De-Winterization

[Barefooternewbie]

Good afternoon members,

This is the second season with my boat and I'm just looking to get a few questions answered about getting my 2005 Response LXI (Monsoon) ready for the summer. I had the boat professionally winterized at my local Malibu Dealer with the following done: impeller changed, oil & transmission oil changed, etc. When I called them and asked the Dealer what needs to be done to the boat before putting it into the water they said nothing. Just put the batteries and plugs in and start the boat on the trailer while looking in the engine compartment for loose hoses or water. Any other suggestions what I should do (spark plugs, etc) or look for?

Thanks

JD

[barefootpaul]

Keep an eye on the temperature gage. I have had to bump the throttle to get the impeller to prime on a dry system. Other than that keep your eyes and ears open so anything that looks or sounds out of the ordinary.

Keep in mind that if they used fogging oil your exhaust will be extra smoky for the first little while.

[Barefooternewbie]

Thanks Paul.

quote name='barefootpaul' timestamp='1305572714' post='458459']

Keep an eye on the temperature gage. I have had to bump the throttle to get the impeller to prime on a dry system. Other than that keep your eyes and ears open so anything that looks or sounds out of the ordinary.

Keep in mind that if they used fogging oil your exhaust will be extra smoky for the first little while.

[WakingMeHappy]

Since they left the water lines connected that would also mean your system is filled with anti-freeze. I hope they used an anti-freeze that can go in the lake and not hurt anything. That's probably the case but you may want to ask. Otherwise you can run it in the driveway with a fake lake and catch the anti-freeze in a bucket.

[shawndoggy]

Since they left the water lines connected that would also mean your system is filled with anti-freeze. I hope they used an anti-freeze that can go in the lake and not hurt anything. That's probably the case but you may want to ask. Otherwise you can run it in the driveway with a fake lake and catch the anti-freeze in a bucket.

It wouldn't have to be full of antifreeze. It could have been opened, drained, and buttoned back up, no?

[WakingMeHappy]

It wouldn't have to be full of antifreeze. It could have been opened, drained, and buttoned back up, no?

True. I have not heard of anyone doing that before but I guess you could.

[barefootpaul]

It wouldn't have to be full of antifreeze. It could have been opened, drained, and buttoned back up, no?

Thats what I do. The block sleeps all winter empty and hooked up ready for summer.

[Bill_AirJunky]

It wouldn't have to be full of antifreeze. It could have been opened, drained, and buttoned back up, no?

Thats what a lot of dealers do. They go thru less anti-freeze, plus people aren't driving around draining anti-freeze on the streets or in the lake all winter & spring.

[eyepeeler]

Good afternoon members,

This is the second season with my boat and I'm just looking to get a few questions answered about getting my 2005 Response LXI (Monsoon) ready for the summer. I had the boat professionally winterized at my local Malibu Dealer with the following done: impeller changed, oil & transmission oil changed, etc. When I called them and asked the Dealer what needs to be done to the boat before putting it into the water they said nothing. Just put the batteries and plugs in and start the boat on the trailer while looking in the engine compartment for loose hoses or water. Any other suggestions what I should do (spark plugs, etc) or look for?

Thanks

JD

It's much, much, better to install a new impeller in the spring than install in the fall and let it set for six months.

Edited May 16, 2011 by eyepeeler

[BuFootin]

Thats what I do. The block sleeps all winter empty and hooked up ready for summer.

Yep, I do the same. No antifreeze. Everything connected. I do leave the plugs out

[Bill_AirJunky]

It's much, much, better to install a new impeller in the spring than install in the fall and let it set for six months.

Considering that many of us are installing the impeller once, and leaving it in there for 200 - 300 hrs without any failures, I'm wondering what I will get if it's "much, much better" to remove it.

[eyepeeler]

Considering that many of us are installing the impeller once, and leaving it in there for 200 - 300 hrs without any failures, I'm wondering what I will get if it's "much, much better" to remove it.

It's pure common sense to remove the impeller for six months in the winter, and it's stated plainly in the Indmar manual to do so.

[Bill_AirJunky]

Common sense?

All I can find in the Indmar manual is that you should not run the engine unless the boat is in the water or has a water supply hooked up.

It does say to lubricate the impeller with Vaseline & put it in a plastic bag when your storing it. But no time frame is mentioned at all.

The ONLY time frame I can find is that it says to inspect the impeller every 100 hrs, or replace it every 300 hrs or 2 yrs.

But since I'm going to actually use the boat, rather than park it, I'm thinkin I'll leave it in there.

To the OP, if your looking for documentation on de-winterizing your boat, that manual has the details on it. It's still very much up to your dealer as to what he does or does not do. Many dealers don't leave anti-freeze in there, or pull the impeller, or even leave all the hoses off. This is an effort to simplify the "de-winterzing" your going thru now. Sounds like your best bet is to start the boat & watch the engine & see what it does... with a water source of course.

Edited May 16, 2011 by Bill_AirJunky

[martinarcher]

Only time my impeller ever sees the light of day is when it's day is done and I'm replacing it after it's been spinning for 200 hrs. IMO pulling it every winter is a bit much.

[99response]

It's pure common sense to remove the impeller for six months in the winter, and it's stated plainly in the Indmar manual to do so.

Guess I don't have any common sense because I've never done it, but hey you must be the guy who also greases the starter bendix more power to ya.

I just always carry a spare impeller and don't worry about it. I've pulled 5 or 6 year old impellers out of boats with 500+ hours that pulled water fine despite never being changed.