Winterization Walk Through

[Michigan boarder]

Lastly, this is my impeller. I would remove this plate, on the back, to change the impeller, correct?

I don't know when it was changed last (my second season with the boat), but was thinking I would do that this spring before installing the new hose. I have one on the shelf in the garage.

Edited September 21, 2010 by Michigan boarder

[Michigan boarder]

Bump....

[Levi900RR]

MB, The impeller pic is correct. I usually remove the pump completly to remove the impeller. The rest of the pics look right as well. I would HIGHLY recommend flushing your system with antifreeze as that is really the only way to ensure that every bit of each water way will be protected. Remove your thermostat and run the engine on coolant. If you want me to snap a pic of the bucket I made for flushing let me know.

Edited September 21, 2010 by Levi900RR

[Oberon]

Has anyone installed spigots to drain the block? Looks like they would make the job simple but I haven't winterized a boat yet, so I don't know if it's worth spending $72.

Also, has anyone installed an oil drain hose, to drain the oil out the bilge plug, on a '98 Response LX?

[martinarcher]

MB, The impeller pic is correct. I usually remove the pump completly to remove the impeller. The rest of the pics look right as well. I would HIGHLY recommend flushing your system with antifreeze as that is really the only way to ensure that every bit of each water way will be protected. Remove your thermostat and run the engine on coolant. If you want me to snap a pic of the bucket I made for flushing let me know.

Right on. I wouldn't trust winterizing by simply pouring antifreeze into the hoses and block. It's a good start and a way to get the block mostly full of antifreeze, but finish it up by starting the boat without a thermostat in it and the thru-hull hose that goes to the impeller in a bucket. It will guarantee the block is full of antifreeze and doesn't have any left over water hiding anywhere.

[sp0tts]

Right on. I wouldn't trust winterizing by simply pouring antifreeze into the hoses and block. It's a good start and a way to get the block mostly full of antifreeze, but finish it up by starting the boat without a thermostat in it and the thru-hull hose that goes to the impeller in a bucket. It will guarantee the block is full of antifreeze and doesn't have any left over water hiding anywhere.

Better make sure you're 100% confident you know how to bypass the thermostat if you're doing this. I have a friend who thought he was pumping antifreeze through his engine the same way and he ended up with a cracked block becasue the antifreeze was bypassing the block due the thermostat.

It only takes a couple extra minutes to drain the block so I always drain the block first, drain the heater and shower also, then follow with antifreeze as extra precaution to protect everything and dilute any water that didn't come out in the draining process.

[martinarcher]

Better make sure you're 100% confident you know how to bypass the thermostat if you're doing this. I have a friend who thought he was pumping antifreeze through his engine the same way and he ended up with a cracked block becasue the antifreeze was bypassing the block due the thermostat.

It only takes a couple extra minutes to drain the block so I always drain the block first, drain the heater and shower also, then follow with antifreeze as extra precaution to protect everything and dilute any water that didn't come out in the draining process.

Read my post again.....I said without the T-stat.

[Levi900RR]

I dont want to BUT, if you dont have the means to take your thermostat out, just run your boat for 10 mins on the fake a lake to bring it up to temp. For years that is all I did and never had a problem.

Plus as mentioned in my Oil Change post's its a perfect time to sit back sip on some fine crafted and reflect on the boating season.

**take your thermostat out of you can**

[Michigan boarder]

Thanks guys, the buckets and more thorough flush were in the plan. This year I just removed the impellar intake hose from the brass seawater pickup fitting in the hull. Then I inserted the garden hose into the impeller intake hose, turned the water on, started the boat and ran it up to temp. Drained everything as indicated. Re-attached everything. Opened 3 hoses and dumped in antifreeze. I feel very confident that I got everything. However, during the off season I will fabricate a shut-off valve to the seawater pickup and put a hose connector fitting in line in the impeller intake hose. Then next year after draining water, my seawater will be antifreeze sucked up out of a bucket with a short section of garden hose 'till it comes out of the exhaust (and drops into 2 other buckets). I'm mostly doing that as an anti corrosion measure, not so much to displace antifreeze, since I feel good about getting the water out.

Thanks again for the input!

[Michigan boarder]

Looking at my pics again reminds me I forgot to shoot everything with a skim coat of WD-40. However, has anyone had problems with that peeling paint off of their block? I used to do that seasonally with snowmobiles but they had shiny aluminum blocks, not a cast iron painted block.

[Levi900RR]

I have been spraying my block down with WD every year for 3 winters, the thing looks brand new.

So are you or are you NOT flushing your engine with antifreeze this year?

Edited September 22, 2010 by Levi900RR

[Michigan boarder]

I use full strength Ethylene Glycol from Prestone (green stuff). I drain the block in the spring and collect it back into the jugs and re-use it the next year. This years antifreeze will be on year 5.

If you "re-drain" the block and don't have any antifreeze in it it will begin to corrode a bit over the off season. The antifreeze combats the corrosion inside the block. Keep it full!

How do you collect it? Obviously thru the exhaust, but it gets diluted every year by fresh water, right?

Has anyone installed spigots to drain the block? Looks like they would make the job simple but I haven't winterized a boat yet, so I don't know if it's worth spending $72.

Also, has anyone installed an oil drain hose, to drain the oil out the bilge plug, on a '98 Response LX?

I'd say it's not worth it, draining the water is a really quck process already. These would be just another thing that could leak IMO.

I have been spraying my block down with WD every year for 3 winters, the thing looks brand new.

So are you or are you NOT flushing your engine with antifreeze this year?

I didn't flush it, but drained all water and then poured 4 gallons in thru the top hoses (red circles). I gotta think that 4 gallons made it's way thru everything, very little leaked out the exhaust at the end (with engine not running).

Thanks on the WD-40, I've got the boat in storage now and will uncover it and give that engine a coat.

Edited September 22, 2010 by Michigan boarder

[sp0tts]

Read my post again.....I said without the T-stat.

I knew what you said when I posted, just posted it as an extra precaution, because if they don't drain the block first and forget the thermostat, they will end up with a cracked block.

[jk13]

I didn't flush it, but drained all water and then poured 4 gallons in thru the top hoses (red circles). I gotta think that 4 gallons made it's way thru everything, very little leaked out the exhaust at the end (with engine not running).

That's what I did last year. HOWEVER, I took the thermostat housing off and poured directly into the motor. The way you're showing, if the thermostat was closed (and if the motor was off and empty, it was), you may not have any antifreeze in the actual engine. It may all be in your hoses and risers. Pull the housing off and pour into the block and you should be fine, at least I was last winter. I may be wrong on this, but I didn't want to take any chances.

[Levi900RR]

I dont know dude, I would build a quick bucket / hose and run that puppy with Antifreeze...

[skier_88]

How do you collect it? Obviously thru the exhaust, but it gets diluted every year by fresh water, right?

I'd say it's not worth it, draining the water is a really quck process already. These would be just another thing that could leak IMO.

I didn't flush it, but drained all water and then poured 4 gallons in thru the top hoses (red circles). I gotta think that 4 gallons made it's way thru everything, very little leaked out the exhaust at the end (with engine not running).

Thanks on the WD-40, I've got the boat in storage now and will uncover it and give that engine a coat.

I would say you got most of it covered with using 4 gallons. I would remove the thermostat and suck it through the engine just to be safe...atleast you will know anti freeze would be in every part of the engine where water would normally flow. My last skier had a fitting already designed to suck in anti freeze, the new skier, I'll pull off the water intake from the thru hall and put it in a bucket of anti freeze to suck it. I'd always errr on analness as opposed to I think its safe

[Michigan boarder]

Thanks guys, I'm sure I got it covered. The engine was just brought to temp and fogged before I drained the water and re-filled with antifreeze, so I'm sure the thermostat was open. Besides, the winterization is made to be done without antifreeze (following Pete's Indmar instructions), so this is more of a anti-corrosive measure to me. The biggest reason for my post was to make sure I didn't miss something in the draining process.

[Pistol Pete]

(following Pete's Indmar instructions)

I didn't write that winterization.

[Michigan boarder]

I didn't write that winterization.

I know

[martinarcher]

How do you collect it? Obviously thru the exhaust, but it gets diluted every year by fresh water, right?

I'd say it's not worth it, draining the water is a really quck process already. These would be just another thing that could leak IMO.

I didn't flush it, but drained all water and then poured 4 gallons in thru the top hoses (red circles). I gotta think that 4 gallons made it's way thru everything, very little leaked out the exhaust at the end (with engine not running).

Thanks on the WD-40, I've got the boat in storage now and will uncover it and give that engine a coat.

Nope, just place a 5 gallon bucket under the mid ship drain hole. Drain the block like usual with the exhaust and block brass drain fittings. Rinse the bilge when done. There won't be much antifreeze left in the block after that.

[Oberon]

I'd say it's not worth it, draining the water is a really quck process already. These would be just another thing that could leak IMO.

Thanks. This website has been very helpful. We got the boat mid-summer and I want to get it winterized properly and do a few projects so it's ready to go next spring. I'm going to teak guard the swim platform and install a depth finder (we live on a shallow lake) then start counting the days until the ice melts (or maybe a few weeks after that).

Edited September 25, 2010 by Oberon

[AdeL]

Hi Guys

I have a 94 Echelon which I purchased this year having made the move from jetboats. This is my first year with an inboard engine and have used some of the information you have posted on here to winterize the boat. I'm confident that everthing so far is good. I can see that some people pull the impeller out and some people don't, whats the theory behind removing the impellor?

Here's what I have done so far:-

1) Add stabil to fuel.

2) Replace oil & oil filter.

a. Oil filter type:- NAPA1060 or WIX51060

b. Oil qty:- 4.7ltr

c. Oil type:- SAE40W.

i. Mercury/Quicksilver 25W40 NMMA FC-W rated.

3) Cooling System

a. Drain each block. One screw on each cylinder block.

b. Drain each exhaust. Undo hose on each exhaust manifold and drain water.

c. Pull the thermostat. Replace thermostat cover gasket.

d. Undo the water pump water intake hose from the hull.

e. Remove flame arrestor.

f. Start engine and pour 5 gallons of antifreeze into hose using a funnel. At the same time fog the carburetors.

4) Remove spark plugs and fog each cylinder. Replace spark plugs and without ignition leads attached turn engine over to ensure all cylinder surfaces are coated with fogging agent.

5) Remove batteries.

6) Remove seats

Things That still need doing

7) Fill with fuel

8) Remove bilge drain plugs

9) Place scented bounce sheets throughout the boat.

[rjgogo]

All this adding of anti freeze and removal of the thermostat is really unnecessary. for 15 years I have succesfully been able to winterize my engine without doing all these crazy steps. I just disconnect all the hoses and the plugs on the exhaust manifold and remove the knock sensor and the drain petcock on the other side of the block. I blow out the heater core . then I take all the clamps and parts I removed in a zip lock back and poke a hole in it and put it on the throttle lever. I also take out the spark plugs and spray a bit of fogging oil inside and then replace. And finally I depressurize the fuel system by the valve on the rail. I am not in a mild climate. it gets down to -20F and I have never had an issue.

[Levi900RR]

All this adding of anti freeze and removal of the thermostat is really unnecessary. for 15 years I have succesfully been able to winterize my engine without doing all these crazy steps. I just disconnect all the hoses and the plugs on the exhaust manifold and remove the knock sensor and the drain petcock on the other side of the block. I blow out the heater core . then I take all the clamps and parts I removed in a zip lock back and poke a hole in it and put it on the throttle lever. I also take out the spark plugs and spray a bit of fogging oil inside and then replace. And finally I depressurize the fuel system by the valve on the rail. I am not in a mild climate. it gets down to -20F and I have never had an issue.

This is totally up for debate, In my mind. It takes me a matter of minutes to run the boat on antifreeze. To me even though it may not be totally necessary it provideds a little insurance policy and makes me rest easy throughout the winter.

I have been winterizing boats in Vermont for 12 years and have never had an issue spending the extra few mins to flush the cooling system with Antifreeze, and personally I would NEVER sign my name on a Winterization without this step.

Edited October 13, 2010 by Levi900RR

[Michigan boarder]

I looked at it more as an anti-corrosion measure. I changed my thermostat last spring and everything looked really rusty, so it just bothered me.