Re: winterising 496
 

Quick rookie question. How do you run the 5 gallons of antifreeze through the earmuffs? Do you have any trouble priming the water pump since you don't have standard water pressure like you normally would with a hose? Thanks.

Re: winterising 496
 

This is what I use....

http://www.boatersworld.com/webapp/w...oductId=659121

Re: winterising 496
 

First of all, I HATE the earmuffs with a PASSION!! I installed a T-fitting before my water pumps (even on my 496HOs) to do flushing the easy way with a simple hose hookup. Some folks have rigged up a bunch of things to apply pressure to the water as it enters the earmuffs. A high flow bilge pump works well so I am told. I have found my solution to be cheap, easy, and clean:

I took my 5-gallon self winterize kit jug, and put an air-valve tire stem on it. I picked up one of the chrome bolt together ones from Napa, and glued it in there, and cranked down the nut. Then, I fill my 5-gallon jug up with antifreeze, hook up a low-pressure air compressor (cigarette lighter cheap type) to the valve stem, and build up some pressure in the bottle. Open the ball valve on the jug, and that pink stuff SHOOTS into the motor. (I would replace the tiny hose that comes on it with a 3/4 inch hose, and bigger garden hose fittings.) Leave the air compressor turned on as you start the motor and run the antifreeze though. It works like a charm; just don't burst your 5-gallon jug.

I found that using the water hose, and building suction, then switching to antifreeze was a pain in the ass, and it diluted the antifreeze. I just hook the antifreeze out direct to a short hose to the earmuffs (or fresh water flush fitting to engine). Make sure you have the 5-gallon jug up high, so gravity helps the flow too. The swim platform, or a step ladder with a paint-pail shelf works well.

Re: winterising 496
 

ah.. so with this arrangement you still have normal water pressure to prime the water pump and it draws in the antifreeze. I guess the valve is designed such that you end up with a 50/50 mix, or something close?

Re: winterising 496
 

So in this case you end up with 100% antifreeze in the motor... Have you ever tried this method through ear muffs?

I was wondering if just gravity alone would be enough to prime the pump and pull the antifreeze through ear muffs. Assuming you can locate the jug several feet above the water pump.

Re: winterising 496
 

Its not perfect. Once you start getting pink to the engine, I would think it would be best to cut off the water hose. That's the only way to get 100% pink stuff.

Re: winterising 496
 

No, I have not, but I think it will work. I have found that gravity does not work well on its own.

Also, that jug has a vent valve. If you are trying to use gravity alone, that vent valve is too small. You need to drill it out a bit, and wash the plastic shavings out before hooking up to the engine.

Re: winterising 496
 

I made and used this setup on a buddies boat. I have about $10 in the y-valve and hose end adapters as the y- valve has the reverse ends as what is needed ie: male to female, female to male. Close the bucket side of the valve and open the water supply side. Start and run the motor. For non closed cooling motors, run until up to temp to open the t-stat, then let it run a bit more. Then while still running, close the water supply side and open the bucket side. The already suction/flow created while runing on the hose, will now pull antifreeze from the bucket. Peice of cake! The orange is a low water pickup muff I have, but I have the same as Sydwayz, a tee mounted in line in front of the sea water pickup because muffs suck and are not fool proof. I instead hook the y adapter to my hose connectors in the engine compartment. Both use on his boat and mine work the same, flawless.

Re: winterising 496
 

Not exactly. You use the valve to introduce 100% water to warm the engine. Then you turn the valve and to 100%antifreeze and let it run.... Theoretically.

On my old 496 HO I didn't want any water to start or during the winterization process. So I used the pump, elimated the water, then introduced 100% antifreeze with the plactic tank pictured above. Any water scares me and leaves me unsure as to whether its all out or not.

Re: winterising 496
 

open beer,use the pump, pull the blue plugs,drink beer, and repeat. 5 min. maybe total time to do both engines and drink beer. i would not mess with the antifreze, these engines are way to easy to drain.