283CHECK

Ok, I've read the different posts about winterizing but still have a couple of questions.

I have a 502efi I copied the tech. article on how to mix the gas/stabilize/oil in a 6gal can and to run through the motor. That should be long enough to get the t-stat to open up right? Also got the 5gal kit from camco to add anti-freeze here is my question, do I need to shut the motor down and drain the water prior to adding the anti-freeze? Or can I just switch the valve and won't the force of anti-freeze run through the block and push the water out? The thing I am concerned about is that the t-stat will close back down while I am draining the water out of the block, or should I drain the water start back up on water and as soon as I hit 160 switch to anti-freeze?

Thanks
Chris

cgarrett

Hi Chris,
At this site under Winterizing and Springizing there are several topics of discusion on how to use the Camco kit. I would read several of them as I have read that even when people have ran the antifreeze through the Camco system and then later opened a drain they were getting water out of them. The most likely cause was that they did not run the temperature up enough to have the Thermostat open.
They recomend that you open the drains on the block and disconnect the hoses to drain out all of the water. Then you reconnect them and then use the Camco system with antifreeze.

I posted on another thread of how my friend uses a tub under his lower unit and pumps the antifreeze from the tub through a bilge pump through the ears. The antifreeze mixes with the water in the block and dumps back into the tub and the antifreeze/water mixture just keeps cycling until the temperature reaches hot enough to open the T-stat. The key here is making sure the T-stat opens and that the antifreeze/water mixture is correct after mixing with each other. You can check to see by opening a drain and looking for the antifreeze and useing a antifreeze tester.
It's just another way of doing it.

Here is the link: http://www.boatered.com/
Here is another about winterizing: http://www.homestead.com/dolphinmarineservice/wint.html

Wouldn't it be nice to live where we didn't have to do it.
Cordell

cgarrett

Chris,
I hope that the information that I sent you helps.
I re-read some of the post on useing the Camco system and you can use it without draining the block. You MUST make sure that your T-stat is open by running it long enough so it goes above the 160 degrees.
You can then decrease the flow of water on the set up and increase the flow of antifreeze.

Cordell

Mate 229

Last year I drained the block and exhaust , then removed the T stat and poured the antifreeze in till full. That way you're sure its in there.

MitchStellin

I would remove the T-Stat. Safe is safe. Now I have read that a person took a large bag and put it over the engine, opened all hoses and ports and filled the bad with anti freeze. Kind of like pickleing you know. I just took mine out and put them in the living room