Idea some may not have thought of for winterizing

[MadMan]

You have to be careful using automotive antifreeze, undiluted (100% antifreeze, no water) its freezing point is 10F. Just make sure you dilute it.

[jonredcorn]

Your hoses are a little different than my 2012 but close enough.

I don't fill the block from the heater hose, just the heater and heater hoses - I have both hoses disconnected when I do this.

I fill the block from that hose you labeled #2. OK, sure you might not get antifreeze all the way to the top of the tstat but it fills through the waterpump into the block.

As for antifreeze in the exhaust manifolds - I don't put any in there.

I only wind up using 2 gallons, and it gets pushed right out into the lake the first time I start the boat in the spring - that is why I buy the environmentally safe stuff If you want to reclaim it then the green toxic stuff is a lot cheaper.

Sorry for the confusing pictures - I re-purposed one that I made when adding the heater. Those #'s represent plugs that I could remove from the engine block to draw heater hot water from.

But I get what you're saying - winterize the heater through heater hose, winterize block through the big J-hose. That makes sense.

This is the anti-freeze I used: West Marine Pure Oceans -100 Engine and Water Antifreeze Model #363798 Mfg #363798.

"Burst protection to -100F, Freeze protection between -58F to -68F undiluted"

No idea if its considered safe for the environment - but I chose this due to freeze concerned if it was diluted at all - and since MN winters get so cold. (the "-50F" antifreeze typically have a freeze point of 12F to 16F... hence the "-50" label that says "...in regions where temperatures can fall below -10F, we recommend using pure oceans -100 marine antifreeze")

[MLA]

You have to be careful using automotive antifreeze, undiluted (100% antifreeze, no water) its freezing point is 10F. Just make sure you dilute it.

The better response should be, dont use automotive antifreeze in a fresh water cooled boat for winterizing.

[Lance B. Johnson]

Yup don't dump automotive antifreeze in our lakes please.

[MattMatt]

PLEASE don't ever use automotive antifreeze in a boat. That stuff is super nasty for the environment.

Personally I always winterize with the marine antifreeze as it helps stop engine corosion durning the winter months. Even if you drain all the water there are still pockets of moisture that will rust away your engine all winter. I guess it's not much of a problem if you only keep your boat a few years, but long run it can make a big difference.

[Nitrousbird]

PLEASE don't ever use automotive antifreeze in a boat. That stuff is super nasty for the environment.

My boat is full of the automotive green stuff all year.

[oldjeep]

My boat is full of the automotive green stuff all year.

Don't the half closed systems use sierra?

[justgary]

Don't the half closed systems use sierra?

I guess that depends on if you put Sierra in them....

Mine is green also, but mainly because I have gallons of the stuff available.

[Nitrousbird]

Don't the half closed systems use sierra?

What the owner's manual suggests and what I put in it are not the same...

They also call for a Pennzoil oil and filter, yet I use Mobil and K&N.