Antifreeze & turning over engine

[pmm009]

Hi Crew, 

I did my first winterization on my 99SSLXI with an Indmar 5.7L. 

After running the boat of the fake a lake and getting it up to temp, I drained the engine and then filled it with antifreeze through a large hose connected to the thermostat. I poured about 2.5 gallons of antifreeze in until it started coming out of the thermostat housing. Does that seem about right for quantity and best place to pour the antifreeze in (view pic, finger pointing to hose where I poured the antifreeze).

https://photos.app.goo.gl/xH9bBxmhdkSktzyW6 

I also fogged the engine by removing each spark plug but I could not figure out a way to turn over the engine without removing the water pump (impeller housing). I believe there is a way to do it electronically by unplugging something so nothing sparks but not sure what. 

Thanks for the pointers! 

[oldjeep]

That is where I fill my engine from.  2.5 gallons seems about right. 

Did you drain out the heater?

 

As far as turning the engine, the easy way is to just stick an allen wrench on one of the bolts holding on the raw water pump and use that - or just grab the balancer pulley and turn it by hand - easy if the plugs are out.

[Bozboat]

Try pulling the safety lanyard and then turning the key to use the starter to turnover the engine 

 

[pmm009]

Just now, Bozboat said:

Try pulling the safety lanyard and then turning the key to use the starter to turnover the engine 

 

Ah good idea! That seems to be the easy way to do it that I'm looking for. 

[pmm009]

2 minutes ago, oldjeep said:

That is where I fill my engine from.  2.5 gallons seems about right. 

Did you drain out the heater?

 

As far as turning the engine, the easy way is to just stick an allen wrench on one of the bolts holding on the raw water pump and use that - or just grab the balancer pulley and turn it by hand - easy if the plugs are out.

Not sure which part is the heater, but I drained the blocks on both sides, poked around to make sure I unclogged them and the water flowed out well, and I drained the manifolds from the quick connect hose. 

[oldjeep]

You missed a couple things to drain then.

1) your heater.  That is the 2 5/8" hoses.  One is connected to the circulation pump, the other one is connected to just behind the thermostat housing - red arrows.  You disconnect them and then blow through  one until all the water is out.

2) the J hose that you used to pour the coolant in - orange arrow.  If you didn't remove the lower part of the hose then it was still full of water (j hose)

3) the hose between the trans cooler and raw water pump - if you didn't remove it then there was water still where the purple arrow is

 

 

Edited November 1, 2021 by oldjeep

[pmm009]

34 minutes ago, oldjeep said:

You missed a couple things to drain then.

1) your heater.  That is the 2 5/8" hoses.  One is connected to the circulation pump, the other one is connected to just behind the thermostat housing - red arrows.  You disconnect them and then blow through  one until all the water is out.

2) the J hose that you used to pour the coolant in - orange arrow.  If you didn't remove the lower part of the hose then it was still full of water (j hose)

3) the hose between the trans cooler and raw water pump - if you didn't remove it then there was water still where the purple arrow is

 

 

Wow thanks a lot for the details! I followed the Indmar manual and it doesn't mention to drain those hoses. Really appreciate it!

[pmm009]

@oldjeep If I redo the process, I do I still need to bring the engine up to temp before pouring in the antifreeze? Or pouring it into that hose when the engine is cold is okay? 

Thanks again. 

[oldjeep]

1 minute ago, pmm009 said:

@oldjeep If I redo the process, I do I still need to bring the engine up to temp before pouring in the antifreeze? Or pouring it into that hose when the engine is cold is okay? 

Thanks again. 

There is no reason to run the engine to winterize it.  Cold water drains just as easy as warm water

[Woodski]

Just to add to old jeeps comment and not seeing this in your thread, the exhaust manifolds need to be drained along with the block and heater core.  Be careful when draining the heater core, don't put too much pressure through it, they are fragile.  Also, I simply add any antifreeze through the upper hoses at various connections (tstat / exh manifolds, heater core).  Heater core may be a key anti freeze add as you may not be sure as to which hose on the core you are pushing the fluid out through if you don't actually know how your plumbing is connected (input on upper or lower heater core nipple). 

[oldjeep]

22 minutes ago, Woodski said:

Just to add to old jeeps comment and not seeing this in your thread, the exhaust manifolds need to be drained along with the block and heater core.  Be careful when draining the heater core, don't put too much pressure through it, they are fragile.  Also, I simply add any antifreeze through the upper hoses at various connections (tstat / exh manifolds, heater core).  Heater core may be a key anti freeze add as you may not be sure as to which hose on the core you are pushing the fluid out through if you don't actually know how your plumbing is connected (input on upper or lower heater core nipple). 

That is why I blow through the hoses.  Blow through one until you get no water and then blow through the other.  That way which ever way the core is installed you are pretty sure you got most of the water out and the rest can be handled by the antifreeze.  I always use the -100 stuff so that even if I screw up and leave a bit of water, even if it gets diluted it is still good.

[martinarcher]

I'm a bit over the top with winterizing considering the consequences if things go wrong. 

I drain everything mentioned above but prefer to suck the antifreeze into the engine with the t-stat removed through the intake hose for the raw water pump.  I put a quick connect fitting in that line years back to make this process easy....just break that connection and put the end of the hose in a 5 gallon bucket full of auto antifreeze and fire it up.  My engine hold almost exactly 5 gallons with the heater core and exhaust manifolds full before it starts spitting out the exhaust.  As I get to the bottom of my bucket I kill it with fogging oil and tuck her away for the winter.  I re capture the antifreeze in the spring and re-use the next year after testing the concentration and topping up my 5 gallon bucket.

 

https://www.themalibucrew.com/index.php?/garage/modification/27-intake-water-fitting/