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Antifreeze for Winterization...


BBeakley

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I've got an '01 Sunscape LSV with the Monsoon 325 in it and I was interested in winterizing a little better than I had been on my old Ski Centurion. Previously I just drained the water from the block but I thought the suggestion to add antifreeze (RV type, non-toxic) to the block after draining the raw water was a good one. Only problem is I don't know where to add it. Can you disconnect the intake from the thru hull fitting for the water intake and pour it in there or do you have to add it downstream of the thermostat? I used to run my old boat in the driveway by just shoving a garden hose into the raw water intake hose after removing it from the thru hull fitting and it seemed to come out of the exhaust immediately but I don't know if there was a thermostat on that boat though. I don't want to run the engine dry waiting for the thermostat to open (which it may not do if there is no water to wet the thermocouple). Any advice is appreciated.

I could always skip the antifreeze, TorC, NM is fairly mild with only a few light freezes through the winter but the payment book on the new Bu is still pretty thick so a few dollars in antifreeze seems like cheap protection.

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I always feel more comfortable ahving anti-freeze in there and there are a number of ways you can add it.

I pump it out of a bucket into my flush pro which makes winterizing a snap.

You can also disconnect the intake hose and pour it directly in if you want.

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I put some in the exhaust manifolds by disconnecting the hoses at the front and pouring in using a funnel. I add it to the block through the fitting for the heater. Finally, I make sure the heater core has some by adding it to the hose leading to the heater then blowing into it until I see antifreeze coming out the hose leading away from the heater.

I've also used the flush pro to add the antifreeze. I've found that this method is difficult and messy. If you use this method and the pink stuff you'll have to be certain you've flushed all the water out and you have nothing but pink stuff inside. RV antifreeze mixed with water will still freeze.

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Thanks for the replies. My boat stays indoors at a storage area but there is no AC power that I'm aware of so all of the light/heater options are unavailable to me.

I'll just try disconnecting the intake hose and pour it directly in there and wait until I get pink out the exhaust. I plan on draining the antifreeze after it's flushed through also. I just wanted the antifreeze in there in case there is a low spot that doesn't drain well.

We'll see how challenging that will be with the v-drive config. It would have been a no brainer on the old DD. That and the impeller both have me a little worried about this coming weekend (winterization weekend). Oh well, I'm sure it's nothing a few cans of hopps can't fix Biggrin.gif

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To the folks who winterize using the flush pro: Do you drain the fresh water out of the block before running with the bucket/AF mixture? Or do you just get the engine up to temp (using fresh water hose), then hook up the bucket of AF and run until flowing out the exhaust?

I usually drain first, afraid of diluting the AF. However, I find I have to drain and restart (with AF) quite fast or the thermostat will close back up.

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If you use this method and the pink stuff you'll have to be certain you've flushed all the water out and you have nothing but pink stuff inside.  RV antifreeze mixed with water will still freeze.

I learn something new every day.

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To the folks who winterize using the flush pro:  Do you drain the fresh water out of the block before running with the bucket/AF mixture?  Or do you just get the engine up to temp (using fresh water hose), then hook up the bucket of AF and run until flowing out the exhaust?

I usually drain first, afraid of diluting the AF.  However, I find I have to drain and restart (with AF) quite fast or the thermostat will close back up.

Exactly. Usually when I winterize it's quite cold outside and it's a pita to get the thermostat to open the first time. I don't think there's anyway I could drain everything and be restarted in the time it would take for the thermostat to close back up.

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No need to RUN the engine, use any fancy gadgets or worry about the thermostat being open or close. Just open all the drain plugs until all the water drains out. Pour some AF through the top of the manifold hoses until AF runs out of the drains. Plug up the drains and add a little more AF for good measure.

If you have heaters, showers or tanks, blow them out with air, add a little AF and blow again until you see AF come out the other end, then your done.

Should take about 1 gallon of AF for the whole boat.

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V drives are a real pain to winterize Here's an easy way - Hook up your Fake-a-Lake and run the engine with a garden hose hooked up until the thermostat opens. Then stop the engine, disconnect the water hose and hook up another hose to your Fake-a-Lake and drop the other end into a 5 gallon pail with the antifreeze mixture - it will suck the mixture right on up. As soon as you see the exhaust water turn the color of the mixture, kill your engine, disconnect. Oila" !!!!!! Winterized !!!!! Biggrin.gif

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V drives are a real pain to winterize  Here's an easy way - Hook up your Fake-a-Lake and run the engine with a garden hose hooked up until the thermostat  opens. Then stop the engine, disconnect the water hose and hook up another hose to your Fake-a-Lake and drop the other end into a 5 gallon pail with the antifreeze mixture - it will suck the mixture right on up.  As soon as you see the exhaust water turn the color of the mixture, kill your engine, disconnect. Oila"  !!!!!!  Winterized !!!!!  Biggrin.gif

The risk you run with this and other types of systems that run the AF right after the water is the water and AF will mix diluting your mixture and limiting the freeze protection.

I see your in Texas, so it would not be a problem for you. More Northern states that may drop to 10 or 15 below zero in the winter could have an issue.

Your much better off draining all the water, then pouring some AF straight into the block. Very simple to do. Quick, no muss no fuss.

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Your much better off draining all the water, then pouring some AF straight into the block. Very simple to do. Quick, no muss no fuss.

That's what I suggest as well. I warmed up the boat engine, then pulled all the plugs and drained it, then I sucked up 4 gallons of AF. Worked well for me and you know how cold it got last year summerfun! (we're neighbors! :))

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Living in Michigan I agree with summerfun - if you are using the pink RV antifreeze you can't trust that a diluted mixture will work. But I'm still curious summerfun where you are pouring the antifreeze in to make sure it gets past the thermostat and into the block.

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Each manifold has a hose up on top coming from the thermostat housing. I unclamp the hose and pour straight into the each manifold. I pour enough for the AF to run out the drain plugs, then close the drain plugs and pour in a little bit more.

I unhook both ends of the heater hose from the engine block then blow air through my heater until all water is gone, then pour some AF into the hose and blow until I see AF come out the other side. DONE.

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That's what I suggest as well.  I warmed up the boat engine, then pulled all the plugs and drained it, then I sucked up 4 gallons of AF.  Worked well for me and you know how cold it got last year summerfun!  (we're neighbors! :))

There is no need to run the engine before pulling the drain plugs. Sucking the AF into a dry engine will get you undulated AF, but is more work than necessary and uses up much more AF than needed.

Just drain the engine of water and pour some AF back in. You will use less than 1/2 gallon.

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There is no need to run the engine before pulling the drain plugs. Sucking the AF into a dry engine will get you undulated AF, but is more work than necessary and uses up much more AF than needed. 

I run the engine also so I can fog it. Makes it more of a two for one special :lol:

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I didn't have any luck trying to get my flushpro to suck up antifreeze out of a bucket. I even tried pumping it into the flushpro thru-hull with a ballast pump, but it just wasn't working. I ended up pouring it into the intake hose with the engine running (after bringing up to 160 and draining the engine.)

Summerfun, how do you get the antifreeze into the exhaust manifolds (or do you just drain those?)

Edited by YZThump
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Summerfun, how do you get the antifreeze into the exhaust manifolds (or do you just drain those?)

Here is my whole process.

Winterize 2001 EFI Malibu w/Heater

 Supplies

14oz Sta-bil

Mercury oil filter 35-802885, Pennzoil PZ3,

6 Quarts Mercury oil 25W-40 marine, Pennzoil 15W-40

Type A Desron II, III or Dexron/Mercon fluid (as needed)

4-6 oz of Fogging Oil

1 gallons Pink Antifreeze

Teflon tape

 Sta-bil Fuel

Add 14oz of Sta-bil to 35 gallon gasoline tank and fill tank with mid grade fuel.

 Change engine oil

Hook the garden hose up to the "fake a lake" plunger and attach it under the boat at the water intake valve.

With the water turned on, run the engine for 15 minutes to bring up the temperature and warm the oil. Shut off the engine and water.

Drain the old oil and remove the old oil filter. Install the new oil filter and refill the engine with 5 quarts of new oil.

 Change transmission fluid (as needed)

Pump out the old fluid through the dipstick and refill with 2 quarts of new transmission fluid. Check the dipstick level.

 Run engine and fog

Turn the water back on and remove the flame arrestor. Start the engine and insert the tube of fogging oil can and spray 4-6 ounces of oil into the throat of the carburetor. Shut off the engine and the water.

 Drain engine, hoses and heater.

Uncouple the manifold quick disconnect drain hoses in the rear and drain.

Remove both ends of the hose that runs from the lower end of transmission cooler to the impeller and drain.

Check the lower side of the transmission cooler for weeds and clean if necessary

Remove both ends of the large diameter water pump hose that runs between the water pump and the thermostat and drain.

Remove the petcock on the port side and the knock sensor from the starboard side of engine block and drain. Poke a stiff wire into the engine block drain holes to clear any clogs if necessary.

Remove the faceplate and inspect the raw water impeller and replace if necessary.

Turn the engine over once to kick out any water in the water pump.

Remove both of the heater hoses from the engine block and drain.

Blow air through the top heater hose until water stops coming out of the bottom heater hose.

Remove the thermostat side of both of the hoses that run between the top of the manifolds and the thermostat.

 Pour antifreeze into engine, hoses and heater.

Pour antifreeze into the top heater hose and blow through the heater until pink antifreeze comes out of the bottom heater hose. Reconnect both heater hoses.

Pour a little antifreeze into each of the manifold hoses until antifreeze runs out of the manifold drain hoses in the rear. Reconnect the drain hoses in the rear.

Poor a little more antifreeze into each of the manifolds hoses. Reconnect the manifold hoses to the thermostat.

Reconnect the bottom of the large diameter water pump hose.

Pour a little antifreeze into the engine block through the top of the large water pump hose until antifreeze comes out of the engine block plugs.

Replace the engine block drain plug and knock sensor using teflon tape on drain plug but not on the knock sensor.

Poor the remaining antifreeze into the engine block through the top of the large water pump hose and reconnect the thermostat side of large water pump hose.

Reconnect both sides of the hose going between the impeller and the transmission cooler

 Disconnect battery and remove.

Keep the battery in a warm place and occasionally put a charge on it during the winter storage.

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One word of caution on anti-freeze. I was reading the product reviews on "WestMarine" and on guy bought the -30 AF (the red pop), and placed a cup (undeluted) in his freezer. Guess what? It froze solid. Don't know about you, but my boat is stored 1 hour S. of the U.P. where it gets real cold. Neadless to say, I went with the -100 (also sold on WestMarine) just to be safe. Cost is substantially more, approximately $9.99/ gal. vs. $3.99/gal for the red pop.

I initally thought the -30 would be fine, but somewhere I read how they came up with the ratings and I knew that I would be taking a very expensive chance with the -30. Should there be any residual water left in the block after I drain it, I'm still covered.

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One word of caution on anti-freeze.  I was reading the product reviews on "WestMarine" and on guy bought the -30 AF (the red pop), and placed a cup (undeluted) in his freezer.  Guess what?  It froze solid.  Don't know about you, but my boat is stored 1 hour S. of the U.P. where it gets real cold.  Neadless to say, I went with the -100 (also sold on WestMarine)  just to be safe.  Cost is substantially more, approximately $9.99/ gal. vs. $3.99/gal for the red pop.

I initally thought the -30 would be fine, but somewhere I read how they came up with the ratings and I knew that I would be taking a very expensive chance with the -30. Should there be any residual water left in the block after I drain it, I'm still covered.

I agree. If you live anywhere it gets really cold it is better to spend a few extra bucks on the "good stuff" then spend a few thousand bucks on a new engine.

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I don't believe in poisioning our lakes and rivers with antifreeze. Last year I used regular prestone, but flushed my engine in the driveway before going to the lake. I then invited the neighbors yapping. pita dogs over for a drink. I'm not sure what I will do next year.... Crazy.gif

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I'm trying something new this year, something most marinas do when winterizing their floatila of I/O's. After completing the usual tune up and fluid change, I plan to use a bildge pump and the Flush Pro to run antifreeze through the engine:

- drain block, manifolds etc. as usual

- place large plastic bin filled with some A/F under exhaust ports

- stick bildge pump in 'exhaust bin' with 10' garden hose that connects to Flush Pro

- power up the pump so A/F is being pushed up to the Flush Pro

- run engine for 10-15 minutes to let A/F circulate through all (including heater & shower), all the while re-collecting the recycled A/F in the 'exhaust bin'

- Bottle up the unused A/F for use during next season's winterizing ritual

Painless. Atleast, it seems to be when I see it done at the local marina. Yes, it will use alittle more A/F overall, but it's worth it for my peace of mind.

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