Thread: Lower unit freezing and cracking?

Having grown up with the cold, certain rules are followed otherwise you will be sorry
Outboards - lower all the way down and let drain, squirt some full strength antifreeze in the water inlet ports and turn motor over a few times.

In Boards - Fill the cooling system, water jackets etc with antifreeze had a pump so you could back fill and when AF solution squirted out the water intake you were safe- usually,

Generally, livewell pumps and bilge pumps should be run a few seconds to be sure they are purged. Batteries since I fish year round, I keep a lit 60 watt light bulb in the battery compartment. Otherwise remove and take batteries somewhere where it is not likely to freeze.

Best thing is to store your boat in a heated garage. (I Wish)

Its a good idea to change the gear oil in the lower unit prior to cold weather also....if perhaps you have worn seals you could have some water in the gear oil.....this could freeze and bust the gear housing. I have a three bank onboard charger in my boat connected to my three batteries.....when I unhook my boat from the truck I plug it up....I do not unplug it untill I hook the boat to the truck again....this not only keeps my batteries charged it protects them against freezing.

Boy it didn't take long for this thread to go sideways.

Originally Posted by jig rig

Boy it didn't take long for this thread to go sideways.

take a break and eat one of PPG's sandwiches and you will be OK

jig rig,
You must have finished off that gumbo and PPG won't deliver you a turkey sandwich because you are back on here stirring that pot again. I'm sure you are indirectly asking me if I had it happen to me? Yes I have but I will explain. I had a 15hp Johnson that was taken off the aluminum boat after each trip and then placed in a horizontal resting position with the lift handle facing up. The motor was inside a non-heated building and the spacer ring/bushing area where the prop shaft goes out to the prop broke. Now in all honesty, I was in Colorado at the time but it wasn't a -40 degree winter and it did happen. But my 175 Johnson in LaSalle Parish is still safe so far, but just for safety sake I always lower the motor in extreme cold weather.......~~<*{{{{<< Tony

No hasn't happened to me....been lucky. Outboards are easy to prep for a freeze. Lower all the way and turn over a few times to empty the water pump chamber. If its gonna be reaaallly bad. just unbolt the lower unit and keep it inside in the bathtub. Wives appreciate the responsible nature of such acts.

I googled it last night and found a lot of pictures of damage from frozen water. I have never had a problem but I always lower my motor just in case.

Originally Posted by "G"

I googled it last night and found a lot of pictures of damage from frozen water. I have never had a problem but I always lower my motor just in case.

I looked to G But what I found was the lower unit cracking. Bass Pro has a good picture.but again it's a lower unit. I'm gonna look some more , maybe do some testing.