Some of the ski boat engine manufacturers recommend this for winter layup.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/stor...tifreeze-1-gal

And Merc / Mercruisers take on this. FWIW

http://media.channelblade.com/EProWe...eze%20FAQs.pdf

Also Splash PG antifreeze uses the Dow corrosion inhibitors in which is positive..

i keep saying boat us,,i really meant west marine,,i get the name confused with boat us that use to be down the street from my local west marine..they have a old picture,,the stuff they stock now is orange pink color..its like syrup,,you mix it 1 to 1 and its good for 100 below.its on sale for 995 a gallon.http://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-m...ze--P014823355

Do any of guys leave a small bulb lite in the bilge area for the winter. I have a marina here in NY, a old timer runs the place. Swears by it. Says a 10-15 watt bulb helps tremondous. Just curiuos.

I had a cold snap of several days after I had put my former I/O into service this spring. I used a 100w clamp-on work light in the cockpit and had the hatch propped open. The cuddy was closed off, and the bow area had snow, but the cockpit cover only had water droplets. It was just peace of mind for a week or so, the consensus was it probably wouldn't be cold enough for long enough to crack a heat exchanger/manifold.

I wouldn't use it as a solution for the entire winter, because charred fiberglass doesn't buff out well.

and what happens when electric goes out for days. Last year we had a ice storm and electric was shutdown almost a week straight in the winter with temps never getting over 28 degrees for the whole time.

So you guys are draining everything, then running the antifreeze through, then draining it again so you're leaving just the residue AF in the system for the winter? If so, why not just leave the AF in the system all winter? Corrosion concerns?

^^^^ Some guys do that, using the theory that air doesn't freeze.^^^^


Wouldn't the proper AF solution with corrosion inhibitors would be better than air, because of oxidation?

Nope. I've seen many bulbs 'blow up' in the house and the shop over my lifetime......wanna have that happen in a bilge where there may be gas fumes ? Not me !

I have done it once when non-winterized and we geat freak 15-20F night before winterized...but I didn't sleep and kept waiting for the big boom. LOL.

I see your point about the bulb breaking and boom. Same risks with a bilge heater ? Not trying to get off of main topic.

ok let me add another question to the mix.what about corrosion protection with an iron block and aluminum heads?anybody do anything different for that?i been using pink rv anti freeze and so far no problems.aluminum heads are only 2 seasons old though.opinions?freshwater use only.