How to transport an outboard motor

Do you need to store your outboard motor after summer season has ended? You most likely need to transport it first so you can store it. It is important to know how to transport an outboard motor. If you don’t do this the right way, your outboard can get damaged. Therefore we explain how to transport an outboard motor properly and how to prepare your outboard for transport.

Prepare remote tanks for transport

Do you have a remote tank? Here is how you need to prepare your remote tank for transport:

1. To ensure the water intake can pull in water and cool the engine, it’s necessary to submerge the gearcase, whether your outboard is still connected to your vessel or not.
2. With the gearcase still submerged, start the engine and disconnect the remote fuel line. Run the engine until it completely stops.
3. Once the engine has fully stopped, place the protector cap over the fuel line connector.
4. Afterward, remove the outboard from the bucket and hold it upright until all the water has drained.

Prepare internal tanks for transport

Do you have an internal tank? Here is how you need to prepare your internal tank for transport:

1. To ensure that the engine is cooled properly, it’s necessary to submerge the gearcase in water before starting the engine, regardless of whether the outboard is still attached to your vessel or not.
2. Once the gearcase is submerged, start the engine and close the fuel valve. Let the engine run until it completely stops.
3. After the engine has fully stopped, close the fuel tank vent to prevent any remaining fuel from leaking.
4. Finally, remove the outboard from the bucket and hold it upright until all the water has drained out of the gearcase.

2-stroke outboards vs 4-stroke outboards

Do you want to transport a 2-stroke outboard or a 4-stroke outboard? Transporting a 2-stroke motor requires a different approach than transporting a 4-stroke motor, because the latter has an oil-containing crankcase.

Initially, both 2-stroke and 4-stroke motors are best transported in an upright position. However, if there is still oil in the 4-stroke motor, it cannot be placed in any position. There is usually a sticker on the motor indicating the best position to place it in.

If both outboard motors are completely empty of gasoline and oil, it doesn’t matter how you transport them. However, the best position is usually on its side, on top of the throttle. This applies to all brands of outboard motors.