4.3 mercruiser how to winterize with outdrive on

[Clarko1988]

So I'm having the outdrive rebuilt so there is not one on it. The things I have done so far. I have drained both sides of the block and drained both exhausts. I have taken every hose off to drain.. should I worry about putting in antifreeze?

 

[alldodge]

So I'm having the outdrive rebuilt so there is not one on it. The things I have done so far. I have drained both sides of the block and drained both exhausts. I have taken every hose off to drain.. should I worry about putting in antifreeze?

No

Others will be along shortly to disagree

 

[havoc_squad]

Just make sure and don't forget the raw water hose that connects to the power steering cooler.

Some people forget to disconnect that one on the low side of the device and water sits there and will freeze, busting that device.

AllDodge, I'm sure if the OP asked this in facebook groups, you could grab a bag of popcorn now and shortly watch the theatre drama that follows of the replies.

 

[zellerj]

Removing the hose to the power steering cooler can be a difficult thing to do on some boats. It is down low and hard to reach. I pull off that hose on the thermostat housing (up high and easy to get to) and pour in antifreeze until it runs pink or green out the back.

 

[nola mike]

Removing the hose to the power steering cooler can be a difficult thing to do on some boats. It is down low and hard to reach. I pull off that hose on the thermostat housing (up high and easy to get to) and pour in antifreeze until it runs pink or green out the back.

Interesting. I wonder if just blowing that hose out with a shop vac would work. I might try it and then pull to see what's left. There's a lot of space in the cooler, and it's relatively a low stakes gamble...

 

[Lou C]

I've always just put the drive down and poured AF in the raw water intake hose till it came out the water intakes. There is a drain on the cooler but it's hell to get at. The Cobra drive has a drain where the intake hose passes through the pivot housing, these passages get clogged sometimes though and need to be poked with a pick.