What Else Do I need to Winterize???

[orion25]

First of all - I have a 2007 Larson 208 LXi with a 5.0 MPI (SN 1A044534) and Alpha 1 (SN 0W895245).

I will be winterizing today (Tuesday 11/6/07) since the temp here is going to drop to about 28 degrees on Tuesday night. I went out today and bought 6 quarts of Quicksilver 25w-40 oil, 3 quarts of Mercury High Performance Gear Lube, a pump for the gear lube, a set of muffs, an oil filter, a water seperating fuel filter, and some stabil. I plan on picking the boat up from the marina (hope it goes well since I have never put it on the trailer before) and filling it up with gas after I add the stabil and bringing it home. Once home the prop will come off since it is damaged. Then we shall winterize............

I plan on running it on the muffs (at idle) until I hit 160F and then changing the oil & oil filter. Then I will change the drive lube. Then, after it is completely cool I will change the fuel filter. Then I will drain the cooling system. This is where my first question pops up......... How many drain ports do I have and where are they? I am pretty sure they will be blue in color but I have no idea where they are all at and when I should stop looking for them.

Also, should I be concerned with fogging the engine? I have no plans to do so right now but if I should please convince me otherwise.

This entire winterization is kind of spur of the moment. I was hoping to spend my days off at Thanksgiving working on this but Mr. Weatherman says otherwise. Finally, anyone have a link to my engine and drive service manuals????

Thanks in advance for the help!

 

[sickwilly]

Re: What Else Do I need to Winterize???

You can still consider just draining all the water out and still taking your day off to do all the other work nice and slow, when you won't be rushed.

The only con I could see would be if there happens to be any water mixed in with the rear drive oil.

Is your boat up on a lift where you can get the outdrive all the way down, or sitting in the water?

There are others here with more experience than me, but I would think you could hit all the drain plugs on the engine, using a piece of wire or screw driver to be sure its clear behind them, and then be sure you outdrive is all the way down.

Then bring the boat home when you have time to do all the rest.

 

[Don S]

Re: What Else Do I need to Winterize???

Just drain the cooling system till you get things together to do the complete winterization properly.
You also don't fog an MPI engine like other engines. There is a procedure for that described in the manual. May even be in your owners manual. Have a look.
Here is the link for service manuals.
http://www-alt.mercurymarine.com/mnetdata/sisdata/srvcovr.pdf

You need #31 for your engine, 14 for your drive, and 36 for your ECM

 

[Chris1956]

Re: What Else Do I need to Winterize???

Orion, V engines have a drain plug on each side of the block and one the bottom of each manifold. You also have a power steering cooler on the raw water intake hose. The proper way to winterize is to put the fuel stablilzer in the tank, start the motor on the muffs, run it to operating temp, shut it off, change the oil and filter, start the motor on the muffs to circulate the new oil and then fog the motor and stall it with the fogging oil. Now drain the block and manifolds and change the lower unit gearoil, including the resovoir. Now pour straight antifreeze into each hose until it pushes out any residual water in the block, manifolds and power steering cooler. You should have antifreeze come out of each drain and the outdrive water intake. Now install the four plugs and fill the block and manifolds with antifreeze. You should have some A-F exit the prop and the idle relief ports of the outdrive. Now spray the block with Boeshield and disconnect the battery. Leave the outdrive all the way down.

 

[heyttown]

Re: What Else Do I need to Winterize???

If the boat is in the water, and you plan on using it further into the season....Im not 100% sure but if the outdrive did by chance have any water in it,it wouldnt freeze until ice formed on the lake.... So you would just have to drain the block,manifolds, and PS cooler after each use. Until you do the full winterization.

 

[orion25]

Re: What Else Do I need to Winterize???

Thanks for all the help. I just got the boat home. Filled it up with gas and added stabil on the way home. The oil is draining right now. It will not see the water again until around April. I pulled the prop and it looks worse than I thought. The skeg also has a half circle (about the size of a Quarter) missing out of it.

I think I will just drain the engine today and add the AF, change the drive fluid, fog it, etc later. It is only supposed to be about 28 degreees here tonight so I should be OK.

Once again, thanks for all the help.