Jump to content

Welcome to TheMalibuCrew!

As a guest, you are welcome to poke around and view the majority of the content that we have to offer, but in order to post, search, contact members, and get full use out of the website you will need to Register for an Account. It's free and it's easy, so don't hesitate to join the TheMalibuCrew Family today!

Semi-Winterization spring and fall


Recommended Posts

I've never owned a boat and bought a 2020 Axis A24 with M6Di engine.  I live in Idaho and we can have freezing temps at random nights off and on.  I will be storing the boat outside my house spring through fall and then winterizing and storing inside for winter.  My winter storage place is too far away for when we need the boat so that is why its stored outside at my house.  I asked my boat dealer about me putting a portable heater in the engine compartment on the cold nights and he said there is just 6 plugs that I can pull and I will be fine.  Is this good advice?  

Link to comment

It’s real easy to winterize the M series engines. With the exception of the VD drain plug in my M5 all of the plugs are more or less in plain sight and easy to get to. Putting a heater in it is probably overkill if you pull the plugs but wouldn’t hurt anything and do more for piece of mind than anything else I imagine.

Link to comment
ahopkins22LSV
1 hour ago, wdr said:

It’s real easy to winterize the M series engines. With the exception of the VD drain plug in my M5 all of the plugs are more or less in plain sight and easy to get to. Putting a heater in it is probably overkill if you pull the plugs but wouldn’t hurt anything and do more for piece of mind than anything else I imagine.

:plus1:

Nothing to freeze if it’s drained. If you use a heater, make sure it’s one rated for use in a boat. 

Link to comment

How often are you going to have to do that?  Will this be a daily thing?  

Pulling 6 plugs isn't a big deal but if you have a heater, then you have to disconnect the line and blow out the heater core as well.  Then put everything back in.  Probably a quick job but if it is daily or several times a week this would get annoying.  

This item might save you a lot of time if you go that route.  https://www.amazon.com/Caframo-Engine-Compartment-Heater-Silver/dp/B00MEMRGZE/ref=asc_df_B00MEMRGZE/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312075504437&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7742001910087109649&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1019457&hvtargid=pla-622171151237&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=61926555597&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312075504437&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7742001910087109649&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1019457&hvtargid=pla-622171151237

It is a bilge heater that keeps the bilge at a consistent temp and shuts off when it gets too hot.  Also safe around gas fumes that might be lurking. I know guys have run 80 watt light bulbs but that just seemed highly ghetto to me.  

Link to comment
ahopkins22LSV
4 minutes ago, bamaboy said:

How often are you going to have to do that?  Will this be a daily thing?  

Pulling 6 plugs isn't a big deal but if you have a heater, then you have to disconnect the line and blow out the heater core as well.  Then put everything back in.  Probably a quick job but if it is daily or several times a week this would get annoying.  

This item might save you a lot of time if you go that route.  https://www.amazon.com/Caframo-Engine-Compartment-Heater-Silver/dp/B00MEMRGZE/ref=asc_df_B00MEMRGZE/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312075504437&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7742001910087109649&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1019457&hvtargid=pla-622171151237&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=61926555597&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=312075504437&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=7742001910087109649&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1019457&hvtargid=pla-622171151237

It is a bilge heater that keeps the bilge at a consistent temp and shuts off when it gets too hot.  Also safe around gas fumes that might be lurking. I know guys have run 80 watt light bulbs but that just seemed highly ghetto to me.  

Heater loop is part of the closed cooling portion of the Malibu monsoon engines. No draining required. 

Link to comment
13 minutes ago, hethj7 said:

Very easy process on the new motors.   Your dealer is right - pull a few plugs and you should be good to go.  

 

 

Just as an fyi, not all the M5/6 engines have the drain in the hose under the heat exchanger as pictured here.  Mine does not, and i have to pull that hose off, its kind of a pain, but takes about 3 minutes to disconnect, drain and reconnect.

I asked my dealer to install that drain, and they said Malibu was changing the tube there, so am waiting for the new part

Link to comment

How cold and for how long is the question I'd ask.  If you are talk 25-30F for a  few hours at night it will not freeze; heater for the paranoid possibly.  As for the plugs, a friend replaced all his with valves.  Much faster.

Link to comment
47 minutes ago, Eagleboy99 said:

How cold and for how long is the question I'd ask.  If you are talk 25-30F for a  few hours at night it will not freeze; heater for the paranoid possibly.  As for the plugs, a friend replaced all his with valves.  Much faster.

Again, his heater is part of the closed system, so no need to winterize it.   We don't want to freak out the new guy over a non-issue.  :)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
  • 1 year later...

My dealer mentioned giving the engine a rev too to blow out the exhaust. But can’t remember if that was first and then pull the plugs or 

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...