Winterization Questions

[achris]

Re: Winterization Questions

... Makes me sleep better at night on those first few sub-zero nights.

Whatever rings your bell.... After all is said and done, what a boat owner does is entirely up to them. All we can do is offer the best advice we can... We can point out the advantages and disadvantages of each method, and that's all we can do. I just know that in spring each year, we get lots of 'water in the oil' or 'why is my engine making a milkshake' kinda threads.... But I've never heard of an empty block cracking when the temp drops....

:facepalm:

Chris.............

 

[BoatDrinksQ5]

Re: Winterization Questions

Yeah. With experience and knowledge comes assurance/confidence. Last year was my first year winterizing anything... never seen it done.... never heard of it done. And as you say - "milkshake threads" ...i had read way to many Milkshake stories!

Come from a long line of outboard owners... turn it off... and its ready for next year mentality.

So as the years goes by, reading posts from experienced fellas and mechanics, the what should be done gets more ingrained and confidence is gained in the process and results. this year i will worry A LOT less. and next year more so again...

How many people filling their block (and leaving it in! :blue are going to take a sample from multiple drain spots (at least the 5plugs) and test for freeze point? :facepalm:

Is there always a common root cause of the crack/milkshake? leaving weakAF in block..? plugged drains(only drained 1-2gal)? forgot a plug? didn't drain because it doesn't get to cold (or "heated garage")?

Either way - i read enough of the threads last year to know, I don't want to be that guy, nor be out $10k!

I think part of the issue is that there is a lot of info out there....but every boat is different. Manual are often vague or one size fits all... people don't know exactly where or what stuff is.... so in the end it creates a large range of procedures.... redundant safeties all the way to simple drain.

 

[MalcolmV8]

Re: Winterization Questions

A lot has gone into the coolant/water aspect of winterization in this thread, and rightfully so, however I have a question on the oil. So I know the reason you do an oil change right before storing it is because used motor oil has a lot of acids and corrosive stuff in it that could attack the bearings on the crank and rods. So I'm wondering do I have to put the expensive quicksilver oil in there to sit over winter only to drain it in the spring and put it in again? Or can I just put cheap walmart oil in this oil change to sit over the winter?
It's not that I don't mind spending a few dollars on the correct oil if need be it's just a pain getting a hold of it. Walmart is right down the road where as the marine shop is a heck of a long drive. I'll do it though if I need to. Thoughts?

 

[JASinIL2006]

Re: Winterization Questions

Why change it in the Spring if you changed it in the Fall? It's just sitting there... why would you need to do a second change?

 

[MalcolmV8]

Re: Winterization Questions

Why change it in the Spring if you changed it in the Fall? It's just sitting there... why would you need to do a second change?

Humm I don't have a valid answer other than because it's been sitting out in the weather gathering moisture etc. all winter? Does oil not "age" or loose any of its benefits sitting a long time open to the elements like that?

 

[skydiveD30571]

Re: Winterization Questions

Well that's the thing, the crankcase isn't open to the elements. The point of changing it before winter is to remove the contaminants from running all year, and heaven forbid water if there is any. Putting new clean oil in an engine and letting it sit will not harm the engine in the slightest. Just change it now and be ready to go in the spring. :becky:

 

[MalcolmV8]

Re: Winterization Questions

Well the crank case is not sealed either. It has vents and is technically exposed to the outside air. I know letting oil sit there over the winter won't hurt anything, if anything it'll stop rust or corrosion. My concern was that the oil would loose it's protective properties or at least have them degraded some from sitting unsealed for 6+ months till the summer when the engine is in use it wouldn't be protecting the engine as well as it should at that time. Sounds like that's not the case at all though and I shouldn't worry about that. Thanks

 

[Bondo]

Re: Winterization Questions

Humm I don't have a valid answer other than because it's been sitting out in the weather gathering moisture etc. all winter? Does oil not "age" or loose any of its benefits sitting a long time open to the elements like that?

Nope,.... Not in the least,....

 

[Lou C]

Re: Winterization Questions

Nope no problem with changing in the fall and leaving that oil in for the next season.
I too have inspected the inside of what I can see of my salt water cooled motor( the inside of the intake manifold when changing thermostats, and the coolant passages for the water pump when I changed it a few years ago) no flaking rust in either place. Original 'stay housing had some rust do I changed it abt 10 years ago. I do back fill mine every fall with -100 no tox after draining and I do think that it helped; the 2nd Thermo housing has much less rust than the one I took off 10 years ago.

I took that winterizing tank I got years ago (checked drains found out that method does not work, lucky no freezing weather then) and turned it into a flusher for my trailer brakes (added a live well pump).

 

[Chemdawg]

Re: Winterization Questions

I did a test last night just out of curiosity. I took a jug of 50 below marine/rv antifreeze and put it in the freezer overnight to see if it would handle 0 degree temp at least... Haha! It was slush by morning and almost solid by this afternoon.

Needless to say I went outside and pulled both plugs on my 3.0, and left it to drain and left the plugs out. Don't want that crap in my motor.

 

[Tafflad]

Re: Winterization Questions

Does that mean you will also drain the water from your car radiator ? ...

What temp was your freezer ? .... mine is -18C ( 0 deg F) it never gets that cold here ... a 50% mix covers to -36C

 

[Bondo]

Re: Winterization Questions

Does that mean you will also drain the water from your car radiator ? ...

What temp was your freezer ? .... mine is -18C ( 0 deg F) it never gets that cold here ... a 50% mix covers to -36C

Ayuh,... The antifreeze in yer car ain't the same as Marine/ RV antifreeze,...

'n 'round here, -40?F is not uncommon, atleast once or twice a year,....

My Air filled blocks have never once Frozen, much less Solid,.....

 

[Chemdawg]

Re: Winterization Questions

The only thing I questioned is in my manual it says to not leave the drain plugs out. I may go out and out them back in.

Weather here in Wisconsin gets below 0 degrees. I'm not taking chances with the slush. Air won't freeze.

 

[bspeth]

Re: Winterization Questions

I love this thread,I think it will live forever.

 

[achris]

Re: Winterization Questions

I love this thread,I think it will live forever.

:facepalm: oh god, I hope not...

And I'm moving it to the non-repair forum.....

 

[Bondo]

Re: Winterization Questions

The only thing I questioned is in my manual it says to not leave the drain plugs out. I may go out and out them back in.

Weather here in Wisconsin gets below 0 degrees. I'm not taking chances with the slush. Air won't freeze.

Ayuh,.... It keeps 'em from gettin' boogered up with rust,...

 

[MalcolmV8]

Re: Winterization Questions

I did a test last night just out of curiosity. I took a jug of 50 below marine/rv antifreeze and put it in the freezer overnight to see if it would handle 0 degree temp at least... Haha! It was slush by morning and almost solid by this afternoon.

Needless to say I went outside and pulled both plugs on my 3.0, and left it to drain and left the plugs out. Don't want that crap in my motor.

It says right on the bottle it'll turn to slush and partially freeze at 0F, this is normal. Also says it won't completely freeze or expand at those temps so you should be safe.

BTW how many drain plugs are there on the Mercruiser 4.3? My manual is very vague and leaves a lot to the imagination. I'd hate to do something as simple and stupid as miss a plug.

 

[achris]

Re: Winterization Questions

BTW how many drain plugs are there on the Mercruiser 4.3? My manual is very vague and leaves a lot to the imagination. I'd hate to do something as simple and stupid as miss a plug.

One on each side of the block. One at the bottom of each manifold, and maybe one on the power steering oil cooler and (if fitted) the fuel cooler. Also drop the large hose from the water pump at the front of the engine....

Chris.....

 

[Tafflad]

Re: Winterization Questions

Ayuh,... The antifreeze in yer car ain't the same as Marine/ RV antifreeze,...

'n 'round here, -40?F is not uncommon, atleast once or twice a year,....

My Air filled blocks have never once Frozen, much less Solid,.....

OK ... then not relevant for me as it would be Ethylene glycol AF, as the RV type you mention not used much in my country.

just looked at Mercury FAQ they recommend 50% even on sealed systems.
50% covers to -36C
With that being -30 lower than it gets ... I'm well covered.
Plus it then gives me the corrosion protection.

Only remaining Q ... is which 2 hoses do I remove to fill the AF in. (i.e as per video)

 

[Atlasrob]

Re: Winterization Questions

I just brought home my first boat with an inboard mercruiser inline six, I had previous outboard motors and never winterized, I would get crazy and fish in the dead of winter. I always just made sure my boat was titled towards transom and lowered my motor all the way so water would drain. Live just outside of Memphis so it rarely gets freezing for too long at one time. With my new inboard, should I just remove all plugs and hoses and trim out drive all the way down. Previous owner stated he ran af through the out drive with muffs. How critical is it to fog motor.