242X Long-Term Storage questions

[dalcini]

I would appreciate any comments advice on my LTS (long-term storage) checklist below.
I also have questions that I couldn't find definitive answers for:

QUESTIONS:

1. I've seen some discussion questioning whether removing the air box is necessary to fog the 1.8HO engine. Do some people just disconnect the breather hose and fog through that port? (thanks to @Leojay for the excellent videos by the way)
2. It looks like most recommend changing the oil before storage - would it not be better to give the motors fresh oil in spring before running? Or is the idea to get the impurities out of the engine before it sits in the off-season? (Answer: Yes - confirmed by @Cambo)
3. What (if anything) do I need to do to prepare my ballast bags and ballast system for freezing temps? Antifreeze flush?
4. Has anyone ever removed the OEM SIDE ballast bags from a 242X? The center bag was easy to remove, so I'll probably keep that in my garage - but I have no idea how one might get the side bags out (for maintenance/repair/cleaning, etc.)

Long Term Storage CHECKLIST:

1. Add 50oz (1oz per gallon) of Fuel Med RX to tank (or Marine Sta-Bil stabilizer)
2. Fill tank to mix it in. (this introduces Sta-Bil into the engines during fogging in later step. Many use stabilizer all year)
3. Check and clean bilge area and pump strainer
4. Engine oil (M.M. Pg 3-14)
   • Lay cardboard or plastic in boat to protect floor from messy stuff
   • Run engine on hose - 5 mins
   • Drain oil
   • Remove old filter and pour into extractor with the rest for measurement
   • Lube rim and install new oil Filter - torque to 13.3 ft-lb (18 Nm, 1.8 kgf-m) (M.M. Pg 3-15)
   • Replace new oil - same qty as removed
5. Engine Fogging:
   • Prepare by connecting water to flush port but don't turn it on
   • Start Engine then immediately start water
   • Spray fogging oil into intake for in bursts (to avoid stalling) for 4 minutes (1 min/cylinder per T.E. WCA2011-003)
   • Stop Water, half throttle blip 3 secs then stop. (NOTE: If you have a helper, spray during throttle blip & shutdown to avoid burning off the spray)
6. Pull plugs & fog for 5 secs in each hole
7. Pull kill cord, towel on head & crank for 1/2 seconds
8. Put copper anti-seize on spark plugs
9. Replace plugs & torque to 18.4 ft-lb. (242XE M.M. Pg 5-1)
10. Spray exterior of engines with Yamalube Silicone Protectant & Lubricant, or equivalent. For areas requiring heavy protection, use Yamashield™. (242XE O.M. Pg 180)
11. Open fuel tank hatch
    • Drain & replace plug if necessary
    • Check for issues, clean up, & close
12. Drain or antifreeze ballast system (individual preference)
13. Remove rear platform clean-out maintenance hatch
    • Inspect for trash left from manufacturing (first time only)
    • Inspect clean-out area for broken hose clamps (manhole tubes, hoses, etc.)
    • Replace and re-seal hatch with silicone.
14. Grease steering & reverse cables (242XE O.M. Pg 182)
15. Lube clean-out covers with silicon spray or beeswax
16. Put clean-out plugs in upside down.
17. Remove and store at home:
    • Batteries (store in garage on tender)
    • Tower speakers (store at home)
    • Removable seats/cushions
    • All gear (lifevests, etc)
    • Bimini top
    • Mooring cover
18. Grease trailer bearings
19. Spray all exposed trailer metal with silicone protectant (bolts, leaf springs, etc)
20. Place/Hang Damp-Rid in cockpit & storage compartments (hanging and/or bucket versions)
21. Prop compartments and hatches open with corks/white foam
22. Release Gate Shift Servos
23. Fold Hitch, Wrap & Padlock safety chains around tongue.
24. Plug open holes with sponges:
    • Engine cooling indicators (pissers)
    • Bilge outlet
    • Hull Drain plug
25. Place coupler lock on coupler
26. Store hitch folding pin in tow-vehicle
27. Place wheel boot on trailer tire
28. Shrink wrap: No zippers, Over tower and down past water line (Protects against UV fading)
29. Put trailer up on blocks to remove weight from tires
30. Spray trailer leaf springs & all bolts with rust inhibitor
31. Visit boat once a month to move rudder & shift buckets

:: Edited

 

[jcb1977]

I would appreciate any comments advice on my LTS (long-term storage) checklist below.
I also have questions that I couldn't find definitive answers for:

QUESTIONS:

1. I've seen some discussion questioning whether removing the air box is necessary to fog the 1.8HO engine. Do some people just disconnect the breather hose and fog through that port? (thanks to @Leojay for the excellent videos by the way) I only fog through the spark plug holes
2. It looks like most recommend changing the oil before storage - would it not be better to give the motors fresh oil in spring before running? Or is the idea to get the impurities out of the engine before it sits in the off-season? (...hmmm, may have just answered my own question.) I change mine in the fall before winter storage.
3. What (if anything) do I need to do to prepare my ballast bags and ballast system for freezing temps? Antifreeze flush? no ballast on my boat.
4. Has anyone ever removed the oem SIDE ballast bags from a 242X? The center bag was easy to remove, so I'll probably keep that in my garage - but I have no idea how one might get the side bags out (for maintenance/repair/cleaning, etc.)

LTS CHECKLIST:

1. Add 50oz (1oz per gallon) of Fuel Med RX to tank (or Marine Stabil stabilizer)-I do this as well before the last few outings of the year and make sure tank is full before putting it away for good.
2. Fill tank to mix it in. (this introduces stabil into the engines during fogging in later step. Many use stabilizer all year)
3. Fill fuel tank
4. Find/Download Yamaha tech exchange bulletin on engine fogging. (see Captain Leon's video.)
5. Fog for 5 sec through air intakes while running:
6. Prepare by connecting water to flush port but don't turn it on
7. Start Engine then immediately start water
8. Spray fogging oil into intake for 3-5 seconds
9. Stop Water, half throttle blip 3 secs then stop.
10. Pull plugs & fog for 5 secs in each hole- I only do this for fogging - I do not do steps 4 through 9. in my view, you need to blurp the engines to clear the water and this would burn off all that fogging oil you just put in.
11. Pull kill cord, towel on head & crank for 1/2 seconds
12. Put anti-seize on spark plugs- I do not use anti-seize. change them in the Spring only after you burned off the fogging oil.
13. Replace plugs & torque to 18.4 ft-lb.
14. Open fuel tank hatch - check for issues and clean it up.- probably good to do but I do not do this.
15. Drain or antifreeze ballast system???
16. (OM Pg.172) Grease steering & reverse cables- regularly grease/toilet ring wax these throughout the season
17. Lube cleanout covers with silicon seal or beeswax- I do this after every few outings
18. Leave cleanout covers out (somehow)- I just lay them upside down in the cleanout tubes.
19. Put trailer on blocks to remove weight from tires? probably good but I do not do this.

Not saying this is the right way, but it's what I do.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

#17. Do not use silicone seal on the clean out plugs, use silicone spray.
#18. Put the clean out plugs in upside down

 

[dalcini]

Edited, thanks guys!

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Edited, thanks guys!

Where is your boat being stored?

 

[dalcini]

Outside on its trailer. Michigan, so freezing temps.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

You might want to stuff something into the pilot water outlets and the bilge pump outlet to keep enterprising bugs and such from making a home in those areas.

If you’ve got radial tires just make sure they are set at max psi cold and you shouldn’t need to put it up on blocks. If bias ply tires then up on blocks might be a good idea. Is it at storage yard or your house?

 

[dalcini]

Oh good idea. I'll cut some sponges to fit in the holes. Tires are Carlyle (so bias ply I believe) so I was going to bring a jack and just put the whole trailer up on blocks. It will be in a storage yard 40 mins away. I was actually wondering if anyone ever removes their amps during storage. I don't need those growing legs.

 

[FSH 210 Sport]

Oh good idea. I'll cut some sponges to fit in the holes. Tires are Carlyle (so bias ply I believe) so I was going to bring a jack and just put the whole trailer up on blocks. It will be in a storage yard 40 mins away. I was actually wondering if anyone ever removes their amps during storage. I don't need those growing legs.

A lot of that depends on the storage yard security…. I regularly fold the swing away hitch back and wrap the safety chains around the tongue and padlock the chains together, the removable pin stays in my tow vehicle, I put a coupler lock on the coupler in the hitched position and a wheel boot on one of the tires.

Are you putting a cover on the boat as well? Capt Leon puts wine corks in between the compartment hatch covers to keep them open a crack to allow air flow.

As far as oil changes go, I don’t change mine before storage, I change it when it is due hour wise. I run the best oil I can get and the same with the oil filters.

 

[dalcini]

Thanks @FSH 210 Sport. Love the security ideas - I'll add those too. Not surprised about your oil change schedule since it seems like you practically use your boat year round (based on your posts about the shoulder seasons)!

...forgot about the wine cork trick from Cpt. Leon - will add.

 

[dalcini]

...sorry, forgot to answer: I plan to store the mooring cover, Bimini and all removable cushions at home and have the boat shrink-wrapped.

 

[Cambo]

Great list of items

For the oil its best to change it at the end of the season I have read the oil gets lots of contaminates form the combustion process that are best removed and replaced with fresh oil.

There are some things I still question if there is a better way but 95% looks accurate

• Fog for 5 sec through air intakes while running:
• Prepare by connecting water to flush port but don't turn it on
• Start Engine then immediately start water
• Spray fogging oil into intake for 3-5 seconds
• Stop Water, half throttle blip 3 secs then stop.

I always questioned that the fogging oil burns off within 2 seconds but do the similar thing just no throttle blip and try to shut it as quick as possible.

• Put anti-seize on spark plugs
• Replace plugs & torque to 18.4 ft-lb.

I use copper antisieze and only go hand tight and 1/8 to 1/4 turn and use the old plugs new plugs in the spring after first time out. New plugs get 1/4 turn to 1/2 due to the crush washer seating

I think the 18.4 ft-lb. may be inch lbs but there have always been issue with snapped plugs and these motors can run with very minimal torque on the plugs confirmed with 25+ years of minimal torque.

My son made a solution for the ballast but hes in college now and only makes them during the summer

Boat Stuff Thread 'Ballast Pump Jumper Cable'

Sep 17, 2018

This is mainly for the 2016 - 2022 boats with factory ballast it could possibly work with other models or be updated as I get more info on the different configurations .

It works for the 21,24 and 25 foot models see price listed below for the different models.

• Over ride and power up the pumps to drain water or fill to the max if the timers get out of sync with what’s in the bag.
• Expand the system using plumbing fittings to allow the stock pumps to fill the transom bag or other bags eliminating the need for a tsunami or other type of plug in pump. I run two feed lines into the...

• Cambo
• 242x 242xe ballast ballast cable cable
• Replies: 111
• Forum: Classified Ads

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For the boat wrap I have them use larger materiel and cover past the water line and over the tower this protects against UV fading, that happened to my 2005 . But before wrapping hang some Damp rid and put them in the storage areas and release the gate shift servo . Then while stored at least once a month grab the rudder and move it back and forth and move the shift buckets up and down, these were released before the boat is wrapped. Check for holes in the shrink wrap and no zipper door they leak. In the spring I have carefully cut the shrink wrap off and re used it for a cover that is 100% water proof, not much more work than the mooring cover and the mooring will last longer.

If your in salt water spray every bolt on the trailer with fluid film and the leaf springs this blocks out most of the oxygen in the formula for rust. Rusting process requires both the elements of oxygen and water.

Another awesome season on the water

 

[dalcini]

@Cambo - excellent suggestions - all added, thank you. 242XE M.M states 18.4 ft.lb. torque for spark plugs.

I read the posts about your son's ballast jumper cable and would have already requested one, but saw your recent post that he's away. School first! Consider me on the waiting list.

Yeah, the fogging seems to be a trade-off between preserving the spray and blowing out the water. I suppose with help, someone could spray while another blips throttles and kills the motor. I'm trying (and failing) not to over-think this - lol.

I am curious to know - do you fold your tower for shrink wrapping?

 

[@JC!]

Don't overthink it, you can run the motors for quite a few seconds after you turn the water off before you have any worries about overheating.

 

[Cambo]

It's not overheating it's that the fogging oil burns off

 

[Cambo]

I am curious to know - do you fold your tower for shrink wrapping?

I leave my tower up

 

[@JC!]

It's not overheating it's that the fogging oil burns off

Right Im saying you can turn the water off, blip plenty to get the water out and then fog again before shutting off and it's not an issue. At least with the boats you don't have to worry about water in the waterbox like the skis.