I have low water pickups and previous owner taped over them during the short muff/antifreeze job...I added flushers so that I don't use muffs anymore.

Really could only find non-toxic, -55F on Redneck Riviera (although West Marine could order -100F). Love St. Pete!!!

It looks like the garden hose handle grafted onto the bucket is the narrowest point...I may get a larger valve in the future.

I've had a winterizing kit that I've used since 1999 or 2000. I always warmed the motor. Then drained all the water out. Then put antifreeze through it.
Years ago, I put a motorcycle shraeder valve stem on the jug, so I could pressurize the jug slightly which jambs antifreeze right into the SWP; no suction required to prime/flow.

I’d agree on the minute at idle pending on the shape of impeller. Also years ago I just tee’d off on each side of the block drain with some 6an hose and joined with a coupler up by the t-stat housing. Made it so simple to drain the block in less than a minute. Yes then pulled the plugs on the coolers and exhaust. Just need to make sure none of the drains are blocked. This also is a good way to flush your blocks a few times during the summer especially if your in shallow water much. Cost about 30.00 an engine for a few fittings and hose.

I got nailed once on a couple of 330’s and ever since this method was just to simple for such a dumb costly mistake. Procrastination is more like it.

I did the antifreeze deal after good warm up for years with no issues whatsoever. Worked great also.

Thats the same kit I got from west marine, the motor sucks faster than the vent vents, the jug and hose were collapsing. I just shut it off for a minute then restarted....

I think the "drain the system first" is my stumbling block as I keep hearing about water trapped here an there.
If I had the boat any further north (than the Gulf cost of west Florida) I'd probably have to refine/upgrade my technique.

I have one of those kits that holds 6 gallons of antifreeze and has the Y connection to run the engine on the hose and get it up to temp, then you switch it over and let it snarf out of the 6 gallon container. Takes less than a minute to drain it. Then I drain some of the water via the block petcocks, enough to fill it up with two gallons of Prestone pure antifreeze. I mainly run the antifreeze solution (2 gallons of Prestone to 4 gallons of West Marine -60 engine-rated (not water supply rated) to make sure the CoolFuel system is protected.
But yeah, those impellers move some water, even at idle.

Another trick is to force feed it, but the thermostat needs to be open to hit everything. I have a bucket with a sump pump that forces antifreeze through everything. I’m closed cooled so I’m only worried about coolers. I drain my headers after they cool to protect the engines from leaks.

Never understood why people don’t use our setup. So easy.

rubbermaid container
hose
sub pump

can run antifreeze on a loop until winterized


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