1995 OMC 5.0L Winterizing

[dpar]

Thanks! I appreciate all you guys detailed help and advice. So, tell me if I'm correct. If the engine/drive was drained properly and completely, Im OK the way it is because i'm in fresh water territory and filling it with AF isn't a must? Filling with AF is optional precaution? I looked up online both the OMC shop manual and another after market instructions for winterizing a 5.0L and neither mentioned adding AF.

Hi G,
I really appreciate your post and all the great advise. Ive the same 1995 Volvo penta Omc 5.0L engine. I started to winterize via a Camco kit but found I need and adapter to atrach to engine pump. Due to great advise I can now proceed w/o adapter and just drain. However I don't see manifold drain plugs on my 5.0. Could I get your link to the OMC shop manual please? Dp.areynolds@gmail.com

 

[Lou C]

You can disconnect the feed hoses at the front of the manifolds; sometimes there’s a rubber cap on the rear of the manifold or a metal drain plug on the bottom end...

 

[tpenfield]

@ggundersen3 's concerns are well-founded. The only good news is that the shop (supposedly) used -100˚ F antifreeze. The bad news is that there is no real way of telling that they did enough, unless the remaining AF/water in the block/manifolds are tested. Draining is probably the way to go.

I recently made a diagram, which I'll share, showing the issues of the method used by the marina (and many others for that matter)



Most open cooling systems have 'direct' routes to the riser/elbows, so the AF shows in the exhaust long before the concentration of AF reaches a 'safe' level within the engine block and manifolds. Additionally water within the engine block circulates, so the incoming AF mixes with the water and does not force the water out on a 1-for-1 basis.

 

[Lou C]

@ggundersen3 's concerns are well-founded. The only good news is that the shop (supposedly) used -100˚ F antifreeze. The bad news is that there is no real way of telling that they did enough, unless the remaining AF/water in the block/manifolds are tested. Draining is probably the way to go.

I recently made a diagram, which I'll share, showing the issues of the method used by the marina (and many others for that matter)

View attachment 327665

Most open cooling systems have 'direct' routes to the riser/elbows, so the AF shows in the exhaust long before the concentration of AF reaches a 'safe' level within the engine block and manifolds. Additionally water within the engine block circulates, so the incoming AF mixes with the water and does not force the water out on a 1-for-1 basis.

Ted you can write factory shop manuals when you decide to start your next career, lol! Great work!

 

[Grub54891]

On my rigs I simply drain all the water out and forget the anti freeze. Up north here in Wisconsin, we get -40° every winter. Haven't broke a block ever. Freshwater lake superior, and inland smaller lakes.

 

[ggundersen3]

Thanks for all the input/advice/suggestions! Here's the latest: I removed the starboard side block drain and it trickled a little water just like the port side did. I removed the hose from the pump at the bottom of starboard side(circulating pump??) and a few drops of water came out. So I'm pretty confident it's fully drained. I attached some pics here. So pic #1 and 3 is where I disconnected the hose and almost no water came out. Is that the circulating pump? Pic#5 I believe is the "cap" on the manifold to remove and drain? Pic #6 is the top view of the thermostat housing with all the hoses (4) that connect to it. Question: If I did chose to add and fill with AF, which do I remove and pour AF into? And if I do, do it with the block drains open, so I can see it come out? Pics #2,4 and 7 are of the rear of the engine and a hose going down to the drive. Is that the one to disconnect and pour AF til it come out of the intakes on the outdrive?
Much appreciated.

 

[Lou C]

pic #2 & 3 is your raw water impeller, not the circ pump. With this, I'd mark and disconnect both hoses (don't mix them up) to let it drain, then hold up the hose that goes back to the transom (you show it in pic 2 & 4) and fill with AF with the outdrive down to push any residual water out the hoses that go through the transom mount, fill it till AF runs out the outdrive water intakes. Pic 5 is the cap to be removed for the manifold.
For pic # 6, if you want to fill with AF....disconnect the top end of the big hose (bottom end should already been disconnected to drain, so reconnect that end first, that connects to the circ pump). Put a funnel in the top end of that big hose, and start pouring AF in you can watch for it to appear at the engine block drain plugs. Then replace the plugs (put gasket sealer on the threads it prevents corrosion) and fill it till AF spurts out the thermostat neck, then reconnect the hose. You can now disconnect the 2 hoses feeding the exhaust manifolds, fill each one with AF till it runs out the exhaust housing on the transom mount. Reconnect the hoses. Lastly I'd disconnect the hose that goes from the impeller housing to the thermo housing at the thermo housing and fill that with AF as well.

NOTE: if it gets really cold (down to zero and below) where you are keep in mind that -50 is inadequate and so is -60 in my opinion, I'd use either -100 or buy 3 gallons of Sierra PG engine antifreeze and mix it up 50/50 with water. If you read the guide on antifreezes on the West Marine website they clearly say this, for close to and below zero they do not recommend -50 or -60, only -100.

INTAKE MANIFOLD, EXHAUST & COOLING - 1995 Stern Drive 5 502APHUB | Crowley Marine

View parts diagrams and shop online for INTAKE MANIFOLD, EXHAUST & COOLING parts, 1995 Stern Drive 5 502APHUB. Offering discount prices on OEM parts for over 50 years. FAST $4.95 shipping available.

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this schematic will help in identifying the parts in your cooling system....here you can see the impeller housing #18 and the circulating pump #42, and manifold cap #22

POWER STEERING PUMP - 1995 Stern Drive 5 502APHUB | Crowley Marine

View parts diagrams and shop online for POWER STEERING PUMP parts, 1995 Stern Drive 5 502APHUB. Offering discount prices on OEM parts for over 50 years. FAST $4.95 shipping available.

www.crowleymarine.com

here you see the hose # 19 that leads back to the transom and power steering cooler. This hose should be disconnected at the impeller housing and held down in the bilge to drain, then hold it up, with the outdrive down, and fill it with -100 till the AF comes out the outdrive water intakes.

 

[dpar]

You can disconnect the feed hoses at the front of the manifolds; sometimes there’s a rubber cap on the rear of the manifold or a metal drain plug on the bottom end...

There are rubber caps, snugged up against plug wires so tight they chaff. Probably single use caps, so before I remove them need to find more.
Thanks for the tip..

 

[ggundersen3]

In the middle of adding the AF I discovered this hose disconnected that's connected to the carb it looks like. Looks like some kind of vacuum hose. Other end of it looks connected to base of carb. See photo attached. Please explain. Thanks

 

[Lou C]

Well that's a mystery, I have a Rochester carb on my OMC, so I'm not sure. I'll have to check around.

 

[Lou C]

DECELERATION VALVE - 1995 OMC Stern Drive 5 502APHUB | Crowley Marine

probably has to do with this little gadget....

 

[ggundersen3]

OK. Thanks. Back to adding the AF topic. Lou, you and others have been very helpful. So, yesterday I removed the lower big hose to the circulating pump and a few drops of water came out, I reconnected it, then removed the top of the same hose at the thermo housing, opened both block drains, poked the drains with a probe to make sure both were clear, poured -100 anti-gel/marine AF in with a funnel until a steady stream of AF came out of both block drains(note, it took alot longer to show up and start coming out of the port side, compared to the starboard side, but did come out with a steady stream), closed the drain and continued filling until it came out the top, then reconnected the hose. This used up about 2 gallons of AF. I'll continue adding AF the next time I have spare time the next few days. Thanks for the detailed instructions Lou. See the pic below of the thermo housing, I know of course the big hose (7 o'clock position) is the circulating pump, but, in a clockwise direction, could you tell me what are the other 3? I want to add AF correctly to them. I believe Lou you said 2 were manifolds and when filling, AF should show up out of transom with the drive in down position. Thanks again for the help with this. We;'ve had mild weather up here(40+F) so I still have time to work on this. After getting this part done I'll move on to the impeller hose you talked about on the rear of the engine.

 

[Lou C]

Ok from the big hose clockwise, the next one comes from the raw water pump (impeller) and the 2 opposite each other feed each exhaust manifold.

 

[apropes]

So here is the latest development. I unscrewed the port side drain on the block, a little bit (1/8 of a cup) of fresh water dribbled out, then nothing. No antifreeze. Hmmm? I called Centerpointe (this location is Centerpoint Yacht Service, they sell and service boats from my size and up to big yachts)and demanded an explanation this morning. Service manager said he'd talk to the tech who did the winterization and call back. He did. Tech explained on the "those older 5.0L" they simply open all the drains and drain all the fresh water out and actually do not put antifreeze in. They're going to credit me for the -100 antifreeze that I paid for. He said that little bit of water I saw come out could be from trailering it home/moving the boat around. They are going to email me a statement that they will stand behind the work should I have any trouble in spring. I never heard of no antifreeze in any stern drive-I/O. What do I do here? Believe them? Are they correct? Do I open the drains again and remove the hoses at the thermostat housing and add my own marine antifreeze til I see it come out of the drains? Do I take it to another marine dealer service center and have them re-winterize it? The good news is we don't have dangerously cold weather here in Milwaukee yet, so there's time to get this this corrected.
Advice/opinions appreciated here.

Actually, the OMC Cobra service manual calls for draining only. No AF. Still, it does no harm and does provide for corrosion protection.

 

[Lou C]

You can just drain that’s what people did for decades. The OMC shop manual owners/operator manuals that I have do both list adding AF. I do it because of all salt water use but it’s always been a point of debate

First page is from owners/operators manual next 2 is from shop manual; I do it the second way in that I don’t remove the stat housing and just fill the engine from the top end of the big hose. Worked just fine for 18 years with temps down to zero....
One big difference though is I always used propylene glycol antifreeze, either -100 from West Marine or others, or Sierra PG no tox mixed up 50/50 with water. In real winter conditions (zero and below) the -50 and -60 start to get hard at about 7-10 degrees above zero which I would not want in a cast iron engine. Yeah I know many people use them but to me its a bit risky.
The most important thing is to make sure ALL the water is OUT...poke those block drains especially as they can get clogged with rust flakes from inside the cast iron engine. On some engines they have a 90* angle fitting in the block, mine has this on the starboard side in front of the starter, these plug up often and you have to use a pick to dig them out every few years. The V6 holds at least 3 gallons of water, so the V8 will hold a bit more probably about 4 gallons, you should expect to see a LOT of water drain out. The manifolds hold about 2 qts each depending on the style used.