Winterizing a I/O and have some issues

N

neurotox

Cadet
Joined
Apr 30, 2009
Messages
11
K.... I've looked at the stickies and people's opinions about muff/non-muff.... Here's what I've done.

I have an 1986 Celebrity 5.0 230 HP Merc I/O. I am 90% sure it's an alpha, but it doesn't say alpha or bravo anywhere on it. I started out by opening the drain plugs, I liked the piece of mind of that, but just in case I felt that having antifreeze in there wouldn't be a bad idea... So I ran it on muffs for 20 minutes to get the thermostat open and then induced -60 antifreeze. (of course for some reason, the thought never crossed my mind that I had just pumped 20 minutes of water back in the block until the antifreeze was almost all gone.) Anyway the muffs didn't seem to pass in a lot of the A/F. I felt a lot was just coming out the muff and pouring on the ground, so I opened the drain plugs and tested the water inside the block. Freeze safe to 0 degrees Farenheit..... UGH, so I opened up the drain plugs again. and redrained the engine.

So here's where I'm at.

1. The block and manifolds are empty. I've drained them, there were only four plugs, one on each side of the block, and one on each manifold. Are there anymore? I sure didn't see any.

2. Any water in any of the hoses is antifreezed to 0degrees farenheit.

3. I live in upstate NY so it gets cold but not 0 very often, plus I store the boat in a barn, so it will stay a little warmer than if it was outside shrink-wrapped all winter.



I like doing the stuff myself (mentally rewarding), and I'd rather do that then pay someone, but I also don't want a cracked block.

Is there anything else I should do? Do I leave the drain plugs out all winter (i didn't see that anywhere but seems to make sense to me)? Maybe pour a gallon or two of -100 A/F down the radiator hoses? Any plugs I missed? A lot of posts say there are 5.

Thanks for your help guys.
 
4Winns2

4Winns2

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Messages
327
Re: Winterizing a I/O and have some issues

neurotox said:
K.... I've looked at the stickies and people's opinions about muff/non-muff.... Here's what I've done.

I have an 1986 Celebrity 5.0 230 HP Merc I/O. I am 90% sure it's an alpha, but it doesn't say alpha or bravo anywhere on it. I started out by opening the drain plugs, I liked the piece of mind of that, but just in case I felt that having antifreeze in there wouldn't be a bad idea... So I ran it on muffs for 20 minutes to get the thermostat open and then induced -60 antifreeze. (of course for some reason, the thought never crossed my mind that I had just pumped 20 minutes of water back in the block until the antifreeze was almost all gone.) Anyway the muffs didn't seem to pass in a lot of the A/F. I felt a lot was just coming out the muff and pouring on the ground, so I opened the drain plugs and tested the water inside the block. Freeze safe to 0 degrees Farenheit..... UGH, so I opened up the drain plugs again. and redrained the engine.

So here's where I'm at.

1. The block and manifolds are empty. I've drained them, there were only four plugs, one on each side of the block, and one on each manifold. Are there anymore? I sure didn't see any.

2. Any water in any of the hoses is antifreezed to 0degrees farenheit.

3. I live in upstate NY so it gets cold but not 0 very often, plus I store the boat in a barn, so it will stay a little warmer than if it was outside shrink-wrapped all winter.



I like doing the stuff myself (mentally rewarding), and I'd rather do that then pay someone, but I also don't want a cracked block.

Is there anything else I should do? Do I leave the drain plugs out all winter (i didn't see that anywhere but seems to make sense to me)? Maybe pour a gallon or two of -100 A/F down the radiator hoses? Any plugs I missed? A lot of posts say there are 5.

Thanks for your help guys.
Click to expand...

My answer to Q1: I'm sure that the petcocks you mention are it.
Q2: I backfill my block from my hose on the front of the block. Add antifreeze to the risers through their hoses. Pull the water intake hose for the outdrive off and blow through it to be sure nothing is in the outdrive. I also wrap plastic around the prop while its sits outside waiting to go into the garage.
Q3: I live in Syracuse and store my boat in my unheated garage. The green friendly antifreeze I use is good to -50. I lived here my whole life and -25 is the worst I've ever seen it.

Answer to last paragraph: Are you referring to the 4 drain plugs on the engine? I thought you already pickled the block and risers.

Q's for you:
Did you fill the tank and add Stabil to the gas?
Did you fog or run the gas out of the carb for the layup?
Leave your outdrive down to keep the bellows from stretching and to keep water out.
Have some sort of vent when you cover her so moisture/mildew won't gather within.
Did you change the oil and the filter?
Mop out the bilge after she goes into the barn? No water on board that can freeze.
Clean and wax the hull (optional but I like her to look her best in the spring).
 
D

dingdongs

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
May 29, 2009
Messages
649
Re: Winterizing a I/O and have some issues

what your doings ok.no water or antifreeze left in any of the block and this cannot freeze and as 4 people saying rust will occur thats negligible.if you have a power steering pump this may need one of the water cooling hoses popped off as will pulling the lower hose off front water circulating pump too.before you do all this add fuel stabiliser to fuel tank preferbly done on the hour of last run of the year.whilst flushing engine remove filter from top of carb and spray in fogging oil.this should bring engine to a stall but if not a couple of cans sprayed at the same time will do it.you will notice black smoke out of exhaust but thats normal.this will coat inlet manifold and all bores with a coating to prevent rusting ready 4 next year.drain block and release pipes to circulating pump and power steering cooling if you have one.leave plugs from block and manifolds out until next year.could release alternator belt too to save it setting in position.put a plastic bag over top of carb and tie off.
make sure water comes out of all plugs and may need a wire poking in there to clear sedement/rust.if boat is on a trailer could remove drive for the winter and fit an impeller/service uj,s and check gimbal bearing if it hasn,t been done 4 a while.if you want to leave it make sure drive is right down as water can freeze in it too especially if left up.
 
N

neurotox

Cadet
Joined
Apr 30, 2009
Messages
11
Re: Winterizing a I/O and have some issues

Q's for you:
Did you fill the tank and add Stabil to the gas? - Yup
Did you fog or run the gas out of the carb for the layup? - Yup put in about 15 seconds worth of spray split between all the barrels, couldn't get the thing to stall, sputtered but kept going. Going to try the multiple can thing next year.

Leave your outdrive down to keep the bellows from stretching and to keep water out. - Can't, as I have to tow it to get stored, but toying with the idea of taking off the outdrive.
Did you change the oil and the filter? - yup
Mop out the bilge after she goes into the barn? No water on board that can freeze. - done.
Clean and wax the hull (optional but I like her to look her best in the spring). Q's for you:
Did you fill the tank and add Stabil to the gas?
Did you fog or run the gas out of the carb for the layup?
Leave your outdrive down to keep the bellows from stretching and to keep water out.
Have some sort of vent when you cover her so moisture/mildew won't gather within.
Did you change the oil and the filter?
Mop out the bilge after she goes into the barn? No water on board that can freeze.


Where is the circulating pump on an alpha?
 
H

haulnazz15

Captain
Joined
Mar 9, 2009
Messages
3,720
Re: Winterizing a I/O and have some issues

What does storing the boat have to do with the outdrive being down? Once you put the boat in storage, lower the outdrive (just don't forget to raise it when you retrieve it in the spring :eek:). That is, unless you think someone's going to be moving your boat inside the storage location.

There is no external circulating pump on an Alpha I.
 
N

neurotox

Cadet
Joined
Apr 30, 2009
Messages
11
Re: Winterizing a I/O and have some issues

Awesome, thanks for the clarification on the water pump. (so as far as I know, i should have all the plugs then and all that's left is to maybe treat the hoses and check the power steering.

As for outdrive, the battery is removed, so I can't run the hydraulic to lower it, plus it gets dropped off outside the building, and towed in by the owner. if I lef the battery in and lower it when I get there, and then take out the battery, he may ding it while he moves it.
 
H

haulnazz15

Captain
Joined
Mar 9, 2009
Messages
3,720
Re: Winterizing a I/O and have some issues

Understood. I would leave the drive on however, since removing it saves the drive/exhaust bellows, but exposes the gimbal bearing, etc to the elements. We've left our outdrive in the full trailer position over the winter for 15 years and never had an issue, but it was stored in a barn where water wasn't a real concern.
 
N

neurotox

Cadet
Joined
Apr 30, 2009
Messages
11
Re: Winterizing a I/O and have some issues

Yeah, mine's in a barn to.... I'm due for an impeller replacement.... lower unit came off last year. If the u-joint etc was rough they would have told me then. I think i'll leave it on this year. Do the impeller replacement and hopefully should be done for the year at that point...
 
4Winns2

4Winns2

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Messages
327
Re: Winterizing a I/O and have some issues

neurotox said:
Q's for you:
Did you fill the tank and add Stabil to the gas? - Yup
Did you fog or run the gas out of the carb for the layup? - Yup put in about 15 seconds worth of spray split between all the barrels, couldn't get the thing to stall, sputtered but kept going. Going to try the multiple can thing next year.

Leave your outdrive down to keep the bellows from stretching and to keep water out. - Can't, as I have to tow it to get stored, but toying with the idea of taking off the outdrive.
Did you change the oil and the filter? - yup
Mop out the bilge after she goes into the barn? No water on board that can freeze. - done.
Clean and wax the hull (optional but I like her to look her best in the spring). Q's for you:
Did you fill the tank and add Stabil to the gas?
Did you fog or run the gas out of the carb for the layup?
Leave your outdrive down to keep the bellows from stretching and to keep water out.
Have some sort of vent when you cover her so moisture/mildew won't gather within.
Did you change the oil and the filter?
Mop out the bilge after she goes into the barn? No water on board that can freeze.


Where is the circulating pump on an alpha?
Click to expand...

The impeller or the water pump on the front of the block? The impeller is in the outdrive that draws water to the water pump and it circulates. I'm not sure what you're asking.
 
4Winns2

4Winns2

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Nov 2, 2006
Messages
327
Re: Winterizing a I/O and have some issues

Oh, I see further up the thread you got your answer.
 
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