DIY Winterize Volvo 4.3GL/SX Drive Question

[franklin_m]

Hello,

Money's a bit tight this year and I need to do a winterization on my engine/drive that will handle winter temps here in Central PA (-11F was lowest we saw last year).

Boat was winterized professionally last season, has new bellows and gimbal bearing. We used it maybe 5 time this season, all in fresh water. I'm concerned about getting 100% anti-freeze all the way through the engine/drive, and want to know if this method will work:

- Garden hose hooked to engine flush port via output leg of one of those "Y" garden hose valves.
- Fresh water from tap hooked to one input leg of "Y" valve
- Sump pump immersed in 100% non-toxic anti freeze and hooked to other input leg of "Y" valve

- Fresh water side of "Y" valve open, anti-freeze side closed, water flowing to flush port.
- Start engine, run at idle (or just above) to until thermostat is open
- Once open, start sump pump, then open anti-freeze side of valve
- Once confirm fluid flowing, then close fresh water side of "Y" valve
- When approaching about 6 gallons of anti-freeze, fog engine until it quits.
- Disconnect everything.

Do you think this methodology will make sure the engine/drive is purged of fresh water? I'd like to avoid disconnecting hoses etc. if able.

Also, what about drive oil, engine oil, lube, etc?

Thanks,
Frank

 

[Jeepster04]

Re: DIY Winterize Volvo 4.3GL/SX Drive Question

Do you think this methodology will make sure the engine/drive is purged of fresh water? I'd like to avoid disconnecting hoses etc. if able.

Also, what about drive oil, engine oil, lube, etc?

Youve got a bout a 50/50 chance of it not cracking the block when it freezes. Best to just drain all of the water out of the block, manifolds, and intake manifold(if your engine has that drain plug, our volvo does) and call it good. No use in making it overly complicated and risking it. I also like to unhook the hoses from the raw water pump to make sure the PS cooler and all hoses are drained. Takes about 15-20min to do..

The drive oil, engine oil, etc?? Change it..

 

[Dakota47]

Re: DIY Winterize Volvo 4.3GL/SX Drive Question

Drain all Water from each manifold and engine, powersteering cooler. no need to put anything back in,, remember AIR DONT FREEZE ..

 

[Fislander]

Re: DIY Winterize Volvo 4.3GL/SX Drive Question

I have been doing some reading on several forums as to how to winterizw my 2006 4.3L Volvo GL. Today I did the following (which I think is correct) but I would like to hear from some other experts if I'm doing this properly.

1) started motor..got up to 150 degrees fogged carb until the motor stalled out
2) removed the brass drain plugs from the block (one on each side)..water came out but only a very slow trickle
2) removed drain plugs from the back of each manifold...water gushed out and in 20 seconds no more water coming out
3) pulled hoses off of thermostat...no water there
4) 30 minutes later water from the block was continuing to trickle out very slowly..is this normal? I felt there was an air blockage? My buddies block gushed out and was dry in a minute

Are they any additional drain plugs that should be removed..I removed 2 from the block and 2 from the manifolds
Should I put coolant into the engine or have it dry?
Power steering?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Gregory W]

Re: DIY Winterize Volvo 4.3GL/SX Drive Question

Water should flow out of the drain relatively fast, not a trickle. If it just trickles out, there is debris( sand, corrosion, etc.) that has built up in the bottom of the water jacket. Take a small wire or tie-wrap and push it in the drain hole and work it around to loosen up the debris, water should flow easily. I recently purchased a boat with a freeze damaged engine ( VP 5.0 Gi) and this was the cause of the damage , owner pulled drain plugs but did not verify the water actually drained out. Pulled the engine and removed the broken section of block and found about 2 inches of debris along the bottom of the water jacket. I would suggest taking a small piece of Tygon tubing connected to the end of a garden hose and pushing this through the drain hole to washout the debris.


I will be putting RV/ Non-toxic Antifreeze in mine

 

[Colliemcc]

Re: DIY Winterize Volvo 4.3GL/SX Drive Question

Sorry for jumping your thread. Where about on the block is the 2 brass drain plugs I know about the 2 on the manifold. Thanks

 

[Don S]

Re: DIY Winterize Volvo 4.3GL/SX Drive Question

Colliemcc, best to start a new thread with your question, and post what engine you have, along with model number and/or serial number. Year doesn't mean much.

 

[Lou C]

Re: DIY Winterize Volvo 4.3GL/SX Drive Question

Sorry for jumping your thread. Where about on the block is the 2 brass drain plugs I know about the 2 on the manifold. Thanks

basically just forward of the starter, and on the other side in the same place. Use a small adjustable wrench to loosen em, poke the holes with a long machine screw or thin screwdriver because rust can block the openings...

and the best advise I can give is, FORGET about sucking the AF up the drive, with the engine idling on the water hose cool day the thermo will not open all the way and it will not let the raw water out of the block, so you will have mostly water in the block and then have a cracked block. DRAIN everything carefully, if you want to use AF then back fill thru the hoses, it has been discussed numerous times....