Winter Storage, Power Steering

[allinmygarage]

1990 21' Maxum bowrider 4.3 alpha 1

Hopefully someone can put my mind to rest. I winterized my boat about a week ago and did all of the normal routines I have completed every year. The boat is now very wrapped up and stored away. I was cleaning the garage and came across the service manual and decided to read the winterizing procedures outlined in it. I realized that I completed all of the water draining procedures except one that it listed as "power steering cooler hose removal and drain". I have never done this in the past and in fact can't even picture a cooling hose running to the rack. My questions is - Should I unwrap check and drain or should everything be fine? Also is there a chance that the boat doesn?t have this hose / cooling option. It was listed in the open cooling section of my manual.

Thanks,

-Matt

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Winter Storage, Power Steering

1990 21' Maxum bowrider 4.3 alpha 1

Hopefully someone can put my mind to rest. I winterized my boat about a week ago and did all of the normal routines I have completed every year. The boat is now very wrapped up and stored away. I was cleaning the garage and came across the service manual and decided to read the winterizing procedures outlined in it. I realized that I completed all of the water draining procedures except one that it listed as "power steering cooler hose removal and drain". I have never done this in the past and in fact can't even picture a cooling hose running to the rack. My questions is - Should I unwrap check and drain or should everything be fine? Also is there a chance that the boat doesn?t have this hose / cooling option. It was listed in the open cooling section of my manual.

Thanks,

-Matt

You should be fine.... if in fact you have done it this way before...... relax.

 

[tractoman]

Re: Winter Storage, Power Steering

I would think it has the PS cooler. I know mine does. I read a post about someone who did not drain theirs and replaced the PS cooler the next spring. It also depends how cold it gets where your boat is stored.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Winter Storage, Power Steering

...I have never done this in the past and in fact can't even picture a cooling hose running to the rack. My questions is - Should I unwrap check and drain or should everything be fine...

What you are looking for is the low pressure line out of the rack to run to something that looks like this (probably painted black). That line will plug into one of the small tubes in the side of the cooler. There will be another low pressure line running from the neighbouring output back to your power steering pump reservoir.
Your sea water intake hose plugs into both ends so the cooler is inline. It's this water hose that you want to make sure is either empty of water or full of antifreeze. The cooler itself is a sealed heat exchanger and is full of power steering fluid, so nothing to drain.

If you pulled the bigger water intake line off anywhere along the way and drained it or forced antifreeze through it til antifreeze ran out your water pump, thermostat housing or lower unit, you should be good.

If you're not sure, the question is, how much of a hassle and expense is it to get to the boat and check. I think these coolers are worth about $100.

With the SeaRay we had I always pulled the hose off at the motor and poured antifreeze down the tube with a funnel til it ran out the lower unit intake. It's also possible it has just naturally drained by gravity for you those past years.

What you really, really want to be sure of is that there is no water left in your engine block. That'll run you a little more than a hundred to put right...

 

[allinmygarage]

Re: Winter Storage, Power Steering

This is why this is the greatest site. Thanks for the awesome and detailed responses. I did pur antifreeze in all of the hoses and drained everything else so I think I should be ok.

Scout - That is exactly what the pic in the manual shows. Thanks a ton for explaining in detail and including the pic.

-Matt

 

[scoutabout]

Re: Winter Storage, Power Steering

This is why this is the greatest site. Thanks for the awesome and detailed responses. I did pur antifreeze in all of the hoses and drained everything else so I think I should be ok.

Scout - That is exactly what the pic in the manual shows. Thanks a ton for explaining in detail and including the pic.

-Matt

Anytime -- it's great when you can put a worrying issue to rest.

And I agree -- this is a fantasic site and I've certainly benefitted myself from the experience of others so I'm very glad to be able to pass a little on when I can...