Winterizing Questions

[sikz3]

Setup: 4.3l Mercruiser (vortec) w/ alpha 1 gen II outdrive

Local shop wants $120 to winterize which entails the following:
Stabilize Fuel
Drain Block and P/S cooler
Crack lower unit plug and check for water (replace gear lube if water present)
Fog Engine
Charge Battery

Just to let you know I have put about 5 hours on the boat since the following was done earlier this season:

New Impellar
Engine Oil Change
Inspect Gimbal and Bellows
New Gear Lube

Now my question is should I just do what they were gonna do myself? It would save a lot of money. And if I cannot find fogging oil, is there an alternative? I would like to hear from anyone who has done their own winterizing that may also have some more tips to share. Thanks

 

[Bondo]

Re: Winterizing Questions

And if I cannot find fogging oil, is there an alternative?

Ayuh,.... Turn the key Off.... If it's recommisioned in the spring, it'll never notice it...
A few years would be different...

Getting ALL the water out of it is Job 1.....

 

[jtmarten]

Re: Winterizing Questions

+1

I add StaBil prior to trailering home.
Run on the muffs so the entire fuel system has treated fuel.
Next year I'll prob add the StaBil prior to leaving for the last outing, just saves the running on muffs step.
Remove all the drain plugs; block, manifolds, risers, etc. I pull multiple hoses to ensure all the water is drained. I then tow it on a route that has short, fairly steep hills up and down to shake out any residual water. Trim the drive down, or remove, and she's basically ready for storage.
I don't fog the engine.

 

[Stephen Haley]

Re: Winterizing Questions

Have a question you folks seem the ones to know the answer to. I have a 25' CC with a I/O and it's in Dallas, Texas in the water year round. I use it or am on it every week of the winter without fail. I use it almost every week, lets say 65% of the winter and 100% of the summer weeks. I'm retired I'm not rich.

Winterizing is not an option it seems to me. I do use an engine room heater.
So I'm thinking that changing oil and filter twice a year, using a gas stabilizer and being on the look out for any leaks in billows and such, I should be good to go. Can any of you verify this? Or give me your opinion.

I am interested in replacing the rubber impeller for the cooling system and think I should do this every year. Can you tell me if this is over kill? Is it a difficult job for a retired plumber/HVAC tech?

Lastly, a guy at Lake Travis near Austin had put in an inline ele. water pump as a safeguard for his cooling system. He branched it off the original hull fitting and ran it back into the original line before it made it to the engine. Have any of you ever had any experience with an inline ele. water pump? Sounds like a good back up but it may be wasteful or over kill.

Any advice is always appreciated.
Doc

 

[Bondo]

Re: Winterizing Questions

Ayuh,... Hi Doc,... Welcome Aboard,...

Winterizing is not an option it seems to me.

I concurr,... If it gets down to or just below 32?,... It'll no doubt be just Fine by itself,...
If it drops enough to form Ice on the water around the boat,... You need the heater on...
Or,... Better Yet,...
Learn to Drain whatever motor ya got....

As for the Impeller,... You don't say what the driveline is,... Unanswerable question...

And the by-pass electric waterpump,..??..??
Somebody's got Way too much time on their hands....

 

[Stephen Haley]

Re: Winterizing Questions

Sorry about not being clear on the power plant or drive.

I have a 460 Ford King Cobra set up. The out drive or stern drive is factory as is the engine. 262 hours on it. It's an 88 model CC 250 Cabin cruiser.

I'm expecting the plate on the aft end of the engine, where the raw water connects , most likely needs to be removed to access the impeller, but I'm guessing.

Any help would be great.

From this "small box" (5 inches square and 4 inches deep @) several hoses come out and connect to exhaust manifolds and such.

I agree the additional bypass ele. pump was over kill but he claimed it cost less than $200 total and he actually needed it once when the impeller failed.
Who knows? Makes good campfire fodder anyway.

Doc

 

[Don S]

Re: Winterizing Questions

Stephen, best to start a new thread with your questions and not turn someone elses thread into yours with questions on a completely different engine and drive.