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Winterizing...run antifreeze through or pour and fill block/manifolds


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I have always winterized my Malibu by warming the engine, draining the block/manifolds, revving the engine, then closing up and sucking antifreeze through the intake hose and then fogging the engine. I have seen several posts about just removing a couple hoses and directly filling the block and manifolds with antifreeze w/o running it through the engine. I understand that if the engine isn’t warm enough the antifreeze may bypass the block entirely.

I am wondering if people could comment on pro’s and con’s of one method vs the other.

If I go with the route of just filling the block and manifolds rather than running it through the intake, do I need to do anything to fill any other hoses or parts of the engine besides just removing the coolant hoses hooked to the thermostat (i.e. the impeller, etc.)?

Do I need to fill more than one large coolant hose in order to fill the entire block?

Thanks in advance.

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I know the manual says drain only, but I had frost caps pop on my old mastercraft after having done so. I just don't trust that you can get all the water out by just draining. I store it in MN and it gets awfully cold here in the winter.

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Can't I just remove the large diamter hose hooked to the thermostat and fill with a funnel from there...rather than remove the thermostat itself?

Just doing that will not get any in the exhaust, but I think it will get the block. You would have to pull both lines running to exhaust manifolds and do the same.

Read this post (think it is zone5 explaining his method which sounds like what your trying to do):

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I just drain mine. I went though all sorts of heartache about it last year. It was my first year with the boat and first time winterizing and I freaked out about everything. This year, I changed the oil and trans fluid, then ran it and fogged it, drained it then sucked water out of the manifolds with a wet vac and sucked whatever else I could out of the block drains, removed the hoses from the water pumps and sprayed it down with silicone. All that's left is to remove the seat cushions, put buckets of damp rid it, put the cover on, pull the batter and bring in the house and call it a winter.

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Upper midwest boater -- I warm up boat to 160 on garden hose in driveway, drain block X2, manifolds (disconnect the hose) and drain at tranmission cooler to check for any debris. After drained reconnect drain plugs, transmission hose and manifold hoses. I disconnect at impeller intake for DD or at Walter's v-drive and exchange hose for another 1.25" hose which is placed in 5 Gal bucket of RV antifreeze. Turn on and fill until coming out exhaust 3-3.5 Gal. Then drain every thing again, reconnect everything and pull impeller, Pump out bilge to recycle RV antifreeze. May be overkill but it gets cold here in January (-20F or colder). Boat stored in unheated garage.

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If you pour antifreeze in through the heater hose outlet on top of the intake beside the thermostat housing it is much easier than removing the thermostat. If you have no heater there is a plug in place of where the heater hose barb fitting would be.

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per Indmar directions "drain only"

Indmar said the same for my closed cooled heat exchanger. I drainned it, and then blew air through it. blew out more than 1 quart of water from a pretty small space. Indmar isn't going to replace stuff if they crack

I know the manual says drain only, but I had frost caps pop on my old mastercraft after having done so. I just don't trust that you can get all the water out by just draining. I store it in MN and it gets awfully cold here in the winter.

I had the exact same thing on a race car motor in Pittsburgh. NEVER will I just drain an engine again...

Can't I just remove the large diamter hose hooked to the thermostat and fill with a funnel from there...rather than remove the thermostat itself?

Yes, that will fill the block. Then you need to pull each hose from the thermostat housing that goes to the exhaust manifold. Fill both of them.

You need to drain the exhaust/block/lines to the impeller housing first. If you have one of the plastic flushing devices, make sure you drain it too, becaus it will trap water.

If you want to run it, and suck the antifreeze in, you can do that, BUT you have to drain the block first. If you don't and the Stat doesn't stay open, you will not get antifreeze into the block. If you drain it, the antifreeze will fill the empty block. But by the time you drain it, and then set up a hose and run it with antifreeze, you will have pulled the hoses and be done. and also, if you run it on antifreeze and happen to run it dry, there is a chance you will toast the impeller.

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I have drained and then sucked RV antifreeze through raw water intake, and drained and not filled with anything. Both worked. It is my thought that if you run the engine until warm, drain everything, then try to suck in some RV antifreeze, the thermostat is going to close quickly when the cold RV antifreeze hits it. Then the rest of the RV antifreeze just gets passed through the exhaust, and not much gets into the engine block.

When I drain only and do not fill with RV antifreeze, I leave the 2 engine drain plugs out, and all the water hoses off that I disconnected for draining until spring.

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Why on earth people keep perpetuating this moronic and wasteful idea of filling their engines with toxins and antifreeze is beyond me.

Since 1996 I have been pulling all the plugs as well as the knock sensor and I have not had a problem.

Pull the intake, take out the knock sensor on the one side and take out the drain on the other. Take out the trans cooler plug for the trans, which is redundant cause you already pulled the hose and then let the water out of the exhaust manifold and you are all good. Worked for me for years and years.

I Don't want all that toxic antifreeze in my lake, If you are willing to waste your money and damage the environment that is my problem as well because you choose to be an idiot.

Edit to add, If you have a closed system then you need to drain that and blow it out as well. Still no need to fill it with toxic stuff. BTW, it can get -20F here as well. Again it is easy. No problems here

Edited by rjgogo
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I just drain mine. I went though all sorts of heartache about it last year. It was my first year with the boat and first time winterizing and I freaked out about everything. This year, I changed the oil and trans fluid, then ran it and fogged it, drained it then sucked water out of the manifolds with a wet vac and sucked whatever else I could out of the block drains, removed the hoses from the water pumps and sprayed it down with silicone. All that's left is to remove the seat cushions, put buckets of damp rid it, put the cover on, pull the batter and bring in the house and call it a winter.

you are a smart man. But it would have been easier to jsut open all the drains up, no need for the vac. also, if it is open and it freezes it won't hurt your engine. It will pour out of the holes.

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Why on earth people keep perpetuating this moronic and wasteful idea of filling their engines with toxins and antifreeze is beyond me.

Since 1996 I have been pulling all the plugs as well as the knock sensor and I have not had a problem.

Pull the intake, take out the knock sensor on the one side and take out the drain on the other. Take out the trans cooler plug for the trans, which is redundant cause you already pulled the hose and then let the water out of the exhaust manifold and you are all good. Worked for me for years and years.

I Don't want all that toxic antifreeze in my lake, If you are willing to waste your money and damage the environment that is my problem as well because you choose to be an idiot.

Since when is -100 RV/Boat antifreeze toxic? Its NOT. and it helps prevent corrision! Look up Camco

How is $30 a waste of money? New exhaust are ~$400 a set, and a new block is big bucks.

I'm glad you have been lucky all these years and that it works for you. I've seen 2 engines that were drained and blown out and one cracked, and one blew all the core plugs. Thats when I chose $30 over the alternative.

and its all well and good for Indmar to say what ever they want to say. They aren't going to pay for damage. Mercruiser used to say the same thing. They changed it a few years back to tell you to use antifreeze.

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Since when is -100 RV/Boat antifreeze toxic? Its NOT. and it helps prevent corrision! Look up Camco

How is $30 a waste of money? New exhaust are ~$400 a set, and a new block is big bucks.

I'm glad you have been lucky all these years and that it works for you. I've seen 2 engines that were drained and blown out and one cracked, and one blew all the core plugs. Thats when I chose $30 over the alternative.

and its all well and good for Indmar to say what ever they want to say. They aren't going to pay for damage. Mercruiser used to say the same thing. They changed it a few years back to tell you to use antifreeze.

Many people use regular antifreeze, which is toxic.

Again. what a waste. I have been doing this since 1996 with temps reaching -20F and never a problem.

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I drain my block and manifold at the coupled hose....then re install plugs and pump 3 gallons of plumbing anti freeze through the intake hose ....then I drain it all again...plenty comes out of the block.I leave all plugs out after that....my boat sits in a Costco garage all winter 150 miles north of Toronto were it can reach minus 40 deg some times but easily minus 20 cel or zero Fahr on a regular basis....

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Many people use regular antifreeze, which is toxic.

Again. what a waste. I have been doing this since 1996 with temps reaching -20F and never a problem.

Like I said, I'm glad it works for you.

Anyone that uses regular antifreeze should be shot!

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I drain my block and manifold at the coupled hose....then re install plugs and pump 3 gallons of plumbing anti freeze through the intake hose ....then I drain it all again...plenty comes out of the block.I leave all plugs out after that....my boat sits in a Costco garage all winter 150 miles north of Toronto were it can reach minus 40 deg some times but easily minus 20 cel or zero Fahr on a regular basis....

Why do you go through the added step of drainning the antifreeze out?

and yea, I have been there when it was -40 on sleds. Its beyond cold..

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Why do you go through the added step of drainning the antifreeze out?

and yea, I have been there when it was -40 on sleds. Its beyond cold..

I was told best to re drain in case it was flusihing out any water left behind the first time....never had a problem

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I was told best to re drain in case it was flusihing out any water left behind the first time....never had a problem

Wasn't implying that you would have any issues, just asking about the extra step. Use -100 antifreeze, which is okay to be mixed with water, and if there is any water left, the antifreeze will mix with it, and save you the extra step. If you only use -50, and it mixes with water, its protection goes to nothing.
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Wasn't implying that you would have any issues, just asking about the extra step. Use -100 antifreeze, which is okay to be mixed with water, and if there is any water left, the antifreeze will mix with it, and save you the extra step. If you only use -50, and it mixes with water, its protection goes to nothing.

I use regular minus 50 cel house hold plumbing antifreeze....no issues...just added insurance that water has been flushed out.Local marina does the same btw

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Why on earth people keep perpetuating this moronic and wasteful idea of filling their engines with toxins and antifreeze is beyond me.

Since 1996 I have been pulling all the plugs as well as the knock sensor and I have not had a problem.

Pull the intake, take out the knock sensor on the one side and take out the drain on the other. Take out the trans cooler plug for the trans, which is redundant cause you already pulled the hose and then let the water out of the exhaust manifold and you are all good. Worked for me for years and years.

I Don't want all that toxic antifreeze in my lake, If you are willing to waste your money and damage the environment that is my problem as well because you choose to be an idiot.

Edit to add, If you have a closed system then you need to drain that and blow it out as well. Still no need to fill it with toxic stuff. BTW, it can get -20F here as well. Again it is easy. No problems here

I think there are way more effective ways to get your point across. "Moronic, "Idiot" "Waste your money" "Damage the environment" ...really? I am really glad it worked for you and I guess there are a number of us who are moronic idiots including dealers!

Edited by old skool malibu
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How this topic comes up every year, is just head scratching.

It's plain and simply not needed. If you winterize your engine properly by draining everything, nothing will freeze. There is nothing to freeze.

Look at a schematic for a cooling diagram. Everything drains, if you do it properly.

At least if you are going to ask this question AGAIN, do a search, there are at least 20 threads on this subject.

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