Whats to cold

[vstol]

Hello All,<br /><br /><br />Just a general question about winterizing,<br /><br />I live in eastern North Carolina and it seldom gets into the 20's here. I have a nice cover on my boat and keep a trickle charger on the batt when needed. I change out the fluids and grease everything on the schedule prescribed, I take the boat out couple times a month and if not I start and let it run for 20 or so minutes, also I keep an additive in the fuel to keep it from gelling. At what temp do I really need to be concerned with putting it in the garage to keep it from freezing the block. I know that water outside will freeze at 32 but when does it freeze in your engine. This is a raw water cooled 431A Volvo Penta.<br /><br />I know this seems petty, just keep it in the garage, right.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Whats to cold

i've talked to people here in NE FLA, they say just drain the exhaust manifolds and pull the block plugs using a heavy wire to make sure u don't have a blockage in the drains. out drive down.

 

[kwoolard]

Re: Whats to cold

vstol<br />I live in Washington, NC, just a few miles west of you, and when it got down in the 20's a couple of weeks ago I had a core plug get pushed out by frozen water in the block. Thought I had drained everything in the block, however I had a blockage in my drain plug. So I would suggest just draining the block and the manifolds, probing something in the plugs as well to check for blockage.... only takes a few minutes and will help you sleep on those cold nights

 

[vstol]

Re: Whats to cold

Ok then,<br /><br />I will see if i can get those plugs to drain, they seem to be brass and stuck shut. <br /><br />So I can exspect water in my block to freeze when the weather gets into the mid 20's.<br /><br />Thanks

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Whats to cold

Most definately!....Any sustained temp. under 32* will freeze your block/ manifolds & will cause damage! If those plugs are stuck shut, remove the whole plug, same for block drains & use a coathanger to insure that they drain properly.....You should also drain the fat hose at the water pump & the hose at the power steering cooler, if so equipped....JK

 

[DHPMARINE]

Re: Whats to cold

Water outside or inside seems to freeze about 32* even in a garage.<br /><br />The devil made me post this,<br /><br />DHP

 

[MRS]

Re: Whats to cold

you have to pull the block and manifold plugs and make sure your outdrive is down it also holds water. I live in the desert and summer is in the 100s winter is in the 20s. I leave the plugs out when I do use the boat I put them in and go when I get home I pull them and set the outdrive down and everything is fine. I use gun cleaning brushes to clean the holes while the water is draining 45 cal for big holes and 22cal for small holes it cleans the threads at the same time. When I put the plugs back in I also put just a film of grease on the treads. Works for me