winterizing with a Alpha drive
 

ok whats the easy way to winterize with a Alpha drive, with my Bravos i pull the hose off the sea pump and hook a 5gal bucket with anti freeze and run it through the motor, but the alphas sea pump is in the drive. How are you guys doing the Alphas.

Later

The drive should drain itself, pull the hose where it comes in the bilge thru the gimble, that should have the same effect.

Fixx
 

Wrong!
you will blow the impeller thats in the drive..
run engine on hose until its warm so the thermostat opend drain the block and manifolds
easiest way to explane how to do it except you put the ears on the pump hose and attach it to the drive's water input..
than fogg while its running.
watch video..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzDob8um5Xc

mrfixxall is correct, and the engine cannot pull water with the circulating pump so you have to have the drive in the circuit. To be really safe pull the block drains and the thermostat, replace the thermostat housing and the plugs, then run it on the muffs to fill with anti-freeze. I don't think you can get all the water out just running on the muffs and the pink anti-freeze is not supposed to be diluted.

Sorry, was thinking about the last time i did it, I had already pulled the drives and put them in the basement. I ran it with a garden house to the intake hose then once warm used a 5 gallon bucket with a hose on the bottom full of antifreeze.

Drain the block, manifolds, leave the plugs out.

I use a sump pump in a 5 gallon bucket, hose from sump
connected to ear muffs on drive, 2 extension cords,
1 to the pump the other to an outlet.

Fill the bucket with anti-freeze, I have one ends of each extension cord in one hand, crank it over til it fires, connect up the cords and let it run til the bucket nears empty.

Re-install plugs.

This can be done by one person relatively easy.

Here's how I've always done mine...Alpha and Bravo. Put antifreeze mixture in a baby pool under the drive. With a fountain pump that uses a regular garden hose attachment (cheap at Harbor Freight or EBAY). Attach other end of hose to the muffs. Turn on the pump, start the engine. Drink beer for a few minutes and watch. The baby pool cathches everything from the exhaust and the pump pushes it back up. Fog and you're done. No undoing hoses or carting antifreeze into the bilge.

Would a 5 gallon bucket sitting on the swim platform gravity feed the drive muffs or does it need the pump for the anti freeze.

Later

The bucket will work, but you need to make sure the muffs seal well. Use a little masking tape on some of the pickup holes if you need to .

Fixx
 

i usae to use a 6gallon gas can abd slide a hose over the spout then to the ears tothe drive...tip can, start engine ten pop the air release on the gas can..