winterizing my i/o

[rockyman]

i have a 1978 inline 6 cyl 250 chevy 165 merc out drive. i only saw 2 drain plugs 1 on top of the manifold 1 on the side of the riser am i missing any . i read don s. posting eariler and was wandering why you dont have to use antifreese if you dont wish to

 

[Don S]

Re: winterizing my i/o

i read don s. posting eariler and was wandering why you dont have to use antifreese if you dont wish to

I never said you have to use antifreeze, Air doesn't freeze.
Drain everything and nothing will crack and/or break.

 

[fishmen111]

Re: winterizing my i/o

Do you mean one on the bottom of the manifold? There should not be a drain in the riser...that is an access plug on the side. What about the block itself? Port side, mid-way back above the oil pan if I remember right.

 

[twostroke87]

Re: winterizing my i/o

air doesn't freeze is right, but those drains don't get all of the water out, and if you have been running that engine in salt water, and you drain it and leave it exposed to air, its rustfest 2009. If I had the choice between leaving saltwater in my blocks (not on a cold night of course) and draining the saltwater out, I would leave the salt in, atleast with it surrounded by water It won't rust.

Even in fresh water, it would still rust exposed to air.

 

[ziggy]

Re: winterizing my i/o

What about the block itself?

yeah, don't forget that one.....
you need a service manual it sounds like to me.... it has pics and everything.... check this link out. ya'll find what ya need....
http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=251571, looks like 3 and 4 would do ya... confirm by serial number for correct manual...

 

[Don S]

Re: winterizing my i/o

air doesn't freeze is right, but those drains don't get all of the water out, and if you have been running that engine in salt water, and you drain it and leave it exposed to air, its rustfest 2009. If I had the choice between leaving saltwater in my blocks (not on a cold night of course) and draining the saltwater out, I would leave the salt in, atleast with it surrounded by water It won't rust.

Even in fresh water, it would still rust exposed to air.

If you can't drain the water to begin with, there is absolutely no reason to dump antifreeze in a system full of water. It just won't mix or do any good what-so-ever.
You have to use something, a wire, screw, screwdriver, allenwrench, or whatever is handy, to open the holes in the block drains, manifolds, risers drains, and anything else in the system.
Read the stickies at the top of this forum, along with the service manuals. They all say basically the same thing.

 

[Bondo]

Re: winterizing my i/o

air doesn't freeze is right, but those drains don't get all of the water out,

Ayuh,....

If the motor is Drained by using it's drain cocks,...
The few drops of water that are left will evaporate,+ even if they don't...
If the water vessel isn't Full, the Water/ Ice has nothing to push against, there for, it Can't Crack anything....
A spoonful of water laying in a corner will do No damage...

Back to topic,...
On most of the I6s I've seen,...
There's a Drain on the bottom of the block, under the manifold, about midway along the oil pan rail...
There's a Drain on the bottom of the Manifold, about mid-length....
And,...
The old squarish looking Risers have a Drain on the lower Aft most corner, along it's side....
The roundish looking Riser that came out about the time of the Alpha 1 drives is Self-draining....
The older Square looking 1s, Ain't...

 

[rockyman]

Re: winterizing my i/o

okay guys thanks for all the input its been one big learning experience with this i/o board stuff,always had outboards before thought i would up grade. lol

 

[twostroke87]

Re: winterizing my i/o

"I never said you have to use antifreeze, Air doesn't freeze.
Drain everything and nothing will crack and/or break"

Yea nothing will crack or break, duh. Thats not what I'm talking aboout.

I never said anything about not draining the block at all. The point was you should never leave the inside of your block exposed to air for any extended period of time, you need to keep it full of some kind of liquid, whether its freshwater, saltwater, antifreeze or coca cola for all I care.

Once you keep exposing it to air you are severely decreasing the life of your engines raw water cooling system.

Any if you are stupid enough to mix water with non-toxic antifreeze then I don't know what to say, because non toxic antifreese does slush up, it just never freezes solid and expands. If you mix water, it will freeze solid.

If you can't get the water out, you need to find a way or you are screwed.

get off your horses

 

[Bondo]

Re: winterizing my i/o

The point was you should never leave the inside of your block exposed to air for any extended period of time, you need to keep it full of some kind of liquid, whether its freshwater, saltwater, antifreeze or coca cola for all I care.

Ayuh,...

For a Saltwater boat,... Maybe....

For a Sweetwater boat,.... That's just plain False...