4 Stroke outboard (wrong way up)

[Engage]

I recently bought a 4 stroke 7.5 hp outboard, that I am not especially familiar with, and during collection observed that there is a sticker on one side saying "Lay this way up". I laid it down in the car to take home when upon removing it from the car, the sticker now showed "Don't lay this way up" ... Duh. 50-50 chance of getting is right by chance and I got it wrong even after reading the lable. There was a sticker on each side.

Presumably the orientation is to prevent oil spilling out or going where it shouldn't. There doesn't seem to be any oil spill so my question is - What consequences are there and what do I need to do to make sure everything is alright before I start fireing it up? I intend to service the engine myself first anyway.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Thistle]

It may simply be to make sure the engine is not laid with its weight on breakable bits so check that nothing has been broken off.

Some engines will let oil out of the sump and either out of the engine - though not in your case - or into places like carburetors and air filters where it tends to stop things working quite as well as they should. You are going to service the engine before using it so things like this should become apparent.

 

[VicS]

I think Thistle's advice is sound. Breakable bits usually means the gear shift lever ... even two strokes should not be laid on that!

You are lucky not to have all the oil in the car boot!

Get it standing upright ... always safe ... they are designed to operate that way up. Most of the oil will hopefully drain back into the oil pan.

It'll be a good idea to take out the plug(s) and expel any oil in the combustion chamber(s)

Drain any oil out of the air intake silencer/filter.

Drain the carb bowl if there is any evidence that there is oil in there.

Read the owners manual and be sure you know which ways the engine can be lain down or carried.
Almost certainly will be carried with a handle on the back in contrast to two strokes that usually have the carrying handle on the front.

 

[Lakesailor]

Do not try to start it. Oil may have got into the cylinder.
Remove the spark plug and slowly turn the engine over to see if it sprays any oil out of the hole. If it resists turn very slowly. Get it so that you can pull the motor over quickly with little resistance. Try a new spark plug before starting. Check oil level.
If starting it put the leg in a dustbin of water or use muffs if applicable, or mount on the boat. It may run very smokily until oil has been burnt off.

If you try to start it with excess oil in the cylinder and it fires, it could bend the conrod.

The same will happen to lawnmower motors if you turn them up the wrong way to clean the blades.

Nothing may have leaked and you may be OK. But check.

 

[Engage]

Phew

Thank you all very much for your replies, that is exactly what I was hoping you would say.
Cheers.

 

[paulm299]

right way up

On the Honda engines there are two lugs on the mounting bracket ( opposite side to the gear lever ) so that you can lay the engine on the ground . Hope this helps for future transportation .

 

[NUTMEG]

Did this on my 4/ Honda, no sign of leaks but bugger to start. Upon inspection I found the air filter assembly to be full of oil. Stripped and washed in petrol (the carb, not me) and all is well. Starting as usual on first pull.

 

[DownWest]

[
The same will happen to lawnmower motors if you turn them up the wrong way to clean the blades.

Nothing may have leaked and you may be OK. But check.[/QUOTE]

Had this happen to our B&S lawn mower. Tilted it to to clear, next, loads of pulls to start, folowed by clouds of smoke as it cleared the misplaced oil.
A

 

[Steve_N]

Our Suzuki 2.5 has got oil in the cylinder twice now, despite me following the handling instructions religiously.

When it happens it's impossible to turn it over with the starter cord - it stops solid, not surprisingly.
Plug out, turn it over lots of times and the oil goes out of the exhaust port I guess.

It then starts and lays down a smoke screen and an oil slick that BP would be proud of.
It's a far worse polluter than the 2 stroke it replaced..

 

[Ehbendisdonc]

Have had a boot full of oil when transporting a friend's o/b.
And I've had a cylinder full of oil when carrying my own. Wondered why the starter cord felt jammed solid!

Bottom line is that the manufacturers aren't messing when they state an orientation.