Winterizing and intercoolers
#1
Thread Starter
Registered

Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 220
Likes: 0
From: Lake Winnebago, MO, 43MM LOTO
So what's everyone doing while winterizing their intercoolers? obviosuly drain them and or blow them out so no water is left in but is anyone filling back with anti freeze? Be the first time I can't find heated storage for mine and was wondering, FYI it's a fresh water boat no salt.
#2
Registered
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 6,306
Likes: 1
From: Between A Womans Leggs in IL
So what's everyone doing while winterizing their intercoolers? obviosuly drain them and or blow them out so no water is left in but is anyone filling back with anti freeze? Be the first time I can't find heated storage for mine and was wondering, FYI it's a fresh water boat no salt.
oops oi forgot whipple,,blow them out and use a hand pump to pump in -100 below antifreeze..pump them the same way you do your outdrive,from the bottom up..
#3
Registered

Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 965
Likes: 8
From: Osage Beach, MO
So what's everyone doing while winterizing their intercoolers? obviosuly drain them and or blow them out so no water is left in but is anyone filling back with anti freeze? Be the first time I can't find heated storage for mine and was wondering, FYI it's a fresh water boat no salt.
#5
Mine are rigged with transom mount pick-ups. I blow them out with compressed air and pump antifreeze (110 sump pump in a bucket) through the pick-up until it comes out the dump. I even pumped some though the dump until it came out the pick-up.
#6
I was told regular automotive antifreeze was not good for the intercooler. you could use RV antifreeze but it's already a 5050 mix. I contacted the makers of Sierra Anti freeze and they said they would be no corrosion issues with their product. my intercooler is all aluminum. the small amount of water left after blowing them out mixes with the Anti freeze and it's good too a much lower temperature than RV antifreeze.
#8
Registered
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,621
Likes: 402
From: Cheboygan, MI
The real purpose in adding anti-freeze after blowing the system out is to prevent the buildup of condensation in low spots. Learned that the hard way winterizing a cottage in northern Michigan. You could blow out the lines until there was nothing but air. But there was always some moisture in the lines and throughout the winter that condensation would work it's way into a low spot and freeze. I can assure you we found that spot every spring. Just remember that RV anti-freeze actually freezes long before it's rating, it just starts doing damage at it's rating. I like the Sierra idea though.
#9
Registered
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 6,306
Likes: 1
From: Between A Womans Leggs in IL
oops i forgot to mention,i use propyleneglychol antifreeze which has no harmful chemicals in it..sierrs and the blue 100 below at west marine is..west is 11.00 a gallon and sierra went to 17.00 a gallon,,i use the cheap route..
#10
Registered
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 521
Likes: 1
From: Fort Erie Ontario Canada
I use a garden sprayer , remove the sprayer, fill botle with auto antifreeze, put in discharge outlet in side of boat, seal with rag, pump up the sprayer and put about a gallon through each one, I have the inlet disconnected at the seawater pump ( whipple upgrade) and the antifreeze goes thru cooler and into the bilge and mixes with any water left in there.Works great.




