Winterization in March

[nextboat1]

I just purchased a 1993 Sea Sprite
2100es with a mercruiser 5.7. The previous owner dewinterized the boat and ran the boat on muffs. When I got home I pulled the two drain plugs in the block and the two on the bottom of the manifolds. I then pulled the hose off of the waterpump and added antifreeze until I seen "pink" coming out of the block drains. I replaced the plugs and repeated the procedure for the manifolds. However, I did not start or turn the engine over. Am I safe from freeze damage? Its mid March and there calling for some daytime temps in the low 30s and nights in the upper teens here in Indiana. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[dubs283]

Re: Winterization in March

i would pull the water supply hose from the t-stat housing and dump pink down it til it comes out the drive

and dont bother filling anything with pink, just pull the plugs, poke a wire in the holes, drain it alll out then replace the plugs and youre set

 

[Don S]

Re: Winterization in March

i would pull the water supply hose from the t-stat housing and dump pink down it til it comes out the drive

and dont bother filling anything with pink, just pull the plugs, poke a wire in the holes, drain it alll out then replace the plugs and youre set

That doesn't make sense, you start off saying dump pink down the water supply hose, then say don't bother filling with pink. Very confusing.


Personally, I would say forget antifreeze completely this late in the season. With the engine level, you just pull the drain plugs on the block, the ones on the manifolds (probe all plug hoses with a wire), pull the circ pump hose, drain the PS cooler, and if you have a Bravo drive, drain the raw water pump by pulling the hoses and draining.

 

[dubs283]

Re: Winterization in March

That doesn't make sense, you start off saying dump pink down the water supply hose, then say don't bother filling with pink. Very confusing.

the water supply hose is open ended, thus pink will run out the drive, not filling anything

the op stated they replaced the plugs then put pink in the manifolds, or at least thats what i gathered from their post

my suggestion was to pull the plugs and let everything drain out after pink was in it

 

[GA_Boater]

Re: Winterization in March

my suggestion was to pull the plugs and let everything drain out after pink was in it

You're saying fill it with pink, then drain it out. Why bother with the pink?

 

[nextboat1]

Re: Winterization in March

Thanks for the input guys. I did fill both the block and manifolds with antifreeze after draining out the water. From what I gather from your replies. I should now remove the drain plugs again and "dry block" it. I just was unsure if pulling the drain plugs was a sufficient way to remove all of the water and prevent freezing. I also poured antifreeze down the water intake hose from the outdrive. I'd like to think that everything will be OK as of now, but I'd also hate to trash a good engine.

 

[Don S]

Re: Winterization in March

No, what we are saying is there is no need for the antifreeze at all. Air doesn't freeze and break blocks, water does.

 

[achris]

Re: Winterization in March

i would pull the water supply hose from the t-stat housing and dump pink down it til it comes out the drive

If it's an Alpha drive then pink will not (or at least should not) come out of the drive if you pour it in the supply hose. The impeller closes off that path very neatly. All you'll be doing is adding pink to the top of the hose, which should already be filled with water form the last time the engine was run.

 

[Augie56]

Re: Winterization in March

How about you just remove the drain plugs from the block, the mani's and the risers, then unbolt the t-stat housing or remove the hose to be sure it's empty, then drain the PS cooler, then call it a day? Seems easy enough...air doesn't freeze and expand when it's below 32F.

 

[nextboat1]

Re: Winterization in March

Do I need to pull the drain plugs on the risers? I pulled the plugs on the manifolds, drained, and then filled the manifolds with antifreeze through the hose connected from the manifold to the thermostat housing. Pink antifreeze flowed all the way thru and out of my thru Hull exhaust fittings. Also, I have an alpha outdrive.

 

[dubs283]

Re: Winterization in March

You're saying fill it with pink, then drain it out. Why bother with the pink?

i never said fill it with pink, the op said they filled it with pink, i said to drain it out

If it's an Alpha drive then pink will not (or at least should not) come out of the drive if you pour it in the supply hose.

this is how i winterize every alpha drive that comes my way, and yes, pink runs out the drive - havent had one freeze on me yet

 

[Don S]

Re: Winterization in March

If you drain the manifolds, that will drain the risers too,

 

[achris]

Re: Winterization in March

i never said fill it with pink, the op said they filled it with pink, i said to drain it out

this is how i winterize every alpha drive that comes my way, and yes, pink runs out the drive - havent had one freeze on me yet

Please explain to me how anti-freeze (or any other liquid for that matter) can flow out the drive when a properly functioning water pump should have the inlet and outlet ports isolated at all times.... Just take a pump apart and have a look at the locations of those ports. They are opposite each other, and there's a big black thing with blades hard up against the housing that will stop any liquid communicating between the aforementioned ports without the big black thing spinning....

As for the OPs question... Just open and clear all the drain plugs and let the water run out (as everybody has already said).... Job done...

Chris.......

 

[dubs283]

Re: Winterization in March

Please explain to me how anti-freeze (or any other liquid for that matter) can flow out the drive when a properly functioning water pump should have the inlet and outlet ports isolated at all times...

Chris.......

how do you get the water out of the drive?? take it off and turn it upside down??

the pumps used in both alpha one and gen 2 drives are exactly the same as on mercury large outboard gear cases and they drain down fine - the same holds true for the sterndrive system

you just need to make sure the water supply hose is clear of water, which is why i pour a.f down it until it comes out the drive pickups