[tkwalker]

I recommend and do myself, is to fill your fuel tank up and add Stabil. What this does is keep the void space in your tank from condensing and creating water. Secondly Put your Muffs on and run the motor and circulate the treated fuel through out the fuel system, (lines, carbs, injectors, etc.) DO NOT drain any fuel from the system.

When fuel is removed in the lines and carb etc. Gas, being organic, evaporation will dry and residual fuel will form in the empty lines and carbs. This creates a scale, so what happens is when new fuel is introduced to the system it flushes this scale straight to the bowl of the carbs, which is where your high speed jet is located...

Like previously stated in other post, just lower the motor to a vertical position and all water will exit the motor when it is shut off, no bumping the starter necessary, in fact this destroys a dry Water pump Impellor do to the thrust vertically as well as on the blades. They are designed that way . No water is trapped in the pump, Its intake pulls from below the water line and discharges in to the exhaust housing .. Think about it, Northern fisherman and duck hunters are out in sub freezing conditions to the point their boats actually get frozen in ... Have you ever heard of a 2 stroke outboard engine block freezing ? Now the lower unit is a different animal .. Need to check to make sure your seals are good by checking for water in the oil. Make sure the motor has not been run for at least 3 days, this lets the water and oil separate. Remove the lower fill screw quickly and reinstall. The water will be the first thing that will come out ... Also look for a milky color oil that is evidence of water in the unit. ... Now as far as critters getting in the cooling system passage ways (Mercury's are the worse) is Dirt Dobbers and there are many types of these ... By running your motor during the down time in the winter will prevent this... Hope this helps <'TK><