Another Winterizing Question

[Searay87]

This is my first attempt at winterizing. My question has to do with making sure the anti-freeze works its way into the sea water intake in the outdrive. Will gravity look after this? I'm guessing the answer is yes but it gets mighty cold in these parts and I don't want to take a chance on having a pocket of water anywhere in my cooling system.

The Mercruiser instruction manual for the 3.0L 4 cylinder GM enine says to pour anti-freeze in through the thermostat housing to fill the block and head. It also says to remove the 1" hose to the exhaust manifold and fill it with anti-freeze. Do I need to have someone watch the outdrive to until the anti-freeze pours out the raw water intake? I've attached the cooling system flow diagram.

Thanks,

Bob

 

[ziggy]

Re: Another Winterizing Question

My question has to do with making sure the anti-freeze works its way into the sea water intake in the outdrive. Will gravity look after this?

my 165 L6 winterizes the same way. same basic rwc system. i think yes, gravity will empty the water out of the intake in the outdrive. assuming you put your drive all the way in (down). maybe lift the feed hose going to the tstat as that could be a horizontal run.

remove the 1" hose to the exhaust manifold and fill it with anti-freeze. Do I need to have someone watch the outdrive to until the anti-freeze pours out the raw water intake?

with the 1'' hose removed. filling the manifold with anti freeze will not let it come out your raw water intake, as it's disconnected from the system so you can fill'er up.

i've been doing the anti freeze thing for a few years now. introduce it just like your stating. best thing i can say is be sure all water is out of the system prior to filling up with the anti freeze.

interesting note. ok, so if what i stated is correct. i find this pic odd.

i use a home made plexiglass cover over my bell housing. the drive gets stored inside. look at the water intake hole on the bell housing. it's half full of anti freeze. why, i don't know. i didn't introduce anti freeze into the feed hose running up to the tstate, only into the block till full and the manifold till full. as you can see. anti freeze has made its way back to the bell housing. only why i can think of is expansion of the anti freeze, but that ain't suppose to occur.
anyways. if the drive were attached, the anti freeze would have gone down into, and through the drive. i assume eventually leaking out the rwc intake in the lower.

 

[wire2]

Re: Another Winterizing Question

Your raw water inlet hose is probably connected to the thermostat housing (typical), which you'll have off to pour anti freeze in, so the a/f can't get to the leg that way.
When the leg is fully down it will usually drain completely on its own.
If it will help you sleep at night, put the muffs on and pump a quart of a/f into the water intake.
Leave the leg down in storage to prevent rain/snow from accumulating in the prop, and to allow the bellows to be in a normal position.

 

[wire2]

Re: Another Winterizing Question

....only why i can think of is expansion of the anti freeze, but that ain't suppose to occur.
....

A/F does have a temperature expansion factor. Engineering data recommends a 20% increase in volume for a storage tank. Have a look at the reservoir tank in your car; it has a Hot and Cold level indicator line.

I found out the hard way a long time ago, I filled a 1 gallon glass jar with ethylene glycol and put the lid on tight. A week later, all I had was a cracked jar with the lid on it.

 

[Searay87]

Re: Another Winterizing Question

Your raw water inlet hose is probably connected to the thermostat housing (typical), which you'll have off to pour anti freeze in, so the a/f can't get to the leg that way.

Thank you for the advice. I understand it better now.

The inlet house on my engine doesn't come off to get at the thermostat. The 1" outlet hose (see attached drawing) to the exhaust manifold does have to come off. In any case I'll take off the inlet hose and pour A/F into it with the drive fully down. I feel better doing it that way over connecting to the A/F bottle to the ear muffs.