Winterizing a 342?
 

So 496mags. I assume drian the exhaust, and coolers, and pump air into system. can figure those out.


its the Vacuflush head, freshwater. Any trick? tips?

and then there is the Westerbeak gennerator? What do i need to do, as its closed cooling too, but how and what do i do

Your a/c has water running through it as well.

Yes very good call. would have though about then when working on it. but very good call.

that too.

Exhaust for generator is not. Anything that uses water must be winterized water lines, hot water tank, sinks , toilets, transom showers, ac, ice makers, generators etc. To do mine, I installed a water bypass kit to eliminate the need to fill the hot water tank(bascially joins the hot and cold water lines) I drain the water tank by running all faucets, drain the hot water tank, switch on the bypass kit. I then use the same jug that is used to winterize the engines using the drive muffs. I have installed a vavle stem in the container so as to pressurize the jug with a small plug in air compressor to aid in the flow of the antifreeze. For the water system, toilet, sinks, showersI take off the inlet line from the water pump, attach to the jug, and open one tap etc at a time both hot and cold, until a steady stream of antifreeze pours out. For the ac and generator, I close the seacock that leads to the sea strainer of each. I then remove that inlet line and attach to the jug again and run the ac and generator until again a steady stream pours out. For the water tank it self, I have never filled mine with antifreeze. Mine is steel, and when properly drained, there is not enough water to expand to harm it. For the ice maker, I have a shut off valve and just disconnet the water inlet line from the ice maker and allow to drain. Whole system takes about 1 hour to do.

Just draining and pumping air thru the 496s is NOT enough if you expect prolonged freezing temps.

The system is designed to extend your boating season, not simplify winterization. The air evacuation system does leave pockets of water in the sea water system, and you definately don't want to take chances with the block or heat exchanger. You need to winterize it the full way with antifreeze run though the seawater side.

I see the OP is in Alabama, but I don't want someone from Michigan reading this thinking the same is good for them.

I've posted on this a few times. Also, don't forget entire fresh water system in boat, head, holding tank, pickups, transom shower, AC, and genset.

For my genset I disconnect the water pickup and place it into a 5 gal bucket. Run it to temp under load with a hose running into the bucket at the same time. Once it's nice and warmed up shut it off. put anti freeze mix into bucket, restart it. Fog it as antifreeze mixture is running through it. Shut her down and reconnect water pickup.

Man those sea cocks are a ***** to get to. not sure how thats going to work haha.

also my boat has a bildge heater in it. not that i am goingt o trust it but it shoul dbe extra helop

SO I sucked the water out of the sea strainer, blew out the whole line for the AC, and the AC it self, and the hose coming from AC to the front of the boat. no water left in the whole system.

Fresh water system, has 3 gallons of vodka ran though both hot and cold water side. made sure i had vodka at both sinkes (Hot and cold), and coming to head it self.

Head has gallon of anti freeze in it, pumped a lot to make sure and get both the vacuum tank, and the holding tank.

Motors I pulled the plug on the raw water pump, and pumped air in to the system. only got one green indicator though... but plan on using anti freez in both motors when completely done. but why do i only have the one indicator? am i missing a plug?

Genny is the one thing I am still going back adn forth on how to do. My idea thats winning is to fill sea strainer with anti freezxe with a funnel and anti freeze ready and starte it up. and keep filling the sea strainer until antifreeze comes out the exhaust?... how fast you think that littl egenny sucks the sea strainer dry?

That is a waste of Vodka... I hope it was not the good stuff

You do not pull any plugs when you pressurize the system with the blue pump. Put the plug back in and re-pressurinze the system and you should get both green indicators to pop out. Make sure to pull the pressure release valve before attempting to suck anti-freeze into the system.

http://www.seaflush.com/

Genny:

Disconnect the water line at the strainer or even at the inlet on the genset itself. Connect a longer piece of hose to reach a bucket of 50/50 in your cockpit. Don't have to go all the way to the bottom of the hull at the sea cock. Wife fires up the genset and right before the the bucket gets drained - fog it and kill it.

Of course it's easy for me to say when I have this much room to do it all.

according to the mercruser manula it says drain, and then pump air. and this will push water out. and it did. but still only one green indicator, then i tried putting plug back in and pumping and still only the one.

It was aristocrat. 12 bucks a gallon... and come spring its on tap! haha. but for real better then antifreeze

yes its seasier said then done when you can reach everything.

I did not know how strong the pump is if it will suck up stuff that far. my other idea was squeeze a hose in the inlet on the bootom of the boat, and put that into a bucked under strailer.... and let it suck thought he seacock and everything.....

think it is that strong?

If the plugs aren't in it cannot build pressure to release the valves that the water dumps out of. I've never first pulled the plugs to drain the system and then pressurize it with the pump. Then again I never read the manual! :lolhit: If you can only get one green indicator to push out then the system on that side is not pressurizing and therefore will not drain properly. There is a leak somewhere in the lines on that side. If you plan to run antifreeze in it is not that big a deal. Since there is no recirculation in the raw water side of the system the antifreeze will push out any water that does not drain out after using the pump.

I thought you were kidding on the Vodka!! :eekdrop: At least you used cheap stuff and not something good like Titos!

I have been told and seen everyone in my family uise vodka for fresh water system the taste is way better then antifreze, and its works, and hell close tot he same price! haha

I have some friends in the industry and grey goose and aristocrat are made with the same formula and precision ! I challenge anyone to be able to tell the difference on a blind taste test sorry to hijack the thread

i have always wonderd how much difference there is.. but i can drink them all. but you saying that makes me want to do that.

I don't know how long you have before the impeller burns up. It's strong, but if it has to travel very far, I'd try to prime it somehow. Maybe a submersible garden pump?

well my though was fill teh sea cock, and then have hose connected to bucket and bottom of boat. and when you start turning it over it will get the water from the sea cock pretty quick, and sucking anti freeze shortly after. may try and use a bilge pump to force water to the bottom of the boat part.

well I got the genny done. I tried a beer funnel going into the sea strainer, and filling it ans i started genny and this does not work.

pulled the hose off sea strainer and filled with funnel and kept it full, and that worked.

Dont you run your boat during December & January?


When I lived in Atlanta we boated on nice weekends in December and January frequently. Winterize the genny and turn the petcock off. The 496's take 10 minutes to winterize. Get a cigarette lighter air pump, run the boat and pump them down after each use and you'll be fine. We kept our boat on the lift on Lake Lanier for 7 years and ran it Dec, Jan, Feb every year on nice days.

Yes we do randomly have nice days. and will shut the petcocks if i decide to take it out. but we have other boats in wet slips if need be so its probably will chill out until march.

when i pump up the air onthe 496s only one green indicator comes out. I have tried draining the pumps, and got water to come out of both motors, but only at the 2 blue wing nuts on the upper and lower side of the raw water pump....

Are you pumping it with the little blue pump?

Do yourself a favor and get a cigarette lighter electric tire pump/inflator for $19 at Walmart. It makes this job 1000 times easier.

Depending on where you keep it, while I was in Atlanta, I used 3 ceramic aquarium heaters clamped on each side and the middle against the exhaust manifolds. Put it on a lamp timer and it will keep your blocks toasty...

My boat has an auto bilge heater, plug boat up, and it never drops below 40 most of the time, have seen 38 on really cold night.

I have a remote thermometer in there so I can see the highs and lows.

But would like to make it where I can move it away from the house with no power

watch clicking on the link in the above post first time poster that just registered today could be a virus not saying it is but becareful dont worry about it must have been a scam as it is now deleted this post was not about mittens post