Winterize MAG 496 w/o muffs?
 

I've got a MAG 496 w/ Bravo III and don't really like the idea of running the impeller close to dry with a gravity-fed supply of anti-freeze, just to winterize the sea-side of the cooling system. I'm curious if this would work: Fill the system from the exhaust manifold (remove the small elbow) w/ pink RV af, re-install the elbow hose, bump the motor (push a/f through the riser), and then drain it w/ the air pump and pull the blue plugs. I'm hoping this will take care of the sea-side of the drive too. Thanks in advance.

First of all. When you have AF in the raw water cooling part, don't drain it. Why in the world would you do that? Then you don't have the anti corrosion properties of the AF. Leave it in there. Pull the hose comming from the drive going to the raw water pump. Install a short piece (3-4ft.) of hose with a garden hose connector on the raw water pump. Run the motor on the hose untill hot and drain it. Then put the short hose into a bucket of AF and run 5+ gal. through the motor. When done, remove the short hose with the garden hose connector. Quickly install a little piece of capped off hose on the raw water pump, so that the AF stays in the motor. If you have a switchable exhaust, make sure to run it in both positions, so that both paths of the exhaust gets flushed with both fresh water and AF. Back flush your drive useing the short piece of hose with the connector. Let the water drain from the drive, then connect a funnel the way you find to be the easiest to the short hose and plug up the intake holes in the drive with some tape or use some small rubber, cork ect. plugs. Pour AF into the drive. Remove the hose from the transom assy and cap it off. Done.