Winterizing Garage Kept Central Arkansas Boat??

[65fordguy]

so.. I have a 97 VIP with 4.3 v6.. the boat is garage kept..
This is my first winter with a boat.. so, forgive me Im new.

Simple question.. what do I need to do? I have read and read and read and read .. everyone has an opinion.. the weather outside has only barely gotten to freezing at night.. and hasnt dropped below 50 in the garage. on average it doesnt get colder than maybe 20 around here.

Im a do it yourselfer.. but, should I just take it to a dealer? enlighten me.

 

[Lou C]

Re: Winterizing Garage Kept Central Arkansas Boat??

so.. I have a 97 VIP with 4.3 v6.. the boat is garage kept..
This is my first winter with a boat.. so, forgive me Im new.

Simple question.. what do I need to do? I have read and read and read and read .. everyone has an opinion.. the weather outside has only barely gotten to freezing at night.. and hasnt dropped below 50 in the garage. on average it doesnt get colder than maybe 20 around here.

Im a do it yourselfer.. but, should I just take it to a dealer? enlighten me.

You have to at least get the water out, if it gets to 32 for more than a few hours, you could have a problem. This is not a matter of opinion, it's a fact, if it gets cold enough the engine will freeze and crack, then it's new engine time....
I'd also add, that the yearly service such as an oil and filter change, drive oil change and fuel filter change has to be done, many people do that at winterization. If you are not confident in your ability to do it yourself take it to a dealer or marine mechanic.....

 

[Bondo]

Re: Winterizing Garage Kept Central Arkansas Boat??

Simple question.. what do I need to do?

Ayuh,.... At a bare Minimum,.... Drain the Water out of it... All of it.....

 

[65fordguy]

Re: Winterizing Garage Kept Central Arkansas Boat??

alright I figured this much.. now my buddies boat (newer) has a handle deal mounted right side of the motor.. and you undo the hoses and drop them into the bilge.. mine however does not have this.. Im assuming there are some plugs located on the motor I need to pull?? can you tell me where they are and what tool I need to remove them..

What about the lower unit?

anti freeze??

the previous owner filled the engine with anti freeze every year.. had some kinda rig to do it.. any advise there.. I know some dont do this.. and a friend of mine is a big advocate of not doing it.. also garage kept.. he says no water no worries.

Fogging the heads I get.. Im assuming any good fogging oil is good?

 

[65fordguy]

Re: Winterizing Garage Kept Central Arkansas Boat??

just fyi the current temp is 42 and the inside ambient temp in the garage is 60. . . and the back of the boat is 4 feet from a water heater.. no real reason for this info.. still need to do it.

 

[Lou C]

Re: Winterizing Garage Kept Central Arkansas Boat??

just fyi the current temp is 42 and the inside ambient temp in the garage is 60. . . and the back of the boat is 4 feet from a water heater.. no real reason for this info.. still need to do it.

Sure even where you are, it's possible to get a freak ice storm, the electric goes off and then you have a problem....

Most marine V-6s or V-8s have a drain plug on each side of the block, you remove em and rod em out. The manifolds also have either a plug, or a rubber cap you remove, rod out the openings. You also have to remove the lower end of the big hose on the water circulating pump, and the hoses to the raw water pump. Finally, late model 4.3s have a square plug on the intake manifold above the circulating pump that has to be removed. I back fill with antifreeze after draining, but that's optional. I also always drain the drive oil to and check for water in the oil, if I find that I get it resealed. That's the basic idea but you should get a manual for your engine and follow it to the letter if you do this yourself. Heres my old OMC 4.3, the block drain is just foward of the starter, the one on the other side is near the dipstick tube...

 

[Speakrdude]

Re: Winterizing Garage Kept Central Arkansas Boat??

Why not convert to fresh water cool (anti-freeze) and sleep better every night,

Go Hogs!

(Up on the hill, NW ARkansas)

 

[Bondo]

Re: Winterizing Garage Kept Central Arkansas Boat??

Why not convert to fresh water cool (anti-freeze) and sleep better every night,

Ayuh,... There's Still the raw water side of things, that if Frozen, costs big bucks to replace...

 

[65fordguy]

Re: Winterizing Garage Kept Central Arkansas Boat??

Woo Pig Sooie! lol. Believe me I thought about doing that...

just not sure Im going to hang on to this boat.. while she is a nice little cruiser.. I have my eyes set on bigger things. with a V8.

are there any diagrams available that show where all the drain points will be?

When you guys say you back fill the engine with anti freeze.. at what location do you introduce the fluid to the block? I noticed the few hoses leading into the intake manifold... I have seen guys after draining the block feed antifreeze into muffs.. but that doesnt look to safe... what if the hose collapses. whoops.

so, Im assuming there is a hose or something I can pull to get fluid in?

 

[jmarty10]

Re: Winterizing Garage Kept Central Arkansas Boat??

mercury marine website will have a diagram of your cooling system (I think you said it was a merc) I have my boat in my garage. Last night it was 15 deg. out and thermometer on the garage back wall read 40. But........I still drained my engine. Winterize the engine you will not be sorry. If you want a pretty good video on how to winterize your block try "you tube" and querry in long island boaters. They have some good videos. Also, look at the sticky on this forum about winterizing.

 

[Don S]

Re: Winterizing Garage Kept Central Arkansas Boat??

are there any diagrams available that show where all the drain points will be?

Sure there are, look in the OEM Service manual. Here is a link to download it.

http://www.4shared.com/document/TcnPb3wU/Service_Manual_18.html

 

[Bondo]

Re: Winterizing Garage Kept Central Arkansas Boat??

Sure there are, look in the OEM Service manual.
Here is a link to download it.
http://www.4shared.com/document/TcnPb3wU/Service_Manual_18.html

Ayuh,... 'n after you download it,.... Save it to your hard drive, then burn it on a disc...

That'll save ya the frustration of forgettin' where to find the link, or loosin' it to a 'puter crash...

 

[dellsboater]

Re: Winterizing Garage Kept Central Arkansas Boat??

I have a 4.3 merc, have been winterizing it for 14 years now, I change oil, gear lube, and drain manifolds, and block. Never have backfilled with antifreeze, and I live in Wisconsin, kept in unheated garage. The trick is to pull the drains completely our, all four, and poke around in the openings with a stiff wire, or small screwdriver until you are positive all the water is out. Did not do this last step first year I owned it and cost me 2000.00 to replace the block and fix the manifolds. You will be surprised how much crap can sit in those plugs. I leave mine out until spring, put them in a baggie and attach to the keys so I remember to put them back in in the spring.

Had a friend who left them in, but open....he forgot to tighten them in the spring....lets just say his bilge pump got a great work out