Do I have to winterize

[Cptkid570]

Hey everyone - I'm in Tampa, Florida... this week it's supposed to get down to 32, maybe 30 on a couple of nights. Doubt it will stay that cold for longer than a few hours. Do I need to winterize? What are the guidelines on this as far as how cold and for how long before damage usually occurs.

Boat is stored at a boat/RV storage lot and has to elecricity where it is (can't put a heater there).

 

[lmannyr]

Re: Do I have to winterize

It's a FORCAST. If it's warmer, your in luck. If it's cooler than forcasted, then your screwed - if you didn't prepare.

I put a couple of 75 watt old scool bulbs in my engine bay and close the hatch. I'll do that for the next couple of nights or untill it warms up a bit.

Good luck. Let us know what you do and how it turns out.

Manny

 

[Don S]

Re: Do I have to winterize

You don't have to WINTERIZE, but you do need to drain the cooling system. The freezing temps causes the water in the block to freeze and crack the block. If it's supposed to get below 32? F, drain it, or expect to spend money. It's just that simple.
Hope your weather forcaster is better than mine, they called for a low of 38, got 23 ........................ your choice.

 

[180shabah]

Re: Do I have to winterize

Just drain everything, then it doesn't matter how cold it get, or for how long it stays cold.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Do I have to winterize

What are the guidelines on this as far as how cold

Ayuh,... Water Freezes at 32?,... Then Roll the Dice....

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Do I have to winterize

Cap what kinda motor you got???

 

[Don S]

Re: Do I have to winterize

Cap what kinda motor you got???

It doesn't matter what kind of motor, if raw water cooled, it needs the block, manifolds, and any coolers drained or they could break.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Do I have to winterize

I was gonna guesstimate how much a new one was gonna cost him if he don't drain it.

 

[tcarden]

Re: Do I have to winterize

+1 on draining as Don said.

 

[180shabah]

Re: Do I have to winterize

I was gonna guesstimate how much a new one was gonna cost him if he don't drain it.

Anywhere between $3000 and $30000 more than the cost of a wrench and a screwdriver.....

 

[Cptkid570]

Re: Do I have to winterize

Actually spent $1500 on the longblock + my own labor.

I'll drain out the water.

 

[chiefalen]

Re: Do I have to winterize

Yea cap it's that serious if you woulda cracked the block.

 

[lmannyr]

Re: Do I have to winterize

well, it's forecasted for 33 here. I added my 2 mechanic bulbs in the engine hatch for the night. crossing fingers.

 

[Cptkid570]

Re: Do I have to winterize

Realistically though... If there were lab tests or something done, I wonder exactly how cold for how long before an engine block would crack.

 

[lmannyr]

Re: Do I have to winterize

Do some testing tonight on your block, let us know how it turns out.

 

[300sflyer]

Re: Do I have to winterize

-10F here in the "Great White North" last night. Needless to say my boats were drained and winterized back in Oct.

 

[Jeepster04]

Re: Do I have to winterize

Saw on the news last night that they were giving as low as 20F in most of florida during some nights this week. I immediately smiled and thought of all the people that give us 'northern folk' crap when we post threads in the fall about winterizing. Hope they winterized!

 

[Cptkid570]

Re: Do I have to winterize

Funny, I usually just avoid reading the "winterizing" posts because I'm in Florida..

I did a little test though -- I left a 1/4 full bottled water next to my car last night to see if it would have any ice in it when I went out to come to work (early morning). It was 31 degrees according to my car's gauge. No ice in the bottled water though.

Coldest it's been here in 6 years according to the news.

 

[180shabah]

Re: Do I have to winterize

Coldest it's been here in 6 years according to the news.

It's gonna catch a lot of people off guard.

Lotsa "milkshake" threads a comin'

 

[chris0061]

Re: Do I have to winterize

So with your test that should tell you your OK, In Florida you might hit a low of freezing a couple nights a week for a couple hours a night, but the ambient temp during the day is going to keep your block that temp and unless your freezing or below for several days I can't see how anything would freeze in your block.