Pre-Season Check; Spark Plugs - Evinrude 55 HORSEPOWER MRL Operator's Manual

Maintenance
Extra engine oil is used during the winteriza-
tion procedure. Some excess oil may appear
on the skeg below the gearcase area. This is
normal.
Avoid potential oil stains by placing a shop
towel or suitable container under the propel-
ler and skeg for the duration of the storage.

PRE-SEASON CHECK

Remove your outboard from storage and pre-
pare it for a season of reliable service by per-
forming a general check and a few preventive
maintenance procedures.
Examine all loosened or removed hardware.
Replace damaged or missing parts with
Evinrude/Johnson Genuine Parts or equiva-
lent. Check the gearcase for leakage. If leak-
age is evident, the gearcase seals should be
replaced.
IMPORTANT: Gearcase lubricant is thick
and clear. Do not confuse this with engine oil,
which may normally appear on the skeg after
performing the long-term (winterization) stor-
age procedure.
Anticorrosion anodes — Check condition.
Refer to Anti-Corrosion Anodes on page
23.
IMPORTANT: Do not run your outboard—
even for a brief start-up—without supplying
water to it. Water pump damage can occur in
just a few seconds.
Following Engine Starting on page 16, start
the outboard. If the outboard was winterized,
it may smoke briefly on the first start of the
season. Let it idle while you:
Observe running quality. If poor, refer to
Troubleshooting on page 35.
Confirm water pump operation. Water must
flow from the water pump indicator in a steady
stream. If it does not, shut off the outboard
and investigate. Refer to Engine Overheat-
ing on page 23.
Stop the outboard and check the fuel system
for leaks.
WARNING
Failure to check for fuel leakage could
allow a leak to go undetected, resulting
in fire or explosion.
34

SPARK PLUGS

WARNING
The ignition system presents a serious
shock hazard. Use caution to avoid
injury from shock or injury resulting
from your reaction to shock. Do not
handle primary or secondary ignition
components while the engine is crank-
ing or running.
Spark plugs should be serviced by qualified
personnel. Incorrect spark plug maintenance
can lead to engine damage.
IMPORTANT: Replacement spark plugs
MUST be installed following the indexing pro-
cedure in the service manual.
Marine Engine Duty Cycles
The International Council of Marine Industry
Associations (ICOMIA) Standard No. 36-88
specifies a marine engine duty cycle based on
documented studies. A duty cycle is a profile
of engine running and usage. This duty cycle
is used to determine average spark plug lon-
gevity and maintenance requirements for
Evinrude E-TEC outboards.
ICOMIA Marine Engine Duty Cycle
Engine Speed as
Percentage of Rated
Speed (RPM)
IDLE
40%
60%
80%
100%
IMPORTANT: Some running profiles and
conditions can lead to spark plug wear sooner
than expected. Depending on your specific
usage, the spark plug maintenance schedule
may require adjustment.
Time at Specified RPM
(Percentage of total
engine running time)
40%
25%
15%
14%
6%