Feeding Antifreeze into the "engine flushing port" for winterization

[CapeEscape]

Is there any reason why I can't use the "engine flushing port" hose in the engine compartment to feed antifreeze into my 2003 Volvo 5.0 Gxi? I have muffs for the lower unit but the flushing port seems a much more convenient way to do this.

Please lets not get into whether you are an antifreeze advocate or not.

:-)

Thanks!

[Don S]

As long as you drain the block and circ pump hose first, it should work fine.
Not really necessary, but it will work.

[CapeEscape]

Thanks for the quick reply. Hmmm, the whole reason i use antifreeze is the simplicity of it, i don't have to worry about making sure i've found all of the drain plugs. maybe I'll go ahead and feed it in from the muffs afterall.

[Don S]

Muffs or flush hose does the same thing. You need to drain the engine first or you stand a chance of not getting enough antifreeze into the engine to protect it.

Read this thread. http://forums.iboats.com/mercruiser-i-o-inboard-engines-outdrives/use-muffs-winterize-280921.html

[CapeEscape]

Don,

Thanks so much for pushing me to be thorough. I may even skip the antifreeze next year.

I've been going through the manual carefully but I'm still not sure I've properly drained everything. The enclosed pictures show the drain points I've hit so far. One shows the flushing port which I think drains the block, I allowed that to drain completely into the bilge. Another pic shows the water pump, I detached those hoses and allowed them both to drain. Finally I removed the bolts on both sides of the exhaust manifold and allowed them to drain as well. I think I just have the engine circulating water pump hose to go, can you confirm? What did I forget?


FP.jpgManifold.jpgWaterPump.jpg

[Don S]

One shows the flushing port which I think drains the block, I allowed that to drain completely into the bilge.

It's a flushing port only, and it will not drain the block. Not even a little bit.

There is a block drain plug on either side of the block that has to be removed to drain the block, along with the large hose on the engines circulation pump, you also need to drain the water from the fuel cell by removing the hose from the thermostat housing and draining.

What is the full model number (need the letter/s after the GXi) or serial number of your engine?

[CapeEscape]

Full model number is 5.0 GXI-B. Serial Number is 4012076896.

[Don S]

Glad I asked the model instead of just going by year, especially on yours. You have a 2002 model, not 03. Not uncommon on boats, but you have a different flush hose that Volvo stopped using after your model. The C model (2003) has a different flush hose setup. Your flush hose is attached to the block, not on the inlet side of the raw water pump.
DO NOT run your engine with the flush hose on your engine. You will burn up the impeller and damage the exhaust before you get water to the exhaust hoses.
You should remove the hoses from the block fittings, and make sure the block is drained, and drain the hoses and fuel cell as I mentioned earlier
.
Here shows the flush hose on your engine and how it plumbs into the block.
http://www.volvopentastore.com/Engin...view_id.786029


Here shows the flush hose on the newer models (not yours)
http://www.volvopentastore.com/Seawa...view_id.790050

[CapeEscape]

Perfect, thanks so much. I was scratching my head looking for those drain plugs because they sure looked like they were attached to the flushing hose and as you said, they are on this model. (-8

The SELOC manual breaks this all down pretty completely now that I've taken the time to read it and it jibes with the info you've given me.

So the flushing hose is to be used without running the engine only? That explains why I had to replace my impeller last season ... LOL

[Don S]

The SELOC manual................................

That's not a manual, they are used for expensive knee pads.

Here is the OEM engine manual you can download for free, that shows the cooling system http://www.4shared.com/document/U2wZ...gine_A-F.html?

Here is where the link came from.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread....21#post2360521

[floatit]

I purchased this product and it works great.

http://www.amazon.com/Camco-65501-Bo.../dp/B0000AXQU2

[Don S]

I purchased this product and it works great.

Didn't understand a thing that was said did you. You're just lucky you still have an engine block.

[CapeEscape]

LOL. Tell em Don! Thx for all your help.

[floatit]

Yep, missed that part. Sorry about that.