I have a 7.5 HP Mercury and was wondering if there is anything special I should do to it prior to storing it for the winter? It is a 1978 model 75E, 7.5 HP Mercury. Thanks in advance. MIkeS

run fuel stabilizer in it

fog it

and change lower unit oil

good to go

What do you mean when you say "fog it"?

There is a foaming spray oil called fogging oil that is used to treat the cylinder/s so they won't rust during storage. After you run the motor for a while with the fuel preserver, you spray the oil in the carb until it chokes out. Then remove the spark plug and fill the cylinder with the foaming oil while rotating the flywheel and replace the spark plug. Then change the lower unit oil. When you start it next year, there will be no mosquitos bothering you for a while and you may think the motor is on fire with all the smoke you will see. ;D

That is the proper way to winterize your motor.

Thank you for the information.

Another quick question about winterizing, when changing the lower unit oil is it to go ahead and replace the water pump or just wait until spring....? Does it really matter when?

Changing the oil is easy. Getting the gearbox off and on again can be difficult. When was the last time your water pump was changed?

the motor is a 93 johnson 25hp, I just bought the boat earlier this year. The prior owner says he never changed it. I took it to a boat shop to have it looked over and they said since its pumping well not to bother with it. It still pumps a steady stream but a just a "little" concerned with its age.

I am not mechanically inclined, would it be better to just to have the shop winterize it and change the pump?

If the motor is used a few time every year I would not change the pump. What ruins an impeller quickly is when they sit and dry rot and then run. They fall apart real quick. It is peeing real well at idle I would not worry about it. Changing the gear box oil is easy. so is winterizing. There are few threads on here that should help you save a few bucks by doing it yourself.