trying to drain my mercruiser 165 block before it freezes tonight!!

[youknowmeasbud]

so, ive read in other threads that there is 3 different places to drain the water from the block. i have only found 2.. there is one on the port side of the block just above the oil pan (brass plug), then one on the underside of the exhaust manifold (petcock style) and cant seem to find another one...
i started with the one on the port side above the oil pan.. maybe got a couple gallons out.. didnt count.. then found the petcock on the manifold. opened it and nothing came out, so i remove the whole plug to, then reemed it out but got nothing from it.. hoping that everything came out..
so..
have i removed enough water to allow any possible expansion from freezing or am i forgeting something?

 

[thumpar]

Re: trying to drain my mercruiser 165 block before it freezes tonight!!

Take the hose off the water circulation pump too.

 

[Capt Ken]

Re: trying to drain my mercruiser 165 block before it freezes tonight!!

Look on the side of the riser and be sure there is an 1/8 brass plug there.

 

[youknowmeasbud]

Re: trying to drain my mercruiser 165 block before it freezes tonight!!

ok, so i disconnected the inlet hose from the block, no extra water came out, then i found the small brass plug and again no extra water came out.. i wanted to blow out the block with some compressed air but my compressor is temp. broken. i blew on the inlet hose and it gurgled a little.. just wondering if i have removed enough of the water for the nights to come or if i should do anything else.. thanks for the input guys..

 

[thumpar]

Re: trying to drain my mercruiser 165 block before it freezes tonight!!

I drive my boat around the block ( our block is a mile+ to drive around with up and down hills ) just to try to get as much out as I can.

 

[youknowmeasbud]

Re: trying to drain my mercruiser 165 block before it freezes tonight!!

not a bad idea thumpar.. too bad i live in Louisiana, 500ft elevation is a mountain down here.. ill do what i can tho.. thanks..

 

[998cc]

Re: trying to drain my mercruiser 165 block before it freezes tonight!!

Granted, it does not normally get that cold here in Northern California, but when it gets into the 20's, I have done this in the past: After draining the block, I put a 100 watt light bulb in an old desk lamp, place it in the engine compartment, turn on the lamp switch, and close it up. The bulb generates enough heat to keep the engine out of danger.

Russ
998cc

 

[tazrig]

Re: trying to drain my mercruiser 165 block before it freezes tonight!!

Granted, it does not normally get that cold here in Northern California, but when it gets into the 20's, I have done this in the past: After draining the block, I put a 100 watt light bulb in an old desk lamp, place it in the engine compartment, turn on the lamp switch, and close it up. The bulb generates enough heat to keep the engine out of danger.

Russ
998cc

+1^^^ Believe it or not (according to BoatUS Florida is the number one state for frozen block damage insurance claims and if memorie serves CA was number 2. It only takes one cold night to ruin a whole season. Here's hoping you got all or enough of the water out. Absolute worst case for the future get some -100 antifreeze and after you have drained the block as best you can. Put the plugs back in and run the antifreeze through the muffs with the engine running.

 

[Starcraft5834]

Re: trying to drain my mercruiser 165 block before it freezes tonight!!

sounds like you got it "you". pull those two plugs, right side of block rear, and manifold plug above that,, removed hose,,if you got a compressor, blow air through,, few drops of water left in there wont hurt nothing....... antifreeze in??? that's a point of debate... I've been told "air dont freeze"........I drained all the water out of mine and used compressor to blow it out... left it empty,, been -14 so far in my back yard,, will get to see in spring if "air freezes"

 

[tazrig]

Re: trying to drain my mercruiser 165 block before it freezes tonight!!

The point of antifreeze is twofold. Firstly it helps prevent rust in your cooling system along with the engine and if you're not sure you got all the water out it acts as added insurance as it won't freeze 'till -100.

 

[thumpar]

Re: trying to drain my mercruiser 165 block before it freezes tonight!!

A lot of the RV antifreezes don't have rust inhibitors in them and only protect down to -50 and that is only if it is not mixed with water.

 

[tazrig]

Re: trying to drain my mercruiser 165 block before it freezes tonight!!

Thats why I use this stuff. You can get it right here at iBoats:

Winterban 100 Degree Gallon - Camco 30787 - iboats

 

[youknowmeasbud]

Re: trying to drain my mercruiser 165 block before it freezes tonight!!

so, i put the plugs back into the block, and filled the water pump with a gallon of anti freeze to mix with any other water that may have been remaining.. i would have done a standard winterization but 'someone' got water in my carb when it rained the other day, so i didnt wanna risk starting it until i had pulled the carb.. etc..

 

[thumpar]

Re: trying to drain my mercruiser 165 block before it freezes tonight!!

If water went down the throat of the carb it is now in the engine. I would probably get it started up and fog then drain again if it was me. You don't want water sitting on the valves or going past any open valve(s).