Before you store your engine i.e. over winter, you need to prepare your engine to have nothing done to it for a period of time, not degrade in any way and start up again soon as you want to use it again. Storing your 2 stroke engine properly will save you a lot of time and money next spring.

To make this happen will need some preparation especially as all the engines we look after are used regularly in salt water through the “Season”.

Before you start you will need your normal hand tools (for the service), a way to run the engine in fresh water, and some “fogging oil”.

I use Rock Oil super marine inhibitor

This stuff works well, a can will last you for ages

2 stroke engines are slightly more difficult than 4 stroke engines but if you follow the general guide below you won’t go far wrong.

Carry out a routine service on the engine – This will mean some of the tasks you need to do anyway are done i.e. Lubricate all the manufacturer’s recommended lube points and replace the gear oil.

Run the engine in fresh water, give it a good run up to normal working temperature to make sure the thermostat (If fitted) is open so the whole cylinder head has a good flush through.

A 2 stroke will require “Fogging” to make sure all the internals are covered with a light coat of oil over the winter period. To do this you need to introduce some aerosol into the carburettor intake just as the engine is dying off, too early and it burns off, too late and it’s not spread round the engine. You don’t need a whole load of this but here’s how you do it.

Start the engine, get it running warm and then turn off the fuel tap, time it to see how long it will run before it begins to stall. Stop the engine straight away as soon as it begins to stall, turn on the fuel tap and start the engine again, turn off the fuel tap about 2 seconds before it should start to stall and spray a bunch of fogging oil into the carburetor air intake, this will then cause the engine to smoke a bit and stall.

Squirt a little spray of WD 40 into the spark plug cap and leave it unplugged.

You’re now left with very little fuel in the carburettor and all your engine internals have a light coating of oil. Perfect.

Below is an example of the internals of a 2 stroke Yamaha Malta 3 HP that wasn’t looked after properly before being stored.

Make sure the fuel is turned off and the fuel tank vent is shut.

Drain out anything left in the carburettor by using the drain screw on the float bowl, re-tighten the screw.

Remove the top cowl and give your engine a real good wash down with a mild detergent solution. Spray it on with a hand spray, work it in with an old dish-washing brush, give it a few minutes to soak and then hose down with fresh water.

Make sure all of the engine is externally cleaned and flushed off with fresh water, use a hosepipe and make sure you get to all the little corners especially around the mounting brackets that may have dried out salt water on them.

If you are storing your engine for a long period (over about 4 months), drain the fuel tank.

When the engine has drip dried, treat any minor corrosion or missing paint, time and effort spent doing this now will pay massive dividends over the storage period.

Apply a protective coat as appropriate to the power head, I brush on Waxoyl.

Coat all the other surfaces you can sensibly get to – a spray with WD-40 is a good way of doing it.

Refit the cowls and store the engine appropriately (Cool and dry, out of direct sunlight, preferably vertically)

If you would like advice about or would like us to help you storing your 2 stroke engine or return it to use after storage please Contact Us