Off-Season Storage - TOHATSU MFS 6A3Z 8A3 9.8A3 Owner's Manual

62 INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE

3. Off-season storage

Before you put your outboard motor
in storage, it is a good opportunity to
have it serviced and prepared by your
dealer.
!
Before servicing the motor for storage:
● Remove the battery cables.
● Remove the spark plug caps from
the spark plugs.
● Do not run the motor out of the water.
■ Engine
① Wash the engine exterior and flush
the cooling water system thoroughly
with fresh water. Drain the water
completely.
Wipe off any surface water with an
oily rag.
② Use a dry cloth to completely wipe
off water and salt from the electri-
cal components.
9
③ Drain all fuel from the fuel hoses,
fuel pump, and carburetor, and
clean these parts.
Keep in mind that if gasoline is
kept in the carbruretor for a long
time, gum and varnish will devel-
op, causing the float valve to stick,
restricting the fuel flow.
④ Remove the spark plugs and spray
storage oil (available from an au-
thorized dealer) into the combus-
tion chamber through the spark
plug holes while slowly turning the
motor over using the recoil starter.
⑤ Change the engine oil.
CAUTION
⑥ Change the gear oil in the gear
case.
⑦ Apply grease to the propeller shaft.
⑧ Apply grease to all sliding parts,
joints, nuts, and bolts.
⑨ Stand the outboard motor up verti-
cally in a dry place.
WARNING
!
Be sure to use cloth to remove fuel
remaining in the cowl and dispose of it
in accordance with local fire prevention
and environment protection regulations.
■ Battery
① Disconnect the battery cables.
② Wipe off any chemical deposits,
dirt, or grease.
③ Apply grease to the battery termi-
nals.
④ Charge the battery completely be-
fore storing it for the winter.
⑤ Recharge the battery once a month
to prevent it from discharging and
the electrolyte from deteriorating.
⑥ Store the battery in a dry place.
■ Electric Starter Motor
Coat the internal pinion gears and the
shaft of the electric starter motor with
grease.
Do not put grease on the teeth of the
starter pinion or flywheel or increased
wear or damage will occur.