3.0 L Mercruiser travelling to freezing temps

jasonstein

Cadet
Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Messages
19
Hi Guys, i'm from Ontario Canada but 6 weeks ago travelled down to Georgia and bought a Stringray 185 bowrider with a 3.0L Mercruiser engine. I have been using the boat in Florida the last 6 weeks and it's been working great but i'm now getting ready to haul it back up to Ontario and with the way the winter has been up there that means hauling it into freezing temps. My question is this:

Is just draining the block and the exhaust manifold enough to do considering i Hope to have the boat back out again come May? I have only been using Marine fuel so I don't have ethanol in it.

I did not get an owners manual with the boat so i don't have that to go by.

I realize there is more that should be done if it's going away for the winter but at this point i'm hoping there is just a bit more cold weather and then spring will be here. I just don't want anything to freeze up!

Any help would be great.

Thanks,
Jason
 

oldsub86

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Sep 9, 2008
Messages
311
Re: 3.0 L Mercruiser travelling to freezing temps

Do like you would do at home in the fall.
Drain the engine and manifold. Blow it out if possible with air.
Change the oil in the lower unit.
 

jasonstein

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Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Messages
19
Re: 3.0 L Mercruiser travelling to freezing temps

Do like you would do at home in the fall.
Drain the engine and manifold. Blow it out if possible with air.
Change the oil in the lower unit.

OK, i have just never done it at home in the fall yet. I have already drained the engine and exhaust manifold. I did not use air but maybe i can find some somewhere before I head out (I still have a few more days)

Can I wait to change the oil till I get home in my shop? (in other words is anything going to be wreaked by it getting below freezing before it's changed?)

Thanks for your help!
 

tazrig

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Dec 20, 2012
Messages
1,752
Re: 3.0 L Mercruiser travelling to freezing temps

Nothing will be damaged unless you have some water in your drive. Thats why we change it in the fall. Same goes for motor oil. remember to change the gaskets for the drain and fill screws when you change it each time to prevent water intrusion. Also store the boat with the drive all the way down, the boat tipped up slightly and the drain holes unplugged to allow all the water to run out of the boat. You can go here and get a Service manu@l for your engine and drive if you know what year it is. That will tell you what needs to be replaced, when and how to do it. Just click on Mercruiser then hold your mouse over each manual and it will tell you what the manual is for. There should be one for your drive and one for your motor. Click on the one you want. then bookmark the page for future reference.


Boatinfo - The library, containing manuals, brochures and other technical documents from the last hundred years!
 

bonzoscott

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 26, 2008
Messages
745
Re: 3.0 L Mercruiser travelling to freezing temps

I think as long as you drained the block an exhaust manifolds, you'll be fine. Would have been best to run it with some stabilizer in the fuel before you shut her down cause you never know about today's fuels. Should be ok for a couple months though.
 

old islander

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jan 27, 2013
Messages
302
Re: 3.0 L Mercruiser travelling to freezing temps

If you were running it in salt water, I would flush it with fresh water before putting it away.
 

bilge rat jim

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jun 28, 2012
Messages
330
Re: 3.0 L Mercruiser travelling to freezing temps

Yep, drain the block and manifold, check the gear case for water intrusion. If you have a pitot style speedo, remove the pressure line from the speedo and blow a lungfull of air through the line.
 

jasonstein

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Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Messages
19
Re: 3.0 L Mercruiser travelling to freezing temps

Thanks guys, this has all been very helpful. I did flush it well and wash the whole boat off everytime I had it out in the saltwater. I also always bought marine fuel so I don't have ethanol that will separate. Anyone know if a 2006 Stingray 185 would have a pitot style speedo?
I look forward to getting the boat back in the shop and learning how to maintain it. I'm not a mechanic but I am the type that will learn and keep stuff well maintained.
 

jasonstein

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Joined
Nov 10, 2013
Messages
19
Re: 3.0 L Mercruiser travelling to freezing temps

Yep, drain the block and manifold, check the gear case for water intrusion. If you have a pitot style speedo, remove the pressure line from the speedo and blow a lungfull of air through the line.

By gear case do you mean the bottom of the drive (where the prop comes out of?) I can change that oil easy at home in the shop so i'm hoping to leave it for now as the boat was all gone over before I picked it up a good month ago at the dealer.
 

Lou C

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 10, 2002
Messages
11,798
Re: 3.0 L Mercruiser travelling to freezing temps

Draining and poking the drain holes to make sure water came out is important. Also, you should disconnect the bottom end of the big hose on the front of the engine that connects the front water pump to the thermostat housing, that can hold a lot of water. Finally, I like to disconnect the raw water intake hose that comes from the transom to the thermostat housing, and point it down in the bilge, that hose can hold water sometimes too. Lastly, if you just sligtly loosen the bottom drain plug on the drive, you will see if there is any water in the gear oil. If so you should drain it and get the drive pressure tested. If there is water in the gear oil it can freeze and break the lower unit housing (this would have to be a LOT of water but it is a possibility).
Make sure to drain the bottom end of that big hose, I know on the V6/V8 engines that holds a LOT of water.
 

aerobat

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 1, 2011
Messages
835
Re: 3.0 L Mercruiser travelling to freezing temps

beyond the draining tips make sure you lower the drive fully when the boat is on the trailer to let the water flow out of the drive - of course do not forget to rise it again for towing !
 

Bondo

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Apr 17, 2002
Messages
70,464
Re: 3.0 L Mercruiser travelling to freezing temps

Draining and poking the drain holes to make sure water came out is important. Also, you should disconnect the bottom end of the big hose on the front of the engine that connects the front water pump to the thermostat housing, that can hold a lot of water. Finally, I like to disconnect the raw water intake hose that comes from the transom to the thermostat housing, and point it down in the bilge, that hose can hold water sometimes too. Lastly, if you just sligtly loosen the bottom drain plug on the drive, you will see if there is any water in the gear oil. If so you should drain it and get the drive pressure tested. If there is water in the gear oil it can freeze and break the lower unit housing (this would have to be a LOT of water but it is a possibility).
Make sure to drain the bottom end of that big hose, I know on the V6/V8 engines that holds a LOT of water.

Ayuh,.... Agreed,.... The V-motors hold more water in the circulatin' water pump, but the Big hose should be pulled on the I-motors as well,....

The V-motors can hold better than a quart, I-motors not quite so much,...
 

Starcraft5834

Lieutenant Commander
Joined
Jun 2, 2013
Messages
1,677
Re: 3.0 L Mercruiser travelling to freezing temps

Do like you would do at home in the fall.
Drain the engine and manifold. Blow it out if possible with air.
Change the oil in the lower unit.


That's what I did..............as to fuel,, I was running treated fuel all season and dumped in more and ran it through system before I drained mine and blew it out......-2 this morning here.. man this winter is getting old...............
 
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