2005 Mercruiser 5.0 MPI Spring Start Up

Serenity

I am about to uncover my boat and have a question. I am in the northeast and the boat has been winterized. I am under the impression that before you start the engines for the first time in the spring-you change the fuel filters, distributor cap and rotor. You leave the plugs until after the initial start to burn off all the fogging oil. The oil was changed in the fall. Is this the procedure most do?

gslpro

I turn the key.  Tune ups every few years.  Plugs with tune ups.  No need for all of that in my opinion.  Just start her up and change things only if it is scheduled maintenance or if you have a problem.  Save the money to buy an extra IAC valve to store on board for when yours gives up the ghost (it will) and the rest for money in the gas tank(s).

Serenity

I was busy working many hours and had a mechanic do the spring decommissioning the last few years. It cost me a fortune--The mechanic had used to change everything--wish I had their business. I bought the plugs but will take a look. I am sure they will be fine and use them next year. I will change the fuel filters. I will also change the caps and rotors just because I use the boat a lot and do not want any issues. Thank you.

212rowboat

what killed plugs on your fathers Oldsmobile, was the lack of precision control over fuel trim.  These can go likely three or four times longer than older engines.  On top of that, you can pull them and re-gap them, give them a swipe or two with a sand paper, and put them back in without any issues...

replacing them every season is not needed.  Inspecting them every season is worth it.  compare them against a chart for color and wear- you'll find an issue before it bites you.  

Ignition wires are the same.. inspect them by folding them over themselves looking for cracks- make sure the loom keeps them away from each other to prevent inference and misfiring.  look real close at your coil wire (center tower), as it sees a lot more action than the others.  It'll show wear first.  

the dizzy cap now- I'd replace it.  the rotor spins like a top in a hurricane splaying spark to the points, and the points wear down along with the rotor's electrode- and it makes precision firing of the points sloppy... it can start finding better places to ground quick like, which aren't the particular points tower... which ain't good.. a decent cap is $10, takes all of ten minutes to install, and is worth every penny.

battery tender/charger- $free, if you have one, let it burst charge for the time to:

fuel filters- easy- cheap insurance- do it... five minutes. $10

oil and filter- easy- cheap insurance- do it... twenty minutes. $40

inspect the wires and plugs, re-gap, scrub, re-install... do it while the oil drains. $free 

sea pump in the foot... an hour? got two? 1 1/2 hour?  $40~$80?  

three good hours tops... pull charger, slap the ears on, water up, turn the key..... smile while she comes up to temperature, so you can make sure the stat is originally closed, and that it opens when it's 'sposed to....

ain't nuthin' to it...  

  

Serenity

Thank you. I feel better now that it is not just me. This was my plan. One more thing. I was told to not run the motors on the ear muffs. I have twin 2005 5.0 MPI Mercruisers with Bravo 3 outdrives. I used to run the motors of my prior boats all the time on earmuffs. Never an issue. I know never to rev high but to do exactly what you mentioned-making sure the motors come up to temp, and no leaks was the main purpose before the boat goes into the water. Please can I have any thoughts.

212rowboat

Oops... Didn't think about it being a b3... Was thinking alpha... No... Muffs do you no good.

craigswardmtb

check your belts too.  One of mine was pretty shot this season and I suspect would have given up at some point this year and likely at the most inopportune time.

Dream_Inn

I have actually run current boat and my prior boat on muffs.  This one has B2's and the other had B3's.  The trick is to get the muffs on real tight.  Now, I only do it in the fall before I winterize, but you actually can do it on B3s with some caution.