow out you should raise the front of your ski as high as you can when clearing water from the engine, this helps get it all out. Remember to not run engine for longer than 10-15 seconds each time.
6- VX MODELS: Remove the hose that goes from the air filter box to the engine at the engine side. now spray the Yamaha engine fogging oil into it for 3-5 seconds, re-connect engine hose then start engine for 10 seconds at idle only, shut off engine. At this point your done starting engine now for the winter, after you fogged it and ran it for a final 10 second at idle only.
FX MODELS: spray fogging oil into each intake for 3 seconds with the motor off.....replace air box lid, then start motor & idle for 10-15 seconds.
7- Now remove battery from ski and put on a trickle or float charger. If you don't want to use a charger, then disconnect battery cables and leave it in craft until spring, but the charger really is a good idea,if your storage time is more than 2 months.
8- now spray a engine/hull/hose protection over all exterior surfaces in your engine compartment, like a silicone lubricant, spray it over everything inside the hull.
9-now put seat back on, use a small folded over towel to prop up the back of the seat a inch for added ventilation.
10- cover ski with cover and your done. I don't use or suggest anti freeze on four strokes properly winterized. It's not required, when you properly do everything else above including the 3-4 blow outs of water, which you MUST do. I know of no confirmed cases where a 4 stroke engine cracked from winter, and the Yamaha manuals make no mention of adding antifreeze either, and if it was required, or there was a risk of engine damage, YOU COULD BET YAMAHA would have it in the manual in big bold words, but it's not there. AGAIN, the key is to blow out the water 3-4 times, which removes most of the water.
It's kind of like taking 2 empty bottles, fill one full of water, fill the other with a inch of water, lay them down on there side and freeze them for a few days, now check on them, the full one will be expanded, deformed and maybe ruptured, but the one with a inch or so of water will be normal, just like before it went into the freezer. same principal, a properly blown out ski will hold so little water that even in the hardest longest freezes no damage will happen.
11- If you live in a cold climate, where the trailer will be sitting for more then 3 months, or where hard freezes happen, take a good tip given to me from a friend/pwc rider. Take the tires off at the end of the season and put it up on blocks. This helps keep them from drying out, getting flat spots and dying a premature death. It also makes it harder to steal the ski for those left outside. The tires get sprayed with a wheel protectant (303, armor all, etc) and get stored in a basement. Before they go back on in the spring, check inner and outer sidewalls for any cracks, a sure sign of an upcoming blowout. (there is more for spring maintenance on trailers below).
.
Summerizing:
1- In the spring, simply be sure your battery is charged and connect battery back to ski, start engine for a few seconds to make sure she fires, now change oil/filter (unless you did this at the end of last season). Be sure to change air filter, lube cables and lube points now. I wait for spring to do the lube as I don't want any chances of dirt and debris getting on the grease during storage, plus once you lube it, your ready to ride it and that will work the lube into where it needs to be with operation.
Then I suggest running the ski a few more minutes (5-10) on water hose in the spring to make sure engine sounds right still and to clean it out of fogging spray, THEN change spark plugs with fresh ones. This will save you several dollars doing it yourself and allow you to check for any damages and have the pride in knowing you did it right and yourself.
Why pay 300-500 dollars for all that when you can do it yourself easily and for 80 to 90% cheaper than a dealer charges. I can guarantee you it will be a better job and much more pride and understanding of your ski if you do it. Most dealers just don't care, there is a few great dealers, but most don't care. In any case your savings could be enough to pay for your fuel during a season of riding and it was done right!
Spring is also the time to check tire pressure and wear on your trailer and tires, lube bearings and trailer ball, check safety chains, look over lights and connectors and scan the trailer and bunks in general for issues. Look for weld fractures, loose bolts/nuts, cracks on bunks and the like.
If you are having issues with your lights on the trailer, 2 good points to check. 1- see if a ground is rusted or not tight. 2- Run the wires on your trailer and do a visual inspection for wear and tear.
In spring, your ready to go!.
Note: I use the Yamaha brand products on everything mentioned above or Amsoil oils, a personal choice is all, there is other brands you can use and many people do, I just choose to stick with OEM products for most things. NOW HAVE FUN AND RIDE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT!
--------Helpful tips----------
Suggested Oils:
Yamalube 4 W 10w40
(if your manual says use 10w30, it has never been updated at Yamaha, they don't make that anymore, 10w40 is suggested now.)
or use
Amsoil 10w 40 - a very good choice for premium oil also.
Cup oil wrench size is 65 mm, if it's to hard to get off ,a strap wrench will do it. You could also opt for a K&N filter with a nut on the end which makes things real easy.
BEST ADVICE: Put back the amount of oil you took out. Don't overfill it!!!!!!!
-You know what they say about over filled oil don't you?? Bust out another hundred to replace the air filter.-
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