4-stroke outboard left wrong way up

Tintin

Tintin

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School boy error. I have stored my 2.3hp 4 stroke Honda air cooled outboard on the wrong side for a few days.

I have put it up right and there was a steady stream of oil leaking out of the casing.

Before I try to start it and before I refill the oil, is there anything I need to do or be aware of?
 
Done the same thing several times until I painted 'this way up' in big red letters on the cowling.

You may be fine but on every occasion I have had to clean engine oil out of the carb. It gets in via the crankcase breather pipe.

Can get away with removing the float bowl and jet and cleaning in fresh petrol.

Good luck
 
You might want to write "Other Way Up" on the appropriate side as well or instead of. After all, with only This Way Up and wrongly laid down you wouldn't see the sign.
 
First thing is SPARK PLUG OUT and pull cord many times to clear any oil out of cylinder - which is the big danger of damage. Check plug is clean and dry. And as others have said you may also need to clean carb. Then top up oil and start.
 
jwilson said:
First thing is SPARK PLUG OUT and pull cord many times to clear any oil out of cylinder - which is the big danger of damage. Check plug is clean and dry. And as others have said you may also need to clean carb. Then top up oil and start.
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Agree with his 100%. I had a Honda 7.5 ages ago and it was very clearly marked which way up it was to be stored. There were even little feet to rest it on. Actually, inversion for a few minutes and then pulling over slowly, isn't a bad inclusion in the "winterisation" scheme!
 
Just to re-iterate what others have said. Take out the spark plug and turn the engine over lots of times. It's a very small combustion chamber and only needs a small amount of oil in there to prevent the piston reaching the top of a firing stroke. The danger is that a hydraulic lock could (especially if the engine has already fired and then drawn a lot of oil in through the inlet valve) damage the engine. Usually bending the con rod. This is a major repair.
 
The Honda does have small feet ribbed mouldings on the side you lay it down on - that's the easy way to remember. Personally I returned to two stroke - I hate the noise and weight of these small 4 strokers. I'd rather mix the fuel and be done with it.
 
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