Antifreeze 5.7 mercruiser

[JOHNSON110]

I winterize my engine, pulled the block plugs and manifold plugs also disconnected the power steering hose drained all water out after flushing engine. I then pulled off the thermostat housing and poured 2 gallons of 50/50 antifreeze. Question is this enough for the winter or should I add more? Thanks for any reply !!!!

[Bond-o]

winterize my engine, pulled the block plugs and manifold plugs also disconnected the power steering hose drained all water out after flushing engine.

Ayuh,... At that point,... Antifreeze is nothin' but a Waste of Money....

[fasthobbys1]

yes that should be enough antifreeze. After draining the cooling system for the winter the antifreeze does help to keep rust from building up

[JOHNSON110]

Thanks for the reply, I just wanted to to try to limit the block from rusting !

[stonyloam]

Thanks for the reply, I just wanted to to try to limit the block from rusting !

If you drain the engine and put the plugs back in (as recommended by Mercruiser, in the 3.0 L book anyway) you will limit rusting. Any rusting that occurs will quickly consume the oxygen in the air inside of the block, and at that point the rusting will stop. Out of curiosity, did a quick and dirty calculation: Assuming a block holds 2 gallons of air, that is about 1.2 grams of oxygen, if totally consumed (not likely) to form Fe2O3 (rust) that would be about 3.5 grams, or 0.12 oz. in a 150# block that is not very much. Man maybe I should get a life.

[JOHNSON110]

Yea I was not really serious about the block rusting comment, sooo many other issue's to deal with like the new gimble ring I had installed this year, or the skeg I had to get wielded on last year or was the that the year before LOL!!!

[stonyloam]

.... the new gimble ring I had installed this year.....

Retorque those gimbal ring clamping screws (55 ft lb) every spring and you should never have to replace it again. Kind of a pet peeve of mine, from one of life's hard lessons.

[JOHNSON110]

Yes I did that already, they say once a year for maintenance.