4.3 winterize

dynocon · Aug 18, 2012

I put the out drive in a tub with 5 gallons of RV antifreeze. Ran it up to temp, pulled the thermostat and the antifreeze tested 30 below, started off at 56 but was diluted with water in the system. Ran a few more minutes with the thermostat out. Block tested the same -26, put thermo back in. Fogged the engine and added fuel stabilizer.
First time doing it this way, does anyone else?

cr2k · Aug 18, 2012

Re: 4.3 winterize

Did you change the oil in the engine and outdrive too? Winterizing is the time to do that so any trapped moisture doesn't sit in the bearings all winter.

bigdaddypt · Aug 18, 2012

Re: 4.3 winterize

Where are you that would be winterizing already?

Don S · Aug 18, 2012

Re: 4.3 winterize

bigdaddypt said:
Where are you that would be winterizing already?

What's the difference? Maybe he isn't planning on using the boat any more this year. For any number of reasons.

Block tested the same -26

Should be fine, unless it gets lower than -26?.

dynocon · Aug 18, 2012

Re: 4.3 winterize

Oil, grease all the other stuff. I normally pull all the hoses and drain plugs then fill the block and each hose with RV antifreeze. Just worried since I have never done it this way.

Don S · Aug 18, 2012

Re: 4.3 winterize

Maybe you will be lucky, many are not doing it that way. At least you checked the temps of the AF in the engine.

If all you are going to do is worry about it, drain it! Air don't freeze and break things.

ricohman · Aug 18, 2012

Re: 4.3 winterize

It gets very cold where I live. It is not uncommon for -45 in January.
All I plan on doing is what the book says. Drain out the water. All the guys I know with i/o's have always done it this way and have never suffered a cracked block. I never heard of adding antifreeze until I joined this community.
Did you drain out the water before you sucked in the AF? Otherwise aren't you diluting the AF?
With the mix you have now you would have a cracked block in the spring if you lived here.

caddylover · Aug 18, 2012

Re: 4.3 winterize

richoman, i live in winnipeg and have the same temps as you. All i ever do is drain block, pull hoses, add RV antifreeze and fog engine. Have been doing that for 15 years and never had a problem....EVER!

I've never sucked AF into the engine via tub.

bigdaddypt · Aug 19, 2012

Re: 4.3 winterize

Don S said:
What's the difference? Maybe he isn't planning on using the boat any more this year. For any number of reasons.
.

It was just a question because I was curious, thank you.

aerobat · Aug 19, 2012

Re: 4.3 winterize

i personally drain the engine, but also know some guys who do it via antifreeze without issues . draining the block is the method recommended by the manufacturer.

straightleg · Aug 19, 2012

Re: 4.3 winterize

My starcraft book on my 4.3 told me to pull all hoses, take out brass drain plugs and drain all water.
I have always done it this way. Have had boat 23 years.
A few times I took pink rv antifreeze after draining boat and pored it into any top hoses I could put it in.

I change oil every year, sometimes in winter sometimes in spring. Not knowing any better. I will do it in the winter from now on.

Mine stays in a garage, even when it is 10-20 degrees out just being in the building the air stays alittle warmer in the building for some reason.

SL

camalot · Aug 19, 2012

Re: 4.3 winterize

I have a friend that did it the way you did, and his frost plugs popped out this year. Vary lucky guy the block didn't crack, IMO all oils should be change when winterizing, but if engine oil is not I feel the stern drive is a must. Any water in there will freeze and it's a big bill to fix that

ricohman · Aug 19, 2012

Re: 4.3 winterize

camalot said:
I have a friend that did it the way you did, and his frost plugs popped out this year. Vary lucky guy the block didn't crack, IMO all oils should be change when winterizing, but if engine oil is not I feel the stern drive is a must. Any water in there will freeze and it's a big bill to fix that

Those are not "frost plugs".
And any engine I've seen that has pushed the welsh plugs out there was usually a crack somewhere.

Scott Danforth · Aug 19, 2012

Re: 4.3 winterize

regarding winterization - I usually pull the drain plugs, then flush out the system with RV antifreeze (propylene glycol) to prevent any trace amounts of water from freezing. its also the time I change all oils, etc and then scrub the boat down, and put dryer sheets thruout the boat to prevent critters and spiders.

regarding the welsh plugs or core plugs are there to cover the holes used to get the core sand out of the castings during the foundry process. and if they have been pushed out, most likely there is a crack in the castings.

BoatDrinksQ5 · Aug 19, 2012

Re: 4.3 winterize

I would definitely drain the AF mix from the block via your drain plugs to prevent issues. Once near the 'burst' temperature the mix will be very ice like....like a mostly frozen freezy. I wouldn't want that in my engine..

Plus there could be areas where after multiple freeze/thaws the water could have separated allowing for a hard freeze in a tube or part of the block.

camalot · Aug 20, 2012

Re: 4.3 winterize

ricohman said:
Those are not "frost plugs".
And any engine I've seen that has pushed the welsh plugs out there was usually a crack somewhere.

Coming from the good old UK and now living in Canada thier could be a bit of ying & yang here. We call them "core plugs" but when I asked for a "core plug" I got a strange look from the sales person lol. And was informed they where called "frost plugs" but I guess they where wrong as well lol.
But yes what a lucky guy eh!!.

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