winterizing
 

Hey guys I was wonder if any body has any way to winterize a block with out starting it as I'm just starting to fix the port starter

I assume regular merc big blocks? Just pull all the hoses, drain the block, exhaust, and any coolers, then refill from the thermostat housing. Piece of cake! ....except getting to some of the clamps and drains.

The block sometimes won't drain cuz hole has stuff plugging it. Take a poker of some sort and clear block drain holes out. One guy mentioned a shop vac on the hoses. Would also make sure any coolers are emptied.

Coat hanger works well in block drains I have used a sump pump to push antifreeze also that's how I do a/c units

went to winterize the boat this morning and couldnt find the holes in the bottom of the block so i just drained the hoses and refilled the block with antifreeze through the hoses now im just hopeing the blocks full guess we'll find out in the spring:evilb:

I took a 5 gal screwed a outdoor hose into the bottom- side attatched a legnth of garden hose to the spicket and my water ears on the drive.
Put a few gallons of anti-freeze in the bucket and set it higher than the drive.
Start engine open spicket and fast idle until i see only anti freeze coming out the exhaust.
Leaves pure a/f in engine.
Best part is no screwin w/hose clamps, etc. And you can use it year after year

Fixx
 

That is not the way to winterize them..you have to pull the plugs on the side of the block or they will freeze and crack the blocks..they are center of the block a little above where the oil pan bolts to the block..

+1 you WILL have cracked blocks come spring. You need to find the drains and drain them, or use the bucket method mentioned above.

Do you warm up first to get stats open? Ihave always ran motors up to temp first to ensure all cooling passages are full of a/f.

That is not the way to do it. You need to drain the blocks. If you can't even find the block drains, you should be having a professional winterize it. You're risking 20k worth of engines to save $200.

YES ON THE HOSE THEN SWITCH TO THE BUCKET OF A/F.

A/F IS CHEAPER THAN A CRACKED BLOCK OR COOLER:lolhit:

+ 3 (or 4) on this leading to a very bad experience in the spring. (Seen it waaay too many times each spring.) You must find both block drains (on the sides of each block), pull the plugs, then rod out the hole with a piece of wire, a zip tie or something else to dislodge any sediment. Also, did you pull the lower hose on the circulating pump on the front of the motors or just the hoses leading to the exhaust manifolds? Did you drain the power steering cooler?

Hey guys I have been winterizing for many years, but never drained the block. I always run the engine to temp and ran anti-freeze with know problem. This year I did it different ran to temp and drained the block then did the anti-freeze, but I only got three gallons thru before the engine started to heat up it was coming out the exhaust at that point, so I shut it down. Then drained the exhaust manifold. Question is that enough anti-freeze

thanks

Where is this power steering cooler? What is the steering system? I am concerned about all freezing aspects. What does one do about the 'select' exhaust system?

fixx
 

what happens is the thermostat will snap shut before it has a chance to move the antifreeze through the block then you just fill the exhaust manifolds and risers and thats why it takes less antifreeze.. i always use a bilge pump and a tank to winterize all the boats i do..
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzDob8um5Xc[/YOUTUBE] i also fog the engine when its running..

Should I pull the t-stat and fill extra just to make sure

We usually pull all the drain plugs...run the engine for 10 seconds burping the throttles to get most of the water. Then we run a/f thru muffs on a pump for 3-4 mins, ensuring the t stat is open.

in your case if you can't start the engine...pull all the plugs and fill with a/f. you won't have a problem. On our 6.2's there are 3 but the most important one is the main plug on the bottom in the front. not sure about your setup.

Thanks I think Fix has it right the water was hot coming out off the block, but by the time i had anti-freeze going thru was a few minutes later 5-10. So I guess the T-stat was closing, I`ll pull the T-stat an add a little extra.

if your thermostat isn't open, you get a/f out the exhaust and block is still full of ocean or river water.

also, you need hot water to open a t-stat. drain an engine and start it and the thermo will close. the hot steamy air in the cooling system at that point doesn't open thermostats. if you can't run engine, take off water pump or crossover. drains motor pretty far down. reinstall and fill with straight-not 50-50- real antifreeze-not pink RV crap. remove t-stat housing and fill thru there. then hold hoses that feed exhaust down below bottom of exhausts. and put drives down and leave them there all winter. your shift boots and trim cyls will thank you in the spring...

The Power Steering Cooler is generally located on the port side next to the Oil Pan on Alpha drive equipped boats. The older ones required you to remove one hose to drain them. The newer ones have a blue drain plug at the rear / bottom.

There is no winterization needed for a selectable exhaust system. When you drain the Exhaust Manifolds, you've done all you need there.

Just did it on my 502. Ran the engine until it was up to temp, then switched to antifreeze. Did not drain the blocks since I didn't want the engine cooling down again. Got about 3 gallons in there and it started coming out the exhaust so I shut it down. Checked the block by removing the drain plug and took a sample. It was pink :-)

This is what I do. Have always pulled the T stats. I feel better this way. Mostly because running off of house garden hose it takes for ever t ogetto temp. And usually I do it when its 50 outside and it really never does get to temp.
I have tried using the hot water tap, but that just depleats the hotwater tank to fast :(

Thermos out, back together and run. Never had an issue
i usually run 6-7 gallons of anti freeze thru each motor to be certain.

Other thing this does, is keeps the thermo housing free of crud. First year, a few years of not doing it this way, and the thermostat was a pain to get out. Had to break apart the white spacer on both to get them out. Since then they come out easy. :)

Like others have said, you leave this all winter you better plan on new motors. :(
If your truly lucky you might just end up with the freeze plugs blown out, but that is one hell of a gamble!

Unless your in a heated buidling!

Depending on the yaer of the motor, you might need to be looking for brass plugs and not the newer Merc Blue plugs.

I actually go a couple steps further since I know the waters I boat in are muddy and sandy.
When first running on the water hose I pull the plugs with the water running and make sure all the plugs have strong streams of water out of them. Been a few times that I have to use a hanger to free up. Once you do this you will understand how much water really does push out the plugs when running :) Thus learn when doing it again what a partially plugges passage is like not pushing such a hard stream.

I am lucky enough to do this with my setup, I realize with Twin V hull it might be more difficult. But you could still shut the motor off, pull a plug with the hose running, and then start up for a bit to 'clean' it out :)

Pretty much the same here. But I run it on the hose (with hot water) to warm the engine and oil up, then change the oil & filter. Then pull the t-stat and put the housing only back on. Drain block and hoses then a large tub goes under the outdrive with +,-8 gal. of anti freeze, pump in tub with hose to ears on the OD. 4 inch PVC going from exhaust tips down to tub, plug in pump and start engine, then let it run for several minutes to circulate the antifreeze. Yeah, I know.... OVERKILL !!.... but that's just me. Then let the OD fluid drain for a couple days or so, and fill with new.

Not overkill when protecting blocks!

Draining the engine of water before anti freeze is a must. If you don't, you start mixing water with antifreeze, degrading the freeze properties severely. -50F turns into 0F antifreeze with very little water.

Thanks for the advice guys your all right never want to take The easy way out so I'm looking again and iv found what almost looks like a small transom plug toward the bottom of the block and in the middle would this be it? The blocks are 1990s

Mercury used several styles of block plugs over the years. There were 7/16" brass hex head plugs, brass t-head plugs and the newest ones are blue plastic. Sounds like you have the first one I mentioned. Should be one on each side of the block. And not to harp on it, but stick something in the hole after you pull the plug to make sure sediment didn't clog the drain. You should get a nice, smooth flow of water when it's clear.

fixx
 

yes i do the same,,i run the engine first then when its hot i pull the plugs in the block and let it dump in the bilge then i run it through my tank,,i also dump antifreeze in the bilge so the sitting water wont freeze in my bilge when its in the pole barn..

Do you guys sugest doing drive oil now or in the spring ?

fixx
 

now,,if theirs water in their then it will freeze and crack the drive..at leaste pull the lower screw and see it water comes out..i will drain it rite after the engine war run and the drive was in geat to warm up tje oil so it drains faster..

I pull the thermostat, use the bucket method until it comes out the exhaust for a few seconds, then I drain everything out of the manifold/block (yes I know it's antifreeze). Just did it on Saturday actually.

do it now and re-check oil level in the spring. no hurry now. you can let it drain for a couple of days...

Wouldn't it be easier to just pull the plug and drain that water out?

I was thinking the same thing why would.you want water sitting in the bilge all winter. Thoight most people.like to keep the bilge as dry as possible...

One thing I would do is pull the plugs and spray some fogging oil in each cyclinder, then rotate the crank a few times with a breaker bar.

Damn that looks like a lot of work, i think my way is a lot easier.
Ship the boat to Miami, fly out once a month and run down to key west so as to get the engines good and warm.

If i had your money brother i'd just burn mine . Some of us aren't so fortunate . I was born a poor white child.....:lolhit: