Mercury Outboard Winterization Products

When it comes to winterizing an outboard motor, whether it be a 2-stroke or a 4-stroke, Mercury makes some of the best marine engine winterization protection products available.

Some of Mercury’s products for marine use are under their Quicksilver brand, and we’ve used both on many of our Mercury outboard winterization and oil change videos. Here’s a look at some of the products Mercury makes for winterizing outboards.  

Mercury Outboard Gear Lube and Pump

Changing the lower unit (gearcase) oil is one of the most basic yet important outboard routine maintenance tasks. A lower unit oil change should also be done when preparing an outboard engine for winter storage. Changing the lower unit oil for a Mercury outboard requires both the gear lube and a Mercury gear lube pump that fits the fill opening. You can buy the pump and the gearcase oil separately or as a combo kit. 

Mercury Engine Oil and Oil Filter

Just like the gearcase lube, changing the engine oil and oil filter are part of Mercury outboard routine maintenance that should also be done as part of the winterization process. What type of oil and filter you use depends on your Mercury outboard’s model specifications, and in some cases you can choose between standard oil and synthetic blend oil. You can also buy the oil and filter separately, or save some money by getting a complete oil change kit. 

Mercury Fuel Stabilizer

Letting fuel sit inactive for too long can cause it to oxidize and go stale. It could also attract water molecules, which can corrode the fuel tank. Adding Mercury Quickstore fuel stabilizer prevents the fuel from breaking down and going stale. The fuel stabilizer also absorbs water molecules attracted by the methanol in the gasoline. Add fuel to the tank, then run the motor for a minute to draw the stabilized fuel through the fuel system.

Mercury Outboard Fogging Oil

Any exposed metal surfaces on a Mercury outboard’s interior are prone to corrosion while the motor sits inactive in storage. This includes the piston heads and cylinder walls within the combustion chambers, which is why Mercury makes a fogging oil to spray them with a protective coating while the outboard sits in storage. Simply remove the spark plugs and spray the fogging oil directly into each opening for a couple of seconds before reinstalling the plugs.

Mercury Quicksilver Corrosion Guard

To protect the exterior of the outboard while it’s in storage, Mercury makes a Quicksilver-branded corrosion guard spray. Spraying the powerhead with corrosion guard provides a thin oil coating that protects any external metal parts or surfaces from rusting. Simply spray the corrosion guard on every bit of the outboard, with the exception of any belts and anodes, before putting it away for offseason storage.

We mentioned taking out the spark plugs to spray in the Mercury fogging oil, and replacing the spark plugs is also a good idea while you’re at it, regardless of what condition they’re in. Spark plugs are cheap to buy and easy to replace, so you should go ahead and replace them before putting the motor away for storage.