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Winterizing Response w/LS-1 -- where is everything


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I've read and collected posts on winterizing so seems with this partially closed cooling system I just need to get water out of manifolds, exhaust, and heat exchange  I'm assuming the hot-air heater system is filled with antifreeze and I don't have to touch the transmission or anything else.  But on the exchange I see three plugs along the bottom as in the photos 77-80; do I remove them all? For the exhaust, there are hoses that seem to drain the manifolds, so is it enough to open the small cap at the end of where the two come together? My antifreeze reads good to -5 on two tools (float and refractometer). I assume the burst point is lower.  If I want to beef it up with some pure coolant, can I just suck some out of the black reservoir under the cap and then add some?  Finally, where is my thermostat?  I thought I would fog behind the flame arrestor but read someone say not to fog through intake.  Is it better to do the plugs individually? Sorry for all the questions.   Photos included. Thanks for any help.  

Also, I’ve tried fogging to the intake and it seems to suck it in and sort of check the engine briefly but there is no smoke. Using CRC.

Also

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Edited by Gara
Updated
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Holy Cow!  Look at the size of that stack of parts!  That looks like something Mercruiser would do to an engine....  That fits under the hood in a Response?  My buddy has an '04 with the Indmar 5.7 and it looks a lot more graceful.  Oh, well.

Anyway, I think you aren't getting answers because basically no one here has ever seen a closed cooling system.  I'm a little confused by some of the pictures, but I'll try to answer the questions to the best of my ability.  Keep in mind that although I do have a half-closed system, I don't really need to "winterize" it.  I throw a 15 Watt heating pad over the heat exchanger on the two or three nights that we have a hard freeze.

Adding coolant: How old is the coolant?  If it is over the recommended age, change it.  That should be around three to five years depending on the brand of coolant.  It can lose some of its ability to keep corrosion down, so keep it current.  Speaking of that, mine is five years old now....

 Anyway, if you just want to increase the mix ratio, I would not bother with the reservoir if it is outside of your pressurized system.  Drain some out of the engine and fill it directly from the highest available point, then run the engine on a hose or with the boat in the water to distribute the new coolant.  Then you can test again with your refractometer to see what you have.  On second thought, I just looked at your photos again, and yes, you can just remove the "radiator cap" at the top of your reservoir and add new coolant there (but you still have to run the engine).

As for draining the raw water, do that after you get the coolant how you want it so you don't have to do this part twice.  It's probably best to pull the plate off of the raw water pump (the brass thing at the top of your first picture), then remove the impeller and inspect it.  If you have any sort of valve in your system between the inlet in the floor and the pump, you will have to get that water out of the hose.  Otherwise, that part drained when you took the boat out of the water.

Now on to the heat exchanger.  Yours doesn't look anything like mine, so I think what I would do is loosen each one of those plugs and see what drips out.  If it is coolant, now you know.  If it is raw water, pull the plug and let it drain.

I can't really help you with the manifolds, but maybe if you post a few more photos we can figure it out.

Yes, your heater should have coolant in it.

Your thermostat will probably be under a little casting at the end of one of those bigger hoses, probably close to or on the head exchanger.  When I installed my closed system, I moved the thermostat from the front of the engine to the inlet of the heat exchanger.  I didn't question the instructions, and it works great where it is, but if you look at my engine you would guess wrong about where to find it.

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If you want to drain it, here is the link on what to do for that method:  https://www.bakesonline.com/images/MediaLibrary/IndmarLS1winterDrainInfo.pdf

i have the same engine - winterizing is very easy - this is the method below that the previous owner gave me:

  • Unhook the hose that goes into the hull - this is the hose that feeds water to the water pump - in your pictures this hose has the red sticker on it.  It has 2 hose clamps on it that you need to loosen to get it off of the brass fitting going into the hull.
  • Pull the hose up so you can get a funnel in it.  I actually made an extention that i put in mine to make this easier.
  • Open up 5 gallons of pink antifreeze so they are ready to pour.
  • Put a funnel with large opening in that pipe - pour a little in the hose so it has some fluid to get started
  • Start the engine and pour all 5 gallons in (4 is not enough)
  • Shut the engine off - you will see pink coming out of the exhaust
  • hook the hose back up and your done.   This process forces all the water out of the heat exchanger, manifolds and exhaust.

i like to use the pink antifreeze that has Propylene glycol and not alcohol.   

this is the funnel that I use that works good:  https://www.walmart.com/ip/Flo-Tool-Super-QuickFill-Funnel/20551466

Edited by SkiPablo
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Out of curiosity.  Why not just blow it out with air.  Seems a lot safer to me.  Have to do a good job but it if fairly easy and wondering why go through all the pink just to winterize a boat.

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6 hours ago, NHolladay said:

Out of curiosity.  Why not just blow it out with air.  Seems a lot safer to me.  Have to do a good job but it if fairly easy and wondering why go through all the pink just to winterize a boat.

This.  The pink stuff is a waste of time and money.  Just follow the Bakes link from above.  

Being a direct drive, yours is even easier than mine.  Mine only takes a few minutes.  I just follow the instructions and blow everything out with the air compressor - that's for peace of mind but really isn't needed.

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Thank you all for the excellent info.  I "pinked" before I saw the air-pressure option which I should have thought of, especially while borrowing my neighbor's large compressor to blow out the irrigation lines yesterday....  I may do that in addition since the pink that I collected from the exhaust (to run through the bilge pump and line) registered only about +5degrees and I ran six gallons through.  

Was not aware of the Bakes library so appreciate that also, and the detailed response on the photos.  Great community!

One question: I used a can of fogging oil, putting it in behind the flame arrestor, but got no smoke of any kind. Any thoughts on that?

Edited by Gara
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2 hours ago, Nitrousbird said:

This.  The pink stuff is a waste of time and money.  Just follow the Bakes link from above.  

Being a direct drive, yours is even easier than mine.  Mine only takes a few minutes.  I just follow the instructions and blow everything out with the air compressor - that's for peace of mind but really isn't needed.

Thanks.  I have an 8.1L in mine so it is a vdrive.  I have just not seen the rv antifreeze used as much in any other year than this.

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i find the drain plugs on the exchanger hard to reach on my boat - yours look  easier to get to - maybe it's because the straps have busted a few times.  Maybe I'll try it again next year.

as for the fogging - you technically did it right, but I don't do it myself - seems that no one in Ohio fogs inboards.   You could pull a spark plug to see if fogging oil is on the electrode.   If you do it next year you certainly don't need a whole can as that will most likely foul the spark plugs

I'd be temped to freshen up that engine antifreeze.  when I test mine each year it shows -25.  

Edited by SkiPablo
added more info
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18 hours ago, Nitrousbird said:

This.  The pink stuff is a waste of time and money.  Just follow the Bakes link from above.  

Being a direct drive, yours is even easier than mine.  Mine only takes a few minutes.  I just follow the instructions and blow everything out with the air compressor - that's for peace of mind but really isn't needed.

What do you recommend for those who do not have an air compressor?  Why do you feel the need for peace of mind if it's not necessary?

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4 hours ago, formulaben said:

What do you recommend for those who do not have an air compressor?  Why do you feel the need for peace of mind if it's not necessary?

I recommend buying a cheap air compressor.  Why the hell would you not have one?  I have two...my big one and a portable.  My portable Dewalt pancake was only around $100.  Even if it is only for filling tires, it's a basic item everyone should have.

You do get some water coming out when using the compressor, especially out of the Vdrive unit.  Have I winterized without using the compressor - yup, and everything was fine.  It only take a minute with an air compressor so why not get more water out?

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On 10/29/2018 at 5:57 AM, Nitrousbird said:

This.  The pink stuff is a waste of time and money.  Just follow the Bakes link from above.  

Being a direct drive, yours is even easier than mine.  Mine only takes a few minutes.  I just follow the instructions and blow everything out with the air compressor - that's for peace of mind but really isn't needed.

I agree that draining will get the freeze issue taken care of but. The pink stuff keeps the rust out and keep the impeller in good shape.  I get nearly clear water never have rust coming out of my block and drain hole threads still look like new. For ten bucks of pink I will use it every year.  I fill the block as well as the exhaust system.  

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Sixball,  Do you fill the block by going into the thermostat?

NHolladay,  Where do you connect to blow it out?

I did notice the plugs a bit fouled when I checked them.  Especially the port side and esp the aft two.

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8 hours ago, Sixball said:

I agree that draining will get the freeze issue taken care of but. The pink stuff keeps the rust out and keep the impeller in good shape.  I get nearly clear water never have rust coming out of my block and drain hole threads still look like new. For ten bucks of pink I will use it every year.  I fill the block as well as the exhaust system.  

Why are you comparing your open cooling process to an LS1?  There is real coolant in a LS1 as it is partially closed cooled.

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15 minutes ago, Nitrousbird said:

Why are you comparing your open cooling process to an LS1?  There is real coolant in a LS1 as it is partially closed cooled.

I guess one could argue that draining and "pinking" would protect the raw water side from rust.... 

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3 minutes ago, justgary said:

I guess one could argue that draining and "pinking" would protect the raw water side from rust.... 

Except you can't really fill the raw water side like you can a block. So you are protecting a small portion of the raw water side from corrosion that is normally touching remaining lake water 6+ months of the year.

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44 minutes ago, Nitrousbird said:

Except you can't really fill the raw water side like you can a block. So you are protecting a small portion of the raw water side from corrosion that is normally touching remaining lake water 6+ months of the year.

I'm on your side of this argument, but was just suggesting a hypothetical answer to your question.  I think pinking is pointless unless you do it every time you finish using the boat. 

I assume my manifolds and risers are expendable after a few years of use, but my block and heater are well protected. 

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Just a comment. The LS1 is closed cooled, so if you drain the heat exchanger and exhaust manifolds it’s protected. 

If you have the large heat exchanger just remove the end cap with a 9/16” wrench and let all the water out.  Don’t bother trying to drain it from the bottom drain plugs. 

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