I talked to the epic rep from jack safro wisconsin

[skiboarder]

I was walking threw the menards in waukesha when I saw a guy with a toyota epic t shirt on, I stopped him to talk boats. He said he was the rep for the epics at jack safro. He had said a couple of things that seemed odd to me about our boats. We mentioned winterizing, he said that you cant put stabill in the gas that you had to drain the gas out. He also said that you can not fog the engine because that there are so many sensors that it would coat the sensors. And when you winterize you have to pull at least the bottom 2 freeze plugs. Does anyone know more about this stuff .  All of that goes against what the manual says for winterizing and the board! Is this right

[ScarabEpic22]

Well Im pretty sure the bottom 2 freeze plugs have never been pulled on my 99 and I had Ski Masters Watersports here in Seattle do the winter/summerization for the first 4-5yr I owned my E22.  Ive used Sta-Bil, but this makes sense b/c it runs like crap for the first tank (have to really rev the crap out of it to get up to speed).  I dont fog the plugs b/c Ski Masters didnt so they still have the untouched paint on them from when the engine was built.

[skiboarder]

If you dont fog the engine, wont you damage the motor?

[cyclone]

You should fog thru the spark plug holes instead of the intake or down the carb like other boats. You have to open the block petcocks, yes. I have used and not used Stabil, never had gas problems after 785 hrs.

It is wise to fog, some people don't. it burns off in 3 sec after you start the engine.

[eagle1wi]

What did he mean by rep?  A sales guy named Scott D?

I doubt any of the Tessmer's would talk like that and any local guys that would have a clue about our boats would be at Skipper Bud's or Jim Tessmer Jr. himself.

I don't fog and yes it runs like crap on stabil but that doesn't mean you "have" to drain the tank.  I have a good amount of hours on our boat as well as a good amount of winters and those freeze plugs have never been off.

[skiboarder]

Yah his name is scott, He said he was the rep and that he sold all 44 boats. Eagle, you dont fog the engine? I did.

[eagle1wi]

Be careful taking mechanical info from a sales guy.

Did you fog through the intake or the spark plug holes?

[skiboarder]

Yah thats what I thought, I foged both and now that I think about it I probably should not have foged threw the throttle body huh? I have been having some issues with it running like crap. I was going to run all the fuel out cause of the stabill then run some fuel injector cleaner threw it with fresh gas, it kinda sounds like it is missing and lots of vibration when I tow. I allready changed the fuel filter and I put new plugs in last year when I bought it. Do you have any ideas craig?

[westtx]

I run stabil in every tank and swear by it. Put 3 hours on the engine Memorial Day after the tank set full for 6 months and it ran great. Didn't fog the cylinders during winterization, but I probably should have. Has anyone checked the owner's manual to see what it recommends?

[skiboarder]

The manual says to use stabill and also states use a rust preventing fogging oil if stored more than 2 months.

[eagle1wi]

it kinda sounds like it is missing and lots of vibration when I tow. I allready changed the fuel filter and I put new plugs in last year when I bought it. Do you have any ideas craig?

I'd bet on plugs - have you tried pulling them and looking?

If you are getting vibration under load it is almost always plugs.  If you search here you will find people that thought they had tranny trouble and even have gone so far to replace the trans to find out that plugs was the issue.

Unfortunately, just looking at the plugs isn't always beneficial - they could be bad and appear fine.

[Capt Rick]

OK .....It is wrong and you shopuld change plugs each year after summerizing.
Stabil is recommend additive in the tank. Specially the new additive for blended fuel in Wisc.
Put a set of new plugs...You never can tell by looking at them.

yes if you fog via intake you will get it on the MAS sensor and can damage heating wire.

I would follow the owner TSB and winterize that way.

There where 4 boats in 2001 in Milwaukee that did not get winterized. They cracked the blocks at the cyliner tops. Ouch....That hurt.

[skiboarder]

Thanks I will try changing the plugs out and see what happens.

[ScarabEpic22]

OK, well my 99 E22 was hesitating badly last year, plugs are reasonably cheap and my boat is going on 8 seasons (7 mine, bought it in 00 new, sat for a year) so I can afford some plugs.  What plugs to use is the question I need to ask.  Thanks!

[skiboarder]

Think again you have to buy lazer iridium plugs they are about 8-9 bucks a plug take one of your old ones out and got to your local auto parts store you can get them there. You have to use iridium plugs it says it on the motor and the manual.