How To Ruin Your Outboard Motor

Imagine yourself out on the water with your beloved boat, puttering along just fine until a peculiar noise or a shudder from your motor interrupts your day. You go and check it out and learn that your outboard has cut out on you and is totally dead. Now you’re stuck out in the middle of the lake until you can get some help.

This might sound like an unlikely situation, but the truth is that there are a lot of ways you can ruin an outboard motor that you’ll want to be mindful of as a responsible owner. Clews & Strawbridge, based in Frazer, is your Pennsylvania outboard motor dealer. Here are some surefire ways to wreck your outboard motor so that you can avoid doing all of them and keep yours in good condition.

1. Never Read the Owner’s Manual

Many people never read their owner’s manuals and therefore they don’t have any idea of how to keep their outboard motors in good working condition. Of course, you don’t have to pore through every word of the manual, but you’ll definitely want to be aware of the basics when it comes to motor upkeep. Stash your manual somewhere that it can be readily accessed, like in a waterproof compartment on your boat, so you can refer to it if you have any issues that need to be addressed promptly.

2. Use Cheap Gasoline

Gas prices are always a concern in these heady times, but the ethanol gas that’s used in car and truck engines is not designed for marine motors. Ethanol fuel is certainly cheaper than pure gasoline, but it burns inefficiently and will result in you having to fill up your gas tank more often, which means you won’t end up saving money in the long run. Plus, your boat won’t run as well as it should and you may end up doing damage to your outboard motor over time by using cheap gasoline instead of the right fuel for your marine engine.

3. Neglect Corrosion

One of the chief causes of corrosion on an outboard motor is excess water. This may seem ridiculous, given that the motor runs in water, but you’ll want to keep the portion that’s above the water as dry as you can. Try coating your connectors with petroleum jelly and wiping away accumulated salts.

4. Ignore Odors

The first clue that something is amiss with your outboard motor may not be visible or audible, but detectable by odor instead. You’ll want to know what your motor smells like when it runs correctly, since an off smell such as burnt rubber or burnt oil or even a sugary smell can indicate that your outboard motor is in need of some professional care.

5. Don’t Flush Out Your Engine

One final step you’ll want to take as a responsible outboard motor owner is to regularly flush out your engine. Even if you don’t take your boat into salt water, it’s still smart to keep the engine flushed out after every trip. Grime, dirt, algae and other debris can build up in your outboard motor and cause you some major headaches that need to be addressed later on. So do yourself a favor and flush out that engine with clean water as often as you can!

Now you know what you should avoid doing when it comes to caring for your outboard motor. Still in search of a means to power your engine? Come on down to our Frazer location to browse our vast selection of new and used outboard motors for sale. Clews & Strawbridge proudly serves the greater Philadelphia metropolitan region as well as our neighbors in West Chester, Pennsylvania.