Does any one know how the new pump system works on a new 496. to remove the water from the hoses?

It is detailed in the owners manual for the motor. It is very easy to do. Just follow the manual.

I do not have a manual and it is not my boat, helping a friend and he has no manual thought some of you could help.

Unclip the blue hand pump,attach to the air valve,pump a few strokes and the little pin will pop up,you will hear the water running out. Piece of cake.

AH....Well if you call MERCURY customer service and give them the motor serial # they can send him one for future issues. It's good to have.

Don't trust just pumping out the water by air. This comes directly from my mechanic. Do it the old fashioned way with antifreeze and a flush kit/earmuffs. Its the only sure bet, as the sea-water portion has pockets that will keep sea-water in the motor when you only use the pump. There is no thermostat on the sea-water side, so no need to warm up. Go ahead and run 5 gallons of antifreeze through the old fashioned way. If you want after that, go ahead and use the pump (or a low pressue cigarette lighter air compressor) to pump the antifreeze out.

Merc's proceedure is to just hook up the blue pump, and keep pumping until the bleeder valve starts bleeding out some air up behind the flame arrestor. Then you can pull all of the blue freeze plugs if you like, but pump FIRST, with plugs in. Before you start the motor in the spring, make sure you pull up on the bleeder valve, to release the pressure in the system, otherwise it will not fill the sea-water side with water.

On the old rig I would open the valves and pump all water out then run 5 gallons of -50 antifreeze.....

I pulled the blue plugs and used the pump , water started comming out and then I pumped and the pressure release went off. water stopped I put the plugs back and ran -50 anti freeze through the ear muff till it came out the pipes. I would think this would be fine. Then did the drive ect.

That will do it, the anti freeze is a little overkill but you cannot be too safe with these motors, the old fasion way will be turn key in the spring and you will be able to sleep at night which is worth the extra work. I always used 5 gallons of straight anti freeze also, some say 3 on a BB but that is leaving it thin.

No sense in risking it. And when you fire up in the spring something will be in there to held the impeller, etc., as apposed to starting completely dry.