DF25 Iced up peehole in extreme weather

TominatorNY

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Duck hunting in super cold weather, sometimes -6 F. Motor starts right up, but can take 5-10 minutes to start pumping water. I realize its *probably* just the tube frozen and taking time to thaw. But how can I know I am not damaging the engine? Impeller could be frozen, or water channels in the block... I ALWAYS drain it completely, upright position, and even bump it after use for about 3 seconds to try and clear any water from the tube of impeller. Still takes 5-10 mins sometimes to start pumping water. That 5-10 mins is a major delay at 5 AM in the dark, in the cold, when in a rush to get away from the launch and get decoys in the water. Nearly impossible to get a wire into the tube on this motor, due to the peehole being so far down, and up inside the cover a little, and in the cold and dark. What can I do?

I am wondering if maybe I add a cup or two of antifreeze into the water flush hole after each use, so that the next time it is not frozen up? Would that hurt the cooling system or impeller?

Any other suggestions for use in extreme cold, ice, and snow? Thanks!!
 

wrench 3

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When it's -6F around here we're walking on the water not boating on it!
The only thing that comes to mind is, could you run some antifreeze through it when you pull it out of the water. Maybe a set up like they use put antifreeze through the muffs on an I/O for winter storage.
 

flyingscott

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Are you sure it's freezing? Do chunks come out when it finally clears? Find where the pee-hole hose is attached if it's after the thermostat could be a delay in the thermostat opening. Antifreeze won't do any good because it will just run out of the motor when it's sitting there.
 

GA_Boater

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If it takes 5-10 minutes to actually pump water, you have damaged to motor with no cooling.

Does this motor have an idle relief exhaust port? If water is pumping a mist of water and exhaust will be exiting the port and no worries.
 

99yam40

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you need to find out if that Suzuki motor allows the tell tail to flow with the stat still closed.

it is never good to put much load on a very cold motor, let it idle until the motor comes up to temp and the stat opens

if there is water trapped in the power head and freezing, that is bad.

either blow it out with compressed air before putting it away before it freezes or run it in a bucket of antifreeze to get it up inside of all passages before putting it away. remember it needs the stat to open to circulate everywhere as it should
 

TominatorNY

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Thank you everyone for the suggestions!! I'll try to find out if the DF-25 allows the tell tail to flow with the stat still closed. I don't think the lack of water is due to damage per se, or due to thermostat closed, because when its above freezing it pumps immediately even before the engine warms up. And once it starts pumping, it pumps just fine every time we start it that morning.

I'll have to think more about the antifreeze thing. Does anyone know for sure that the antifreeze will NOT harm the impeller? And when I travel to a lake 1/2 hr away, would have to use the antifreeze at the boat launch cuz once we hit the road its frozen instantly.

If anyone has any further suggestions, please feel free to share them. Thanks!
 

TominatorNY

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Any water in the engine head should drain out while it is still warm. If I pour a cup or two of antifreeze in the cooling system flush valve, shouldn't that antifreeze run down to the water pump and clear any water there at least, as it runs out? That way the upper motor should drain, and any water in the lower motor would at least be mixed with antifreeze.... yes? or no?
 

ondarvr

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Before you start trying some elaborate flushing methods check and see if the thermostat needs to open before it starts peeing. People use their motors all the time at below freezing temps with no issues, some pee right away some don't.
 

wrench 3

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I'm thinking that it's water remaining in the small hose to the pee hole that's freezing after it's removed from the lake. If you flush with antifreeze any water left in the system would have antifreeze mixed with it.
 

ondarvr

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If it is water freezing in the pee tube then it's meaningless, just run it like that.
 

99yam40

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Take a small length of hose and blow into the TT while it is warm from running before leaving the ramp to see if clearing water out of that solves your problem next time you fire it up in the cold
 

ondarvr

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Take a small length of hose and blow into the TT while it is warm from running before leaving the ramp to see if clearing water out of that solves your problem next time you fire it up in the cold

Easy solution.
 

TominatorNY

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Hmm I could use a syringe or something to squirt some antifreeze up into the pee tube (which, by the way, is hard to find because its so short on this motor and up inside the cover a ways) along with pouring a small amount in the water flush port...

Completely flushing the whole system with antifreeze, before leaving the boat launch at 4 degrees F, is not gonna happen.

Also, some research found that you MUST use propylene glycol antifreeze, NOT ethylene glycol, for two reasons:
1) It is environmentally friendly
2) ethylene (alcohol) can harden the rubber gaskets (and possibly impeller?)

Here's a link on the different types of antifreeze: http://www.brownsmarina.com/tech-af.html
 

99yam40

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Like I said once you pull the boat out of the water us a small piece of tubing and blow thru the nipple by mouth to clear the water out of it before it can freeze.

when I was young we would ride our motorcycles down to the bay to go duck hunting, but I am not the mad at those birds anymore when it is cold outside
 

AGENT 37

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It's common to mix isopropyl alchohol with water at a 1:10 ratio when doing aircraft engine rinses in below freezing weather. It's probably more environmentally friendly and possibly more environmentally friendly than antifreeze. Have you considered pouring some warm water from a thermos on the tell tale hose when it's time to start up to thaw it out? If you do it and it pees right away you know your good to go. I've never taken apart a water pump impeller housing that still had water in it so I think it typically drains out before freezing.
 

ondarvr

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This seems to be a situation where people are trying to find the most complicated solution to a problem that doesn't exist.
 
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