It took one crank to start this engine today even though it had been sitting outside all winter long only covered by a tarp.  I ran Stabil fuel stabilizer through it last fall right before I shut it down for the winter.  I did nothing else at all to winterize it.  And today it started up as if it had been running just yesterday.

One of the most beautiful sounds I can think of. That deep, throaty grumble, the smell of exaust......sweet.

I added Stabil also, Im praying mine does the same thing!

I use a better product, Sea Foam. It is a fuel preserver like Stabil plus it is a decarboner. I use it in all my outboards, lawn mower, chain saw, power washer, and weedeater.

I have used both and they both do a good job.

Yep, Stabil did the trick for me last year, when I parked her for a few months. This year I added it, but I never let her sit for more than 10 days.

I hear ya.  I started my motor today for the first time since Sept. and it started right up.  Ran the stabil through it before putting it up for the winter. It is a 1984 mariner 150 hp

Similar experiences with stabil here. Use it in all of our small engines, it's really amazing stuff. We run it through the snowblower every spring before storage and it starts on the first pull every winter. Maybe some of you lucky folks don't even need snowblowers >

There's nothin better than blue smoke and the smell of two stroke outboard after a long winter like this one.

I don't know, those photos looked Photochopped....looks like the water is spraying up and then running down the back of the motor. And all that smoke, that's gotta be an old Chebbie puffing soot in front of the boat.

Nope, no photoshoppin' here.  It started right up.  Now I wish I was hauling it to the lake for the first fishing trip.  Oh, but you did get the Chebbie part right.  Ceptin' it's a newer Chevy, a 97 with a 350 VORTEC in it, and it's dyin' to be on the way to the lake too.

Yep, I was pullin' your line...hope you get on the water soon. SV