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To fog or not to fog?


04WakesetterDD

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Last winter I stored my boat (Monsoon engine) in a heated garage and did not fog the engine, although I did winterize it by draining the block, tanks, etc.

This year my boat will be in unheated storage for about 5 months, and I would like to get opinions on fogging the engine. I've heard pros and cons about fogging, as well as different methods. Some say spraying into the intake plenum can clog the injectors, is this true?

I've stored cars many times for longer periods without fogging their engines, so I'm wondering why even bother?

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If you want the truth, rather you fog or not, you would never tell the difference, in all reality. Fogging will add a little oil layer that 'may' protect the engine in some small way. But if you don't do it, the "damage" when starting it up in the spring would be slight to none at all. In the overall scheme of things, there are many more practices that people have that harm their engines. (full throttle when cold, running oil level too high or low, etc...)

You are asking because you likely "care" about the condition of your boat. In that case I'd say do it. Most of the things we do to winterize are not absolutely necessary, but we do it anyway.

It's not likely to clog the injectors. Old fuel will, as it evaporates and the additives deposit and clog as you describe.

Either way, you'll be fine.

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Yeah, I've seen the debate. My thought is do it, mainly because it is cheap and easy to do. You can buy a can and it will last several years. Just spray it down the intake the last time you run it. Let the fog kill the engine. It won't do any harm to the injectors. Pulling the plugs and spraying in the hole is overkill, so take the easy route.

And I'm one of those that also store a car and don't fog it. But, I periodically start it too in the winter. This may really be stretching things a bit but the purpose of the fog is to protect the cylinder walls from moisture (and hence rust from sitting over time). Why would a car be different? Well, a car has a paper element filter that would block outside humidity more than the flame arrestor would on a boat. Also, the exhuast is much more open on a boat than a car. And if you are the type that fills the engine with antifreeze, there is a clear air path from antifreeze in the exhaust manifolds/hoses back into the cylinders. Some of the valves will be open. I know, it's stretching. But for about $1 per application and about 30 seconds of time, why not do it?

Edited by vette-ski
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...  Let the fog kill the engine...

funny thing is I can never "kill" my engine. I do this every year, and it seems that the computer compensates and it just won't let the engine die. I just spray about 1/2 can in, then shut it down.

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...  Let the fog kill the engine...

funny thing is I can never "kill" my engine. I do this every year, and it seems that the computer compensates and it just won't let the engine die. I just spray about 1/2 can in, then shut it down.

Well I did fog the engine, and like you the engine did not die. No smoke appeared from the exhaust either.

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EFI engines with computer comtrol will not die from fogging the engine. Just spray in the appropriate amount of fogging oil and shut the engine down.

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I've fogged my boats for 25 years with Marvel Mystery Oil, mostly because in West Texas there isn't a place to but fogging oil. My previous boats would all choke down and die when I fogged them, but, and this is the cool part, my Monsoon's compression is much higher than the other engines. The Monsoon will "diesel" for about 2 minutes after I fog it. It runs on the Marvel oil! Cool, huh?

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You don't want to kill a 4 stroke engine with the fogging oil. It's ok with a 2 stroke but, it can do serious damage to the upper engine in a 4 stroke. I fog mine for about 2 minutes and then shut it off. If it's not idling too fast it will show a little smoke.

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You don't want to kill a 4 stroke engine with the fogging oil.  It's ok with a 2 stroke but, it can do serious damage to the upper engine in a 4 stroke.  I fog mine for about 2 minutes and then shut it off.  If it's not idling too fast it will show a little smoke.

Now I don't feel so bad for forgetting to fog my RLXI.

I did remember to fog the mother-in-laws pontoon with a 40 hp. outboard till it died. Is that how fog an outboard?

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You don't want to kill a 4 stroke engine with the fogging oil.  It's ok with a 2 stroke but, it can do serious damage to the upper engine in a 4 stroke.  I fog mine for about 2 minutes and then shut it off.  If it's not idling too fast it will show a little smoke.

Now I don't feel so bad for forgetting to fog my RLXI.

I did remember to fog the mother-in-laws pontoon with a 40 hp. outboard till it died. Is that how fog an outboard?

I have carb engines that are easy to fog. Fogging efi engines is actually a whole other debate according to past threads and so you don't have to feel bad, you may even have done the right thing.

2 strokes don't have a valve train and you can put the stuff right to them.

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You don't want to kill a 4 stroke engine with the fogging oil.  It's ok with a 2 stroke but, it can do serious damage to the upper engine in a 4 stroke.  I fog mine for about 2 minutes and then shut it off.  If it's not idling too fast it will show a little smoke.

Now I don't feel so bad for forgetting to fog my RLXI.

I did remember to fog the mother-in-laws pontoon with a 40 hp. outboard till it died. Is that how fog an outboard?

I have carb engines that are easy to fog. Fogging efi engines is actually a whole other debate according to past threads and so you don't have to feel bad, you may even have done the right thing.

2 strokes don't have a valve train and you can put the stuff right to them.

Well, a 2 stroke single cylinder perhaps. Couldn't you blow a rod on a multi cylinder 2 stroke from hydrolock? Cylinder A fires the powerstroke (every stroke) while Cylinder B is in compression, but full of oil- blam. No?

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You don't want to kill a 4 stroke engine with the fogging oil.  It's ok with a 2 stroke but, it can do serious damage to the upper engine in a 4 stroke.  I fog mine for about 2 minutes and then shut it off.  If it's not idling too fast it will show a little smoke.

IMO you would have to dump a LOT of fog oil down there to hydro lock a cylinder. A lot more than what is in a spray can (evened out among 8 cylinders). Mine may have died because puddling spray might have plugged up the idle air circuit through the throttle body. I remember back in the high school prank days, people dumping a quart of atf into engines, and then driving around town doing a smoke out. If a full quart of atf won't hydro lock it, 1/4-1/2 can of fog won't either.

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You don't want to kill a 4 stroke engine with the fogging oil.  It's ok with a 2 stroke but, it can do serious damage to the upper engine in a 4 stroke.  I fog mine for about 2 minutes and then shut it off.  If it's not idling too fast it will show a little smoke.

Now I don't feel so bad for forgetting to fog my RLXI.

I did remember to fog the mother-in-laws pontoon with a 40 hp. outboard till it died. Is that how fog an outboard?

I have carb engines that are easy to fog. Fogging efi engines is actually a whole other debate according to past threads and so you don't have to feel bad, you may even have done the right thing.

2 strokes don't have a valve train and you can put the stuff right to them.

Well, a 2 stroke single cylinder perhaps. Couldn't you blow a rod on a multi cylinder 2 stroke from hydrolock? Cylinder A fires the powerstroke (every stroke) while Cylinder B is in compression, but full of oil- blam. No?

My experience with an 800cc two stroke 2 cylinder is if I spray the fog for more than a second, it will want to die. I have to let off of the spray just to keep it running a bit. Again, not near enough fog in there to hydro. Also (at least on mine), 2 cylinders = 2 carbs. So unless you are working double handed, it is only possible to fog one cylinder at a time anyway. I just work back and forth between the two carbs giving little shots until the engine slows way down. I'll give longer fog shots at the end to kill it.

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You don't want to kill a 4 stroke engine with the fogging oil.  It's ok with a 2 stroke but, it can do serious damage to the upper engine in a 4 stroke.  I fog mine for about 2 minutes and then shut it off.  If it's not idling too fast it will show a little smoke.

Now I don't feel so bad for forgetting to fog my RLXI.

I did remember to fog the mother-in-laws pontoon with a 40 hp. outboard till it died. Is that how fog an outboard?

I have carb engines that are easy to fog. Fogging efi engines is actually a whole other debate according to past threads and so you don't have to feel bad, you may even have done the right thing.

2 strokes don't have a valve train and you can put the stuff right to them.

Well, a 2 stroke single cylinder perhaps. Couldn't you blow a rod on a multi cylinder 2 stroke from hydrolock? Cylinder A fires the powerstroke (every stroke) while Cylinder B is in compression, but full of oil- blam. No?

I have heard of hydrolock damage as well in both 2 and 4 stroke engines. Pulling the plugs and adding too much fluid could damage the engine-so I have been told.

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i have always fogged my carbed 4 stroked inboards until they died and never done any damage. but as mentioned earlier and by others, the EFI monsoon just chugs along...

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  • 16 years later...

I store my 14' Alumacraft boat and 9.9hp 2 cycle 1969 Evinrude Sportwin outboard outside through the winter. Last winter I sprayed fogging oil into the two cylinders through the spark plug openings. Then I pulled the starter rope with plugs out to work the oil around. This Spring I could not get a normal hard pull on the rope as the oil in the cylinder created such high compression that I could not get enough inertia to create a spark from the flywheel. I ended up pouring a little fuel into each cylinder to cut the oil and worked the pistons back and forth before replacing the plugs. I finally got it started amidst a cloud of white smoke and a lot of sputtering although without a water cuff on the water intake I was limited as to how long I could run it without over heating the cylinders. I also now have a pulled finger tendon with six weeks of healing from yanking the pull rope. First trip on the lake it started with more than normal pulls but after some running on the lake it's back to normal. Fogging oil might be great if you have an electric start engine but it really sucks if you're hand starting. I'm done with fogging oil. Isn't there enough oil in the fuel at 50:1 mix to protect from corrosion? John  Milwaukee

  • Like 1
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  • 1 year later...

How many times during the winter months can you fog a Yamaha 4 stroke EFI engine?  Meaning if weather permits and I take it fishing for the day or weekend, do I then come home and rinse and fog as it might sit for 2 or 3 weeks until weather permits fishing again?

 

I live in Virginia Beach. 

Thanks

Rookie Boater

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12 hours ago, RPB said:

How many times during the winter months can you fog a Yamaha 4 stroke EFI engine?  Meaning if weather permits and I take it fishing for the day or weekend, do I then come home and rinse and fog as it might sit for 2 or 3 weeks until weather permits fishing again?

 

I live in Virginia Beach. 

Thanks

Rookie Boater

If your car sits for 2 or 3 weeks do you fog it? There's your answer!

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16 hours ago, uk_exile said:

If your car sits for 2 or 3 weeks do you fog it? There's your answer!

No, but then again I don’t drive my car in salt water either 😉. Thanks for your response and sarcasm. 

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1 hour ago, RPB said:

No, but then again I don’t drive my car in salt water either 😉. Thanks for your response and sarcasm. 

I drive my boats in salt water and never fog them.  Flush after each use, but no fog.

If you live within a few hundred yards of salt water the salt is in the air also, so maybe it's a good idea to fog the gas grill, lawn chairs, and maybe the kids too.

I am always amazed how fast things rot away on Mama's back porch.

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14 minutes ago, justgary said:

I am always amazed how fast things rot away on Mama's back porch.

A million (errr >30) years ago I worked at a bicycle shop in the san diego area.  Our shop was inland by 6 or so miles.  The difference between a bike from "the beach" and a bike that lived 1-2 miles inland up the hill was night and day.  Beach bikes seemed to rust from the inside out.  Come inland a few miles (essentially the desert), and bikes would stay pristine for decades.

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