Winterizing older Response Direct Drive - How many do it yourselves?

[sunvalleylaw]

20 minutes ago, ahopkinsTXi said:

I've never taken the hoses off on the top of the manifolds. That you drew an arrow to in the picture above. Those drain downhill on their own. I also just drain mine and not refill so I can't really advise on if you should fill the manifolds. 

The one I drew the arrow to I understand is the J hose which fills the engine block up from the bottom.  As @oldjeep said back in the thread somewhere. The hose I I was wondering about were just behind that one, going to the manifold.  Just to be clear and make sure we are saying the same thing.  I think we are.

Edited October 16, 2017 by sunvalleylaw

[ahopkins22LSV]

16 minutes ago, sunvalleylaw said:

The one I drew the arrow to I understand is the J hose which fills the engine block up from the bottom.  As @oldjeep said back in the thread somewhere. The hose I I was wondering about were just behind that one, going to the manifold.  Just to be clear and make sure we are saying the same thing.  I think we are.

Yes you are correct. My bad. Same comment though, I've never removed those hoses. 

[Woodski]

@tvano & @oldjeep:  Question for your comments on RV antifreeze use specifically for the shower parts - Aren't the pumps and parts simply RV toilet pumps and basic RV parts therefore RV antifreeze would be a good match?  Heater core would probably prefer the automotive type antifreeze, the solder joints are the weak link in my experience.  Mixed use systems can be a PIA!

To all - if you have trouble priming your system to attempt a flush, you can simply drain all the elements per the owners manual and simply add some anti freeze via a top down fill.  Thermostat housing, top hoses on exhaust manifolds and heater supply line will allow gravity fill options.  You really don't need to add much, when you drain the water you do leave air space for any freeze expansion to find.  Some anti freeze will provide freeze protection for a small amount of water left behind.

[oldjeep]

11 minutes ago, Woodski said:

@tvano & @oldjeep:  Question for your comments on RV antifreeze use specifically for the shower parts - Aren't the pumps and parts simply RV toilet pumps and basic RV parts therefore RV antifreeze would be a good match?  Heater core would probably prefer the automotive type antifreeze, the solder joints are the weak link in my experience.  Mixed use systems can be a PIA!

To all - if you have trouble priming your system to attempt a flush, you can simply drain all the elements per the owners manual and simply add some anti freeze via a top down fill.  Thermostat housing, top hoses on exhaust manifolds and heater supply line will allow gravity fill options.  You really don't need to add much, when you drain the water you do leave air space for any freeze expansion to find.  Some anti freeze will provide freeze protection for a small amount of water left behind.

Could be, but I don't have a shower, more worried about the heater and the rust formation in the block.  The "correct" stuff only costs about $6 a gallon and I typically use 2 gallons.  I don't dump anything in the exhaust manifolds, any little bit of water left there has plenty of room.

[tvano]

1 hour ago, oldjeep said:

Could be, but I don't have a shower, more worried about the heater and the rust formation in the block.  The "correct" stuff only costs about $6 a gallon and I typically use 2 gallons.  I don't dump anything in the exhaust manifolds, any little bit of water left there has plenty of room.

i can't positively say it's an issue.  not at all certain i understand all that i know about it...

i did have two pumps fail within the first couple of seasons while using rv antifreeze and have had zero failures since switching to sierra.

i skimp on a lot of stuff but the boat isn't one of those "stuffs" so it's not likely that i used the low rent rv antifreeze, as suggested above.

[Dampsquid]

Not trying to hijack the thread - but this seems to fit here.... How many of you are leaving anti-freeze in versus draining it after a flush?

I just finished winterizing my new to me 2000 sportster (also my first power boat).  I drained the water, sucked through six gallons of RV AF, and then drained that.  All through a fake-a-lake sucking from a bucket set on the ground next to the trailer.  My thinking is any fluid left in the block is, worst case, now a mix of AF and water, and has room to expand if it comes to that.  

By the way, no problems priming the pump via the fake-a-lake, it was sucking on the bucket in the time it took me get out the driver's seat and look over the port side!  Drained a 5 gallon bucket in about 30 seconds  perhaps less than a minute at 1000rpm.

Edited October 17, 2017 by Dampsquid

[oldjeep]

I leave it in for corrosion proyection

[footndale]

So helped a friend do his Tantrum Saturday, Mercruiser engine. First time for him, he purchased boat this spring. Couldn't be much simpler, even had all the water exit points with blue t-handles.

Took off the impeller housing to show him what to do. Mercurisers are harder than Indmars.  The impeller looked good, but will get a new one in spring.  Always said make sure you check the trans cooler.

Surprise. Not sure how he didn't over heat this summer. 

 

 

Filled the engine up with RV antifreeze from the thermostat opening. Took about 2 gallons.  

 

 

Edited October 23, 2017 by footndale

[sunvalleylaw]

1 hour ago, footndale said:

So helped a friend do his Tantrum Saturday, Mercruiser engine. First time for him, he purchased boat this spring. Couldn't be much simpler, even had all the water exit points with blue t-handles.

Took off the impeller housing to show him what to do. Mercurisers are harder than Indmars.  The impeller looked good, but will get a new one in spring.  Always said make sure you check the trans cooler.

Surprise. Not sure how he didn't over heat this summer. 

 

 

Filled the engine up with RV antifreeze from the thermostat opening. Took about 2 gallons.  

 

 

Photo isn't working for me.  But I presume it shows some sort of obstruction or debris??

[footndale]

59 minutes ago, sunvalleylaw said:

Photo isn't working for me.  But I presume it shows some sort of obstruction or debris??

Fixed the photo.

[solorex]

Awesome,  I checked my trans screen on my tantrum this year and found the same amount of impeller "parts" and two pieces of metal.  Keep in mind, I have owned my Tantrum for 7 years and have never had an impeller issue, so the stuff I found had been sitting on the screen for at least 7+ years.  Yikes.  Glad you checked yours as well.

And guys, don't overthink this winterizing process!  1) run boat, 2) fog cylinders, 3) drain everything, 4) pour in RV antifreeze from the main hose off the T-stat housing, all you need is to get some in the block.

I leave the drain plugs out of the risers and remove the impeller, place them in a ziplock bag on the dash.

[sunvalleylaw]

Ok I am bumping this in my own managed content as I am getting going on the second year of doing this on my own.  I went ahead and drained yesterday as an early precaution, but will have to do that again (no big deal anyway) after I do the oil change probably this next weekend.  Nice to be able to refer to my notes from last year.  For the oil change, I got the Delo SDE and the Wix filter as I did last year.  i think I will make a list of any little stuff I run across I want to address for next season, that I don't get to as I put it to bed for winter, also.  I might need a new key, as the other one got a little tweeked and though works, is a little sticky.  I also need to fix some heater air hosing.  I want to swap out the shower head and go through the shower, as the pressure is not awesome and it needs more heat.  Not sure if I have something going on in my pump, or I just need to adjust some stuff.  Teak deck looks great.  No worries there.  May add some more stuff later.  Of course a thorough clean and wax, etc.  

[sunvalleylaw]

Ok, had to accelerate my timing as we are going to go from a low of mid 30's to lower 20's 'oer the next couple nights.  Drained everything as per the above.  Will come back, change oil, and re-drain everything and add anti-freeze this coming weekend.  Go Huskies!

[justgary]

Since you bumped this, I don't think you mentioned draining the mainifolds by opening the fitting at the crossover hose (you broke an L fitting getting the hose off).  Look in the back of the engine and you will find a crossover coolant hose with what looks exactly like a garden hose coupler.  Disconnect that and it will drain your manifolds without having to take hoses off of the L fittings.  Easy.

[sunvalleylaw]

14 minutes ago, justgary said:

Since you bumped this, I don't think you mentioned draining the mainifolds by opening the fitting at the crossover hose (you broke an L fitting getting the hose off).  Look in the back of the engine and you will find a crossover coolant hose with what looks exactly like a garden hose coupler.  Disconnect that and it will drain your manifolds without having to take hoses off of the L fittings.  Easy.

I will look for that next time.  

[formulaben]

2 hours ago, sunvalleylaw said:

Go Huskies!

 

[oldjeep]

9 hours ago, justgary said:

Since you bumped this, I don't think you mentioned draining the mainifolds by opening the fitting at the crossover hose (you broke an L fitting getting the hose off).  Look in the back of the engine and you will find a crossover coolant hose with what looks exactly like a garden hose coupler.  Disconnect that and it will drain your manifolds without having to take hoses off of the L fittings.  Easy.

Crossover hose on a boat that old? My inlaws 2004 response lxi just has drain plugs on the manifolds - although it is a black scorpion, not indmar. 

[MadMan]

29 minutes ago, oldjeep said:

Crossover hose on a boat that old? My inlaws 2004 response lxi just has drain plugs on the manifolds - although it is a black scorpion, not indmar. 

My '00 Indmar has the crossover hose.

[UWSkier]

Indmar been using the crossover hose since the Monsoon II came out in the 90s sometime at least.  Maybe longer.

[Brodie]

My 99 with the 310 carb has the crossover  hose.

[sunvalleylaw]

On the weekend, when I run it, change oil then drain and fill (with coolant) I will check on mine.  

[justgary]

6 minutes ago, sunvalleylaw said:

On the weekend, when I run it, change oil then drain and fill (with coolant) I will check on mine.  

If I recall correctly, the garden hose fitting will be near the rear of the starboard head.  I converted my engine to half-closed cooling several years ago, so I haven't had to look for it in quite a while. 

To winterize now, I usually just throw a small 15 Watt heating pad over my heat exchanger and call it good.  I don't even pull the inlet hose to dump the fresh water out of it.  Of course, my winter is probably somewhat more mild than yours.

[sunvalleylaw]

11 minutes ago, justgary said:

If I recall correctly, the garden hose fitting will be near the rear of the starboard head.  I converted my engine to half-closed cooling several years ago, so I haven't had to look for it in quite a while. 

To winterize now, I usually just throw a small 15 Watt heating pad over my heat exchanger and call it good.  I don't even pull the inlet hose to dump the fresh water out of it.  Of course, my winter is probably somewhat more mild than yours.

Yep, It is hitting the lower twenties later this week.  Will warm back up again next week, but then headed into deep of winter.  

[justgary]

3 minutes ago, sunvalleylaw said:

Yep, It is hitting the lower twenties later this week.  Will warm back up again next week, but then headed into deep of winter.  

Holy cow!  If we see lower twenties, it is only for two days in early February.

[footndale]

All you warm climate people talking about winterizing. Funny.

70 degree to 20s this week in Wisconsin.  Time to wax the snow skis.