no start winterize

[tystick]

is it possible to winterize if engine is not able to start? I realize it is not the optimum condition but can the engine be protected at least from freezing by draining petcocks and using AF in all hoses leading from thermostat housing? I have a 1990 4.3 L merc w/ alpha 1 drive

 

[Don S]

Re: no start winterize

You won't be "winterizing", but you can protect it from freezing temperatures by draining all water systems that can freeze in your winters.<br />There is no need to add antifreeze however, air don't freeze and crack things.<br />Then spary some fogging oil (any type oil for that matter) into the cylinders and crank the engine over a few times. Even turning it by hand will spread the oil throughout the cylinders and onto the rings.<br />Like you said, not optimim, but hopefully enough.

 

[1993Cobalt]

Re: no start winterize

What are the pros and cons of leaving the boat on the trailer for winter storage?

 

[tystick]

Re: no start winterize

I think adding AF will stop corrosion or at least slow it down as well as ensure protection if any water is not completely drained.

 

[Don S]

Re: no start winterize

I think adding AF will stop corrosion or at least slow it down as well as ensure protection if any water is not completely drained.

Then how do you get the anti freeze out at the beginning of next season.....I know just start the engine, the anti-pollution laws mean nothing as long as you are working on your own boat and saving money, Right???<br />Running your engine with SaltAway will protect it from corrosion.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: no start winterize

I totally agree with adding the anti feeze.There can easily be pockets of undrained water that would freeze unless some antifreeze was added.There are antifreezes that dont pollute if that is a concern.If you spray fogging oil in the carb and in the spark plug holes and crank the motor you have then winterized the motor sufficiently.Not the absolute best but good enough.Charlie

 

[John Carpenter]

Re: no start winterize

Do NOT forget to drain the lower unit lube and refill, as any water that might have gotten in there can freeze and crack or distort the gear case resulting in a $600 lesson.

 

[deputydawg]

Re: no start winterize

I think it is Prestone that has an environmentally safe antifreeze. It is a little more expensive, but is not supposed to be harmful to the environment.<br />My thought on antifreeze is it will protect the metal parts from normal rust and corrosion. <br />I have never worked around salt water applications, Nebraska doesn't have a high salt content. We do however have a lot of hard water buildup.On the irrigation engines I have worked on that are cooled from the well they were pumping had problems with hard water buildup and rust.

 

[DHPMARINE]

Re: no start winterize

DONS and the rest of us.Use RV anti freeze.<br />DHP

 

[Don S]

Re: no start winterize

RV anti freeze does not have any corrosion inhibitors in it, otherwise you couldn't use it in your domestic water systems. So why use it when draining works?????<br />When draining, if you keep the engine level, it should drain easily. Just make sure the holes aren't plugged. A small amount of water some place cannot expand a crack something unless it is completely enclosed.

 

[DHPMARINE]

Re: no start winterize

Good point Don.You maybe correct about corrosion inhibitors,I guess I'll look into this.<br />We use the RV as it keeps air off of a lot of internal surfaces,and that will reduce rusting (corrosion).Just as if an outboard falls into salt water,and you can't work on it immediately,you submerge it in fresh water to keep air from it.<br />DHP

 

[tystick]

Re: no start winterize

Then how do you get the anti freeze out at the beginning of next season.....I know just start the engine, the anti-pollution laws mean nothing as long as you are working on your own boat and saving money, Right???<br />Running your engine with SaltAway will protect it from corrosion.<br /><br />--------------------<br />Don S.<br />Ketchikan, Alaska<br />

I thought draining the af into a container and recycling it for next year would be simple enough -- right????? <br /><br />This way I am still working on my own boat and saving money w/o trashing the environment....

 

[Lou C]

Re: no start winterize

I have heard that an engine (raw water cooled) will actually rust faster inside when exposed to air, so if it is filled with no tox af that has corrosion inhibitors in it,shouldn't that cut down on corrosion?<br />To have iron oxide (rust) we need oxygen, no?<br />Now if your engine is closed cooling, this is an issue only for the raw water side, but that is prone to corrosion too.

 

[tommays]

Re: no start winterize

if you can compleatly drain the antifreeze to use next year then why not just compleatly drain the water and dont use antifreeze<br /><br />tommays

 

[tystick]

Re: no start winterize

as already posted, there is a school of thought that af will coat the engine and halt the rust. Leaving it dry will only accelerate the corrosion. It also assures that if not all h2o is drained it will give added protection.

 

[waterone1@aol.com]

Re: no start winterize

If I see one more post from Don S. talking about anti-polution laws and salt away, I'm going to assume he must be a shareholder of that company....LOL

 

[tommays]

Re: no start winterize

one from me<br /><br />i left the marine trade in 1975 during one of the early gas crunches and went into industral repiar i have spent the last 29 years at work complying with what ever new laws were made about how things were dissposed of <br /><br />the public seams to expect industry to respect the laws and it useless for me to follow the law at work if people are not going to follow the same law at home or to decide which ones they will follow<br /><br />tommays