Yes, Its that time again Winterization

[SAB]

2019 FX SVHO

I've said goodbye to the dealer, and this year will be the first year I'll be winterizing the ski. We almost didn't put it in the water this year because of the number of family ÔÇ£covid heroesÔÇØ but the 22' ski boat is ÔÇ£more funnierÔÇØ when it's supported by the waverunner.

I've captured below two major threads from last year on the subject of winterization. The third thread is an oil change thread FYI

I need to check again but my owner/service manual says nothing in the way of winterization. So, I'm following the guidelines posted below for winterization, BUT Yamaha should post service procedures on winterizing waverunners (service bulletin?). I'm guessing dealers hold these winterizing procedures close to their vests.

Also, if you are new to this forum you should know about greasing the mid shaft (IM) bearing but I'm going to ignore that discussion for now, search: IM bearing. I believe, at least on my ski, the remaining bearings are sealed?

So just wondering if there are any changes to the winterization procedures below?? Thanks


Winterizing

http://greenhulk.net/showthread.php?t=278586

question about flushing FX
hhttp://greenhulk.net/showthread.php?t=279793

Oil Change Discussion
http://greenhulk.net/showthread.php?t=279793

[K447]

There should be a section in the Owner's manual titled Long Term Storage.

[SAB]

I'll look again, and Thanks K447

[SAB]

Long Term Storage in the manual refers to Flushing and it doesn't really apply to me since this is FW boat but I'll flush it anyway w/ well water/RV antifreeze.. There's no mention of winterization except for the fuel.

Also that tool kit hose adapter is pretty valuable, but as a spare it is available on-line AND with a hose adapter (OEM Yamaha Waverunner Replacement Flush Hose Blue/Red, Blue P/N: MWV-FLUSH-HS-BL). Not sure it applies to the FX

Other then changing for OEM oil/filter, gas stabilization and telling the dealer to remove the battery ...the cost for that service last year was $350. He didn't offer anymore then that.

thanks

[K447]

Yamaha GP1800 SVHO Long Term Storage winterization process

I have 2017 GP1800 SVHO, which I expect is broadly the same as FX SVHO in regards to winterization.

My process (going from memory, as I am a few weeks away from actually doing it for end of this riding season).

Note: If I can do one last ride right before the oil change, then I will. Changing the oil when it is still really warm is preferable/easier, but more often than not the engine is basically cold when I actually do the oil change.

I mostly ride in fresh water, but when I did ride in salt water I would use Salt-Away after every day on the water, along with rinsing of engine compartment, etc.

Winterization process

As end of season approaches, I stop buying ethanol blended gasoline and only fill up with non-ethanol 91 octane gasoline. In my region 91 octane is available without ethanol.

For the last (few) tankful(s) I will also add a full dose of fuel stabilizer with each fill-up.
In previous years I would just use Sta-Bil Marine formula (Blue product).

This year I am using both the Marine Sta-Bil and adding Startron Enzyme fuel stabilizer. Full dose of each.
I never had any fuel related issues (that I was aware of) when just using the Marine Sta-Bil but I also read good things about the Startron product.

My process...

Fuel tank already filled with non-ethanol fuel and stabilized. About 90% full, give or take.
The idea is to ensure the metal fuel pump assembly is fully submerged in fuel (to protect the metal from rusting) and there is no ethanol to attract moisture during storage.

Blow excess water out the exhaust system.
Start engine, let it idle for a few seconds to stabilize and build oil pressure.
Firmly blip the engine throttle several times. Engine will probably touch redline, but it does not have to. Some owners use the RiDE throttle on left handlebar to blip engine in reverse, which limits RPM to circa 3500.

This engine revving should burp out some water from the exhaust. After several firm blips, let engine return to idle and then shut down. Total engine run time maybe 15-20 seconds.

Let engine sit for several minutes to cool, then restart and blip throttle a couple more times. Shut down,
What I am looking for is a significant reduction in the amount of water burping out the exhaust. If there is still lots of water coming out, I will do the engine start and throttle blip cycle again, until there is not much water coming out.

What I want is not only to avoid possible freeze damage, but also to reduce the amount of liquid water left sitting inside the exhaust system, which can slowly evaporate and moisture/humidity possibly travel backwards into the engine via the open exhaust valves.

While all the above is happening, I have also raised the front of the trailer as high as I can get it. This helps with gravity drain of water from the engine cooling system, the exhaust system, and I check inside the hull for water in the bilge.

Vacuum the bilge dry
I use a compact wet vacuum with a long thin flexible suction end to extract water from under the engine and around the back of the bilge behind the mid-wall. On GP1800 there is a hollow just in front of the engine that can hold water and another right under the engine. And again behind the engine, in front of the mid-wall. All these puddles get suctioned dry.

Afterwards I will leave the seats off for a while to allow air circulation as much as possible to ensure the hull interior is bone dry. During actual storage my seats will be in place with the factory cover. The normal hull ventilation air tubes will provide some minimal air flow.


Change the engine oil and oil filter
Mityvac 7201 suction tube down the dipstick tube. For this I have the engine close to level. Extraction is typically about 3.5 liters, give or take.

Oil filter removed, new filter installed.
Place a bunch of towels/rags under the engine and pressed against the side right below the oil filter. Oil will run down the side of the engine when the filter is unscrewed, so the rags sop that up.
I use Motorcraft FL400S oil filter.

Before installing the new filter I write the current engine hour count on the oil filter using a Sharpie marker.
Makes it easier for me to 'remember' when the oil was last changed.
You can also mark the year and month on the filter.

Add new YamaLube 4W engine oil. Make sure the engine is level before checking the oil level.
Start engine, let it idle for maybe 20 seconds. Shut down.
Wait a while, then recheck oil level. And add a bit more if needed.

At this point the engine is basically ready for winter.
I will install new spark plugs in the spring.

Fogging oil?
Some guys try to inject/spray fogging oil but on SVHO engine that is a real hassle. Unless you have modified the air intake manifold.

Spraying fogging oil into the supercharger air intake is going to first coat the intercooler internals with sticky fogging oil. From a corrosion perspective that is fine, but it is unclear (to me) how much of that fogging oil film is going to stay on the intercooler fins even after I start riding next season.

Spraying fogging oil into the spark plugs holes might do something what I really want to protect is the back sides of the intake and exhaust valves, which are just not going to get much benefit from a squirt down the spark plug hole.

So I have not been using fogging oil on my SVHO engines.

For the non-supercharged Yamaha 1.8 liter HO engine, it is straightforward to remove the big air hose from the throttle body air intake and spray fogging oil directly into the throttle body while running the engine.

Tip: Hold on to the spray can straw if you use it. I have had the straw pop off the can and go into the engine! Which is not a good thing.

Metal protection
The dry engine exterior can be protected with a spray product. My engines have CRC Heavy Duty Corrosion spray applied, but some people may not like the thick slightly sticky coating it creates. I applied it before first ride in salt water, and it seems to be doing a fine job of protecting the metal.

Other products that I have used for metal surface protection are Fluid Film and CRC-56.

Grease the mid-shaft housing bearing/seal
Somewhere along the way, add some grease to the driveshaft mid-wall bearing. The grease Zerk fitting is right on the bearing housing, way down low on the mid-wall. Hard to see unless you go looking for it.

Jet pump, when dry, can also get a coating of CRC, Fluid Film, or whatever.

Exterior clean and protect
After that it is all about cleaning the hull and deck, letting everything air dry.
Apply paint protection/wax if that is your thing.

I may have forgotten some steps but the basics are there.

[SAB]

Thanks, I've been watching this waverunner winterization process since 2018. I'd like to report it hasn't changed. I like to suggest it becomes a sticky (I can't address any differences between models).

My problem is (hung-up on) that I came from sea-doo and the winterization process at least for my old sea-doo was dramatically different then this.

I see a lot of threads about people thinking about buying waverunner. I like to say that I appreciate performance, but a 4-cycle, easy maintenance and winteriztion process was the no.1 reason for me.

Thanks K447

[rykermcdermott]

I appreciate you taking the time to write this up. When I was young and dumb I thought winterization was just some BS they made up to make you buy more maintenance products. After several frustrating springtime's I was eventually convinced my ideas about winterization were BS-.live and learn I guess

[Spooling1]

Just to add to the conversation.

On my SVHO, I pull the plugs and with a long straw, spray fogging oil down into the cylinders. I then put the plugs back in, hold the throttle wide open (to prevent the engine from firing) then bump the starter a bit to spread the oil on the cylinder walls. I agree, there's no good way to fog through the intake that I know of on the SVHO and I wouldn't want to unnecessarily coat the intercooler with oil.

On my VXR (normally aspirated), there's crankcase ventilation hose just after the air filter. I pull this hose off and spray fogging oil into the engine here while it's idling. I then pull the plugs and spray some oil into the cylinders like I do on the SVHO.

[SAB]

The other thing you need to consider is how many months are we talking about and how extreme do you want to go with the winterization. For me its 6 months before the engine fires again. Along the same lines, in the big boat industry there's always a debate about whether to keep the engine journals full of antifreeze or drain them dry. I think if any boat going into long term storage you need to extreme storage requirements but for 6 months do what you think is necessary.

As you climb on to your Yamaha sidewinder snowmobile February morning when its 10 degrees and you glance at your ski covered with snow you need to be happy about the winterization job you did!

[K447]

Yamaha GP1800 SVHO Long Term Storage winterization process

Bumping this up for the 2021 Yamaha winterization season.

Yamaha GP1800 SVHO Long Term Storage winterization process


If you do get on the water during the colder months, you can re-winterize the machine fairly quickly.