Guess what? My block ISN'T cracked!

[BRG25]

Know why? Because I payed a marine mechanic last fall to winterize my boat correctly. He also pulls the outdrive EVERY year....can you imagine it?

Sorry...just could resist. I've been reading all the annual "Can you JB Weld a cracked block?" posts.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Guess what? My block ISN'T cracked!

BRG, that's the way it should be but I'm sure many times, even the mechanics blow it.

I feel sorry for the ones that got caught in the AZ freeze. For a lifetime, they don't have to give winterizing a thought, then BANG....

 

[hillca74]

Re: Guess what? My block ISN'T cracked!

Sounds great! Sometimes things work out!

 

[BRG25]

Re: Guess what? My block ISN'T cracked!

Fact of life in NY. You snooze...you loose.

 

[KaGee]

Re: Guess what? My block ISN'T cracked!

Fact of life in NY. You snooze...you loose.

Same here in Ohio.
Even with the warm temps, I'm waiting until after Easter to fire it up. We can just as easily get sub-freezing in a hurry.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Guess what? My block ISN'T cracked!

I ran mine last week but today drained everything again.
even here in NC we could see lows in the 20's for another few weeks. I'm not taking a chance...

 

[John_S]

Re: Guess what? My block ISN'T cracked!

BRG25,

While I did appreciate the warm weather here last weekend, it wasn't enough to fire up any of the motors yet. Did you run yours on the muffs, or are some of the finger lakes clear already? Cayuga maybe?

 

[ziggy]

Re: Guess what? My block ISN'T cracked!

Know why? Because I payed a marine mechanic last fall to winterize my boat correctly

ya don't gotta pay a marine mech to do it proper. you do have to be able to read though. the winterizein procedure is in your oem service manaul. (not to mention much talked about here on iboats) if you follow it to the letter. you will also be able to say i have no cracked block too...i winterized with anti freeze this year. a first for me. always been of the impression that air don't freeze, which it don't. but dons posted a service bullitin last fall, i read it over and over. the crux of it was for me. that winterizin with air is ok per oem. but winterizin with anti freeze is better and what is recommened.....
i did get out last weekend too. unwinterized. but i'm agreein with gary h nc. think i'll drain it before the weekend as we got some cold temps comeing too. that was also mentioned in dons's service bullitin he posted. that drainin the water out of the system is good for extending the season.......

 

[BRG25]

Re: Guess what? My block ISN'T cracked!

No, you don't HAVE to pay a mechanic to winterize your boat, however as I sit here drinking my coffee, I count probably 10 posts relating to poor/nonexistant winterization and maintenance.

Subjects like "I NEED HELP NOW!" or "I sure hope this isn't going to cost me"

Now if I were a betting man...

John: Nope haven't been out yet....there's still snow on the ground. :'(

 

[John_S]

Re: Guess what? My block ISN'T cracked!

Nope haven't been out yet....there's still snow on the ground.

I am 45 minutes south of you, so didn't think so, but been hearing about some people getting ready for trout fishing, Cayuga and Seneca. I won't hit the water till early May.

So, they didn't tell you about the trainee they had last fall. I heard he thought those blue plugs were too important to remove. :^

 

[f_inscreenname]

Re: Guess what? My block ISN'T cracked!

If everyone would drain first and then add (or not) antifreeze there would not be these issues every spring.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Guess what? My block ISN'T cracked!

So us self mechanics are asking for trouble? Thats the way i took that comment.
If i was a betting man i would bet mine never freezes.
This is my 7th boat and never had one freeze....

 

[omgitzdave]

Re: Guess what? My block ISN'T cracked!

Why are cracked blocks so common? I'm not very experienced in winterizing, but if there is no water in the block during the winter then it can't expand and crack. Correct?

Why is it so hard to suck anti-freeze into the motor with a "winterize kit" and then pull two brass petcocks to drain everything out? What are people missing that makes this so difficult? Let's say the only drain 90% of the water and some is still left - there is no way 10% of the water could expand and provide enough force to crack a block.

Am I missing something?

 

[180shabah]

Re: Guess what? My block ISN'T cracked!

your not missing anything.

But there are many people who just don't know that it needs to be done(this becomes an expensive first year lesson) Others gamble and push the season later than they should, others just get caught by abnormal weather like in AZ this year.

I am a drainer, takes 10 minutes or so, and if I decide to push the season, another 10 minutes and it is all drained again.