Is this motor winterized safely?
 

I had a Merc mechanic friend help me winterize my motors. He winterized the motor a different way than I am used to doing.

This was the process:
Start the motor on the hose till warm and thermostat opened up. He had a large bucket of 4 gal of -100 degree antifreeze with a hose attached. Removed fresh water hose and hooked up bucket w/ AF. Started motor, when bucket was 1/2 empty, he fogged motor until AF bucket was empty. Then shut off motor.

Is this motor properly protected for cold temps? Not questioning the fogging, but the AF method and quantity of AF. The block was full of fresh water, then we ran AF through. Is 4 gal enough to flush out a block that was full of water???

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

That is the same thing I have done for the last 4 years, and I live in Wisconsin. I have never drained anything. I also have never "fogged" the engines. If you had a car that you didn't drive in the winter would you drain the block or fog the engine? I have heard all the ways others have winterized their boats, I have winterized the last 3 boats the same way that your mechanic did yours and never had any problems. I guess until I prove myself that the way I do it is wrong I will continue my 10 minute and $40.00 worth of antifreeze winterization.

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

I do mine the same way! :D

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

I do mine pretty much the same way except that I don't run thermostats. I drain the block and then start it up with a 5 gallon container full of anti-freeze. After about 3.5 gallons are in it, it starts coming out of the exhaust and I fog the chit out of it and shut her down. I use the -50 cherry juice so I would think that if you are using the -100, it's OK that it's diluted...You should be fine. :) :)

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

I have a low water pickup on my Bravo I... Just by looking at the water attachment that slips over the nose cone to hook to a hose, I'd say that if I put a hose in a bucket of antifreeze, it'd either never create suction in order to suck it into the motor or if I gravity fed, I'd have it all over the place.

I've never tried it though... have any of you done this with a low water pickup?

Thanks

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

You need to be very careful doing this with any kind of drive pickup. It tends to aerate the fluid going in and you sometimes will not get a good amount of antifreeze circulated in the block. Even if it shows up in the exhaust it may not have displaced the water in the block properly. It is always a good idea to have direct flush fittings on the boat anyway and this is where they really help. If you are feeding the pump directly you have a nice solid flow of antifreeze and 4 gallons is plenty. If it is going in with a bunch of air you may have some pockets of fresh left in there. One way to help that is to drain the block, then run the antifreeze in like Craig does.

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

If I wanted to put in a Tee in, to attach a hose for flushing, where do these normally get installed, on the input side of the pump? I'd imagine you'd have to do that to prevent it from burning up the impeller for the lack of water! :rolleyes: What kind of valve would you put there? Is there something at the hardware store I can pick up?

Once you put this valve in, do you just attach a hose to a bucket of antifreeze and let it suck it into the motor?

Seems like keeping antifreeze or the red stuff would be better than being empty... less corrosion?? :confused:

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

I do a very similar process on mine but we try to drain the water out of the block first so the propylene is not diluted too much. We also use some type of scope??? to check the protection (strength) of the solution coming out of the exhaust. No guessing you know for sure how many degrees below zero your good for.

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

Since I cant get at my plugs much less my water drains, I have thick wall hose connected to each drain that ends up at the transom top. I just attach my oil change pump to each hose in turn and suck the engines dry. Then run in the antifreeze as above. I was also worried about pockets of unprotected water in the block.

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

We winterize two or three dozen boats a year using the same process. Except that we run five gallons instead of four. The only problem that we have had is a heater froze one year. Now, if there is a heater in the system we will drain it manually by blowing air thru it after we have winterized everything else.

Steve H

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

Refractometer.

It shows when the Anti-Freeze will freeze at.

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

I think that you are referring to a hydrometer. A refractometer measures light.

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

I do the same thing but once it's warmed-up before I run the anti freeze thru I drain the block of water plug it back up and then run the anti freeze.

Did it last year and we had -20* for 7 days in a row and not a problem.

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

Actually, Hyper kid is correct. A refractometer is a very accurate way of checking your freeze point. I believe the refractometer measures the amount of light that passes through a sample of antifreeze.

I used to sell them when I was Snap On dealer.

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

If I wanted to put in a Tee in, to attach a hose for flushing, where do these normally get installed, on the input side of the pump? I'd imagine you'd have to do that to prevent it from burning up the impeller for the lack of water! :rolleyes: What kind of valve would you put there? Is there something at the hardware store I can pick up?

Once you put this valve in, do you just attach a hose to a bucket of antifreeze and let it suck it into the motor?

Seems like keeping antifreeze or the red stuff would be better than being empty... less corrosion?? :confused:

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

I stand corrected :D :drink: ....if Biggus is right!!

Hey Biggus,
Did you get that email yesterday from my buddy Hugh? How did it look?

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

I usually start with 5 gallons of AF per motor, and stick my hand in front of the exhaust and make sure I can taste antifreeze coming out of the exhaust. Just a touch from your finger on your tongue won't hurt you. (Maybe that's what is wrong with me though). You can usually see the pink color to it as your exhaust sprays it out as well.

Check this thread for Flush Kit parts:
http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/s...ad.php?t=92420

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

Remember, use rv antifreeze not automotive.

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

taht how i uslaly do it too. This year cus my batteries weredead and i had to do alast miute superfast winterize (it got asuper cold one night) i drained my block and dumped -100 AF till it was full. My ok like that?

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

i was goign to redo it the normal way onc ei recharged my batts but i figrue di shodl be fine as it is.

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

Bill,that is the way i do it the only thing you will half to do in spring is change the plugs
due to fogging!!!!!!!!
STAN

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

For aprox 8 years I have used a 5 gallon bucket that I rigged with garden hose parts. Just bought a "Y" splitter and some end connectors and cut up short sections of a hose. I can feed water into the engine through the "Y" then after the temp is up and the bucket is on the swim platform, I close the freshwater feed and immediately open the antifreeze side. Then just fog the motor as the bucket starts to empty.

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

First question is: On a Chevy BB (502), the inlet to the pump is 1-1/4", correct"
Second question is: I imagine I'd just need a "Y" (or "T") and two valves... this would allow me to cut the water from the outdrive and switch it over to the bucket... correct?

Thanks for the help!

D

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

I run 6 gallons of the blue stuff through the same way. Towards the end of the 6 gallons I get a white paper cup and collect the anti-freeze coming out of the exhaust. If it's dark blue I am good to go.

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

I have Bravo I and use the rabbit ears on the outdrive. If you tap into the inlet, I'm not sure what size hose to use. As Hydrocruiser said, I catch some of the outcoming fluid (it's hot!) and test it with one of those little ball testers for temp rating.
You will need to make short garden hoses with assorted ends on them to make the "Y" valve work in the opposite direction than it was intended. All the parts needed at Home Depot can't be more than $20.00.
Note the water from the hose has to feed into the male end of the "Y". The female outlet of the "Y" ends up having to feed the female end of the Rabit ears for the outdrive. (you end up making a short hose with 2 male ends and another with 2 female ends)
Russ C.

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

My mechanic/service manager said every Merc boat they have ever worked on was 1.25 inch hose to the water pump. I even tried to argue with him, as I thought it was different, but they were right. My Sonic came from the factory with it installed, and did not have a to the drive cut off valve. Once the water pressure is applied to the inlet side of the pump, the water stops flowing out your outdrive. Its that simple. It also back flushes your outdrive. If you really wanted to, you could just stick some duct tape over your drive pickups to plug up that direction, but in my Sonic it was not necessary, even with just the 5 gallon jug of downward flow pressure antifreeze.

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

anti freeze? in florida we only have coolant, except on sat and sunday we have pina coladas. pass the sun screen...

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

i have a very easy system. i use my sea strainers and it never takes over 5 gall for pure anti freeze. i dont even have to drain them. after fogging pulling the props and the rest of the fun im done in under an hour.

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

5 gallons of staight RV antifreeze, fuel stabilizer in the tank, take the props off. I don,t fog the motors as it only will be 3 to 4 months before I start it back up.

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

If you are in unheated storage fogging is a good idea. If you could go straight to winter and back to summer without all the variable temps condensation would not be an issue. Moisture will form and line the intake etc and sweat into the cylinders. Rust will form.

Blower motors do not have thermostats. I pour the red pop directly into the sea strainers.

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

What is the actual point of fogging the motors and why if you do fog the motors do you then in turn have to change your spark plugs in the spring?

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

To the extent you fog it yes.

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

Why? What does the fogging do to your plugs?

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

Interesting info- your af freezes well before -100F.

The Pink -50 RV AF freezes at 18* (Not -18), It wont expand until it gets to -50. I dont know the freeze point on the -100, but dont think it wont freeze.

And yes, you are more than fine using -100, I used -50.

Do not forget to add stablizier in fuel before hand, so it is able to get into fuel system.

Fogging- prevents rust, it can never hurt to change plugs in the spring, one less thing to worry about when it is 80* and sunny.

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

Does Fogging damage your plugs in any way?

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

HA yeha lek i'll actually get to use my boat next season! I acke dup a whole 4 hours this ear.

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

No ! but that way is great for the engine replacement bizz. it is Russian roulette to not drain the blocks guys that are testing the exaust water are forgetting that it is mostly bypass. they need to draw a sample off the block drain to see how much antifreeze they have! we often rewinterize for people after proving they have very little protection in the block(we are in upstate ny on lake ontario and it gets COLD with lots of snow)rv anti freeze is freezable with as little as 10% water.......ur call

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

I personally never ran AF thru without draining the block and manifolds. I figure it takes me an extra 15 minutes to drain the manifolds and blocks. It's peice of mind for me that I have pure AF in the motor that's not diluted. It usually takes about 5 gallons, as soon as AF starts comming out the exhaust start fogging.

I was a mechanic for a local marnina for around 5 years and we weren't even allowed to winterize a motor without draining all the fresh water out due to insurance regulations.

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

One thing,,, be careful with the fogging oil. I've seen other mechanics put way to much in and bend pushrods etc.

Re: Is this motor winterized safely?
 

Boostbros, I'm with ya on this one! I've seen bad things happen to people that cut corners. I used to winterize about 50-75 boats myself per season (which included shrinkwapping each boat) and I wasn't interested in taking chances!