Getting the Anitfreeze in the block

[jloprete]

I have a 1993 OMC Cobra EFI Engine. Chris Craft Concept. I want to winterize it now. I purchased the West Marine self winterizing kit. It is a 5 gallon platic jug with a valve and a clear hose to attach to the outdrive's intake thru a muff(?). It seems like it will take a while (15 + minutes??) for the engine to reach the 160F for the thermostate to open. Is this normal? Once the thermo is open, i would change from the fresh water to the antifreeze jug and allow the stuff to run into and out of the exhaust. Correct? Do I need to open the draincock valves first, during, or after this process? Where are they located on the block? Those little square plugs bolts? I expect to use up to 5 gal of antifreeze - correct, but isn't most of it going to run out onto my driveway? I intend to use marine grade -100F.

Thanks
Jeff

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Getting the Anitfreeze in the block

go to the adults section and read all the ways to winterize ,download the manuals for your engine, the right and wrong ways to winterize an engine.
I flush and for the motor till it stalls first
Remove all drain plugs and probe to make sure they drain
remove the large hose from the top of therm housing and pour the A/F in till it comes out the top,re-attach hose, remove 2 hoses that go to the manifolds and fill them untill it comes out the exaust.
The tank and hose setup does not gaurantee the A/F will make it into the block undilluted UNLESS you drain the block and manifolds first.This raises the question of properly fogging the motor down.

 

[Lou C]

Re: Getting the Anitfreeze in the block

Forget the tank....they are a bad way to do it for a raw water cooled engine...it's only good if you have closed cooling (heat exchanger)...I tried this the first year and what wound up in the block was weak af so I drained and backfilled with af as described above....first you don't absoultely have to use af...proper draining is really adquate...if you want to use af for corrosion protection...fine...just do it the right way...no manufacturer of raw water cooled sterndrives...ever recommended sucking in af that way for a good reason..
I took that tank...added a livewell pump and some hose...and turned it into a flusher for my drum brakes for ramps with no water supply....