Winterizing..Did I do it right? Anything else I need to do??

[dragracer]

We've had outboard boats for years, but this is the first winter I've had an I/O so I'm not exactly sure what all to do to get this thing ready for the dead of winter. It's a '91 Celebrity with a 4.3L AlphaOne. Here's what I have already done. Unscrewed the plugs on both sides of the engine block and let all water run out. Tried to unscrew the plugs on the back of the exhaust manifolds but they would not budge. I didn't want to take a chance on breaking something so I just pulled the rubber hoses off the bottom of each manifold and drained the water from there. Then I pulled the thermostat housing and poured in two gallons of RV anti-freeze(pink stuff). I read on the jugs(after I had already done this) that the stuff was not reccomended for boat storage use. This is what the previous owner of the boat told me to do. <br /><br />So that's it. Did I do it all wrong? Is there anything else I absolutely need to do?? Please let me know if there is because I'm a total newbie to I/O's. THANKS!!!!!

 

[garycinn]

Re: Winterizing..Did I do it right? Anything else I need to do??

Change oil & filter<br />Stabilize gas<br />Change outdrive oil<br />Fog engine<br />Lubricate linkages, gimbal, coupler, drive hinges<br /><br />If you didn't do some of these, you may have to do the antifreeze thing again.

 

[BIGHARV]

Re: Winterizing..Did I do it right? Anything else I need to do??

Ditto im in the same shape,thats what i did the only thing is this one i have has a power seering oil cooler under the engine that has to be full of water with no way to get to it to drain it,pooring in some antifreeze might be the answer.

 

[MFG197]

Re: Winterizing..Did I do it right? Anything else I need to do??

can you pull the hoses on the cooler? on my 5.7 you can. I guess the only difference between pink rv antifreeze and the auto stuff is that the rv does not contain corrosion inhibitors.

 

[Lou C]

Re: Winterizing..Did I do it right? Anything else I need to do??

On my OMC there is a PS cooler on the back of the engine, if you disconnect the hose going from the cooler to the thermo housing, you can drain it without having to pull the plug on the cooler (I have done this twice, you just point the hose all the way down in the bilge, and it drains, when I removed the plug to make sure, nothing came out). <br />As far as filling the engine and manifolds, I like to drain from both the hoses on the thermo housing and the drain plugs, and them pour in AF until it comes out of the drain holes, them replace the plugs, fill it all up, and re-connect the hoses. But before all this, put in fuel stabilizer, I warm the engine on the hose, change the oil, oil filter, fuel filter, then fog it, shut it down, and do the draining and filling with AF. I use the proplyene glycol stuff that is for engine coolant (has corrosion inhibitors in it ) and you mix that with water 50/50. Then you can start it in the driveway without worring about toxic AF all over the place. I also change the drive oil at the same time. In all about 4 hrs of work.

 

[dragracer]

Re: Winterizing..Did I do it right? Anything else I need to do??

So can I fog it by just spraying some sort of fogging oil into the carb for a few seconds while it's running? I really do not want to pull all the plugs unless absolutely necesary. We never fogged our old outboards and never had any problems at all. Is it really necasary to do this?? The boat will be inside my garage all winter. It's not like its gonna sit outside and get rained and snowed on.

 

[garycinn]

Re: Winterizing..Did I do it right? Anything else I need to do??

Yes, you should fog. Coats the engine internals for the long winter's nap. Spray the fogging oil into the carb the last time you have it running in your winterizing sequence.

 

[dragracer]

Re: Winterizing..Did I do it right? Anything else I need to do??

OK thanks......Guess I'll have to go buy some more pink stuff since it's gonna puke it out if I start it up again.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Winterizing..Did I do it right? Anything else I need to do??

Dragracer,if you are not planning on pulling the plugs to complete the fogging process,then raise the idle a touch and fog at least half the can.When the can is half empty have someone bring down the idle and dont stop spraying fogging oil .Keep spraying until it stalls and thats when you are done.By using this much fogging oil you wont have to pull the plugs.I know it is overkill but half way through winter I spray a little fogging oil into the carb and tap the ignition just enough to move the pistons.If you are leaving the outdrive on and want to do this in mid winter make sure you only tap the ignition or crank by hand and wrench,you dont want to make friction for the inpeller in the outdrive.Charlie