Running boat on Muffs

[AZBoatDreamer]

Is it ok to run the boat on Muffs without hose pressure? I mean can I stick a Hose in a 5 gallon bucket and run the boat on muffs that way. The reason I asked is my boat is at an off site storage without water hookups.

Oh if your wondering I havent winterized. Mid 70's and mid 40's this week. Monday it suppose to be 79. I may head to the lake.

 

[rockyrude]

Re: Running boat on Muffs

Unfortunately, no. The impeller does not have "suction" it only moves the water through the system.

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Running boat on Muffs

There would have to be a gravity feed of the water to the muffs, similar to the set-up for running anti-freeze through the system.

5 gallons wouldn't last long either, maybe 1 minute or so.

 

[etracer68]

Re: Running boat on Muffs

If you have a 5 gal with a hose to the bottom of it, and its well above the top of the motor, it should will work, but it will run through the 5 gal fast. When I winterized my IOs, I used system with antifreeze and a tee valve, that worked good.

 

[AZBoatDreamer]

Re: Running boat on Muffs

Ok this thread is not about winterizing. Just to have an understanding. I want to run the boat on muffs without taking it home from Storage. I'm scared now running it from a bucket. I don't want to end up running it dry and 5 gallons the boat wont come up to Operating temp. I may consider winterizing Next month if the Temps dip below 40. I will continue doing the normal maintenance until then.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[etracer68]

Re: Running boat on Muffs

No one said you had to use antifreeze, just that there is a system for useing it that will work. It just wont last long.

 

[AZBoatDreamer]

Re: Running boat on Muffs

OK got it Etracer68. Thanks.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Running boat on Muffs

you will not be able to warm up the boat from a bucket.... just remove the thermostat when you winterize and you won't need to.

 

[JDA1975]

Re: Running boat on Muffs

could do something like this (Raised to submerge the intake) filled with water

or use a 55 gallon drum and lower motor into it

 

[jacoboregon]

Re: Running boat on Muffs

Is it ok to run the boat on Muffs without hose pressure? I mean can I stick a Hose in a 5 gallon bucket and run the boat on muffs that way. The reason I asked is my boat is at an off site storage without water hookups.

Oh if your wondering I havent winterized. Mid 70's and mid 40's this week. Monday it suppose to be 79. I may head to the lake.

Are you wanting to just start the motor, or do you want to run it for a while? As long as you have enough water to cover the water intake and enough room for it not to splash over you can start it up and run it in neutral safely enough. You just can't use the muffs without pressure.

 

[tyblack]

Re: Running boat on Muffs

I have used the place motor into a storage container like that you don't have to run it very long for it to warm up but, he's right muffs do you no good without water hose pressure.

 

[AZBoatDreamer]

Re: Running boat on Muffs

Im just want to run it for a little while to get up to operating temp. It hasn't ran for a few weeks. I just don't want to hook it up and bring it home to run it on muffs.. Call me lazy.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Running boat on Muffs

ok, your lazy.

however you can run the engine in an appropriate tub that is high enough to feed the impleller, or from a hose (with pressure). just covering the intake wont be enough.

the impeller moves a fair bit of water (up to 20gpm on an Alpha and many , and much more on a Bravo or your VP drive) so even if you had a pump, a 5 gallon supply would not last long.

 

[AZBoatDreamer]

Re: Running boat on Muffs

Thanks for caling me lazy and the thoughts. I should just bring the boat home and atleast give it a good wash and vaseline treatment while Im at it.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Running boat on Muffs

AZ, that is the correct COA. Nothing else is practical to solve your issue.

On a related note, winterizing an I/O using gravity feed antifreeze, when running the motor, is a bad idea, as it will either not expel all the water, or will become too dilute to protect. I guess you could take your chances on cracking the block, if you want...

The proper way is to drain the block of all water by pulling the plugs on the block and manifolds(4 on a V motor, 2 on a inline motor). Now add straight antifreeze thru the cooling hoses (all of them), until you see the AF emerge from a drain, the prop or the intakes. Now install the plugs and fill the block with straight antifreeze.....

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Running boat on Muffs

AZ, that is the correct COA. Nothing else is practical to solve your issue.

On a related note, winterizing an I/O using gravity feed antifreeze, when running the motor, is a bad idea, as it will either not expel all the water, or will become too dilute to protect. I guess you could take your chances on cracking the block, if you want...

The proper way is to drain the block of all water by pulling the plugs on the block and manifolds(4 on a V motor, 2 on a inline motor). Now add straight antifreeze thru the cooling hoses (all of them), until you see the AF emerge from a drain, the prop or the intakes. Now install the plugs and fill the block with straight antifreeze.....

Straight antifreeze will freeze.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Running boat on Muffs

Go to the Merc or Volvo Stickies and read what it says about winterizing your type of I/O.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Running boat on Muffs

could do something like this (Raised to submerge the intake) filled with water

or use a 55 gallon drum and lower motor into it

With no offense intended to the person who posted it...... this post is misleading because I can assure you that at least that particular motor will not be able to be lowered enough into that particular container to effectively pump water. The pump is located on top of the lower unit and needs to be completely submerged in order to work properly. Filling up a container enough to cover the inlets is not sufficient. I found this out the hard way.

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Running boat on Muffs

Hey Thalasso, all antifreeze (pure or mixed) will freeze if it gets cold enough. While it is true that a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water freezes at a lower temperature than pure antifreeze, pure antifreeze diluted with whatever residual water remains in the engine block will have plenty of protection, at least here in New Jersey.

Perhaps a much colder areas would need to use some other means of protection, say 70/30, instead of 100% antifreeze. That way if residual water dilutes it, it will still have some protection against freezing.

Check out the ratings on the antifreeze bottle. Pure antifreeze freezes at -10F; 50/50 freezes at -30F; 70/30 freezes at -60F.

 

[soggy_feet]

Re: Running boat on Muffs

For environmental reasons, unless you're collecting all of it, I think you should only be using RV "pink" antifreeze for winter storage, and that stuff is supposed to be used UN-diluted.

Pink stuff is ok to spill on the ground. Green stuff is not so friendly.

VT winters get pretty cold, and I've had no freezing problems to date with undiluted RV antifreeze.