Winterizing 4.3

[Jakem]

Posting for a friend how has a 4.3 raw water cooled in his boat. Lives on vamcouver island wich doesn't get to super cold winters. Now the question is...drain the risers and manifolds and then run 5 gallons of winterproof -50 antifreeze through. Or sufficient enough running the antifreeze. Boat is stored outside

 

[Scott Danforth]

Change oil and filter

Drain all 5 plugs (4.3's have 5tg plug on intake)

Drain hoses

Then, if you want AF, pour in with funnel at T-Stat

 

[nola mike]

Drain all 5 plugs (4.3's have 5tg plug on intake)

I'll tell you definitively in the spring if you need to drain that 5th plug.

 

[Lou C]

The 5th plug is only on '96 and up Vortec engines, the pre-Vortec did not have a drain there. Make sure to poke all the drains esp in the cast iron block and manifolds because they can get rust clogged and might not drain.
Here's a pic of the 5th drain plug....

 

[Jakem]

Beings we ate on this topic i might as well ask for drain locations for my boat. Ford 302 with closed cooling. Thanks guys

 

[Jakem]

First winter with this engine so not to sure

 

[Scott Danforth]

Beings we ate on this topic i might as well ask for drain locations for my boat. Ford 302 with closed cooling. Thanks guys

half system or full system? my guess half system

change oil and filter
drain the line from the drive to the PS cooler to the HX
drain the two manifolds
pull covers off of HX and clean out the water side debris

 

[Jakem]

I have drained the raw water side and blew air through just by mouth. There is only 2 fittings on my manifolds and they drain antifreeze. My block drains down low same. I ran winterproof through the hoses and watched it come out while I did elbow side. Then I poured it through hx side until it to came.out. I'm guessing I'm

 

[Jakem]

My old boat had brass bolts I could take out under manifold and also the pet cockon the block.