2011 4.3 Alpha MerCruiser winterizing question

[kbryant]

Hello,
Does anyone have a great video that shows how to winterize this motor? I am hoping to do this myself this year instead of bringing to the shop for a charge of $400.00 bucks. Any help would be awesome. I live in Wisconsin so it can get very cold here so I want to do this right. Thank you for your time.

 

[alldodge]

Don't of any vids I would recommend, but it's fairly easy

Not getting into the oil change or other stuff, just winterization of motor

Remove block drains on each side of the block. Use a screw, nail or wire to push up inside the hole to make sure nothing clogs drain hole

Remove exhaust manifold drain, one on each side and do probe as with block

Remove drain on cool fuel module, port side behind engine mount

Remove bottom end of large hose starboard side front of motor and let water drain.

You are now winterized. If you want to put RV antifreeze in replace plugs and do so thru thermostat hoses. But as Bondo says, air doesn't freeze

 

[flashback]

Probe the drain holes until no water comes out. I missed a manifold years ago and it froze, cracked. I poked it once but that wasn't enough..

 

[kbryant]

Hello,
Does anyone have a great video that shows how to winterize this motor? I am hoping to do this myself this year instead of bringing to the shop for a charge of $400.00 bucks. Any help would be awesome. I live in Wisconsin so it can get very cold here so I want to do this right. Thank you for your time.

Don't of any vids I would recommend, but it's fairly easy

Not getting into the oil change or other stuff, just winterization of motor

Remove block drains on each side of the block. Use a screw, nail or wire to push up inside the hole to make sure nothing clogs drain hole

Remove exhaust manifold drain, one on each side and do probe as with block

Remove drain on cool fuel module, port side behind engine mount

Remove bottom end of large hose starboard side front of motor and let water drain.

You are now winterized. If you want to put RV antifreeze in replace plugs and do so thru thermostat hoses. But as Bondo says, air doesn't freeze

Hello
I have 5 blue drain plugs on this baby and one blue handle one on front of motor with a red drain tube. So if I up all those up and make sure all water is out is there any reason to put antifreeze in it?

I will change oil and drain lower unit and replace with new fluid. That should be it, right?
Again, thank you for taking time out to reply.

 

[alldodge]

What is the motor serial number?

 

[kbryant]

Hello
I have 5 blue drain plugs on this baby and one blue handle one on front of motor with a red drain tube. So if I up all those up and make sure all water is out is there any reason to put antifreeze in it?

I will change oil and drain lower unit and replace with new fluid. That should be it, right?
Again, thank you for taking time out to reply.

What is the motor serial number?

Hi
1A625601

 

[alldodge]

Hi
1A625601

For open cooling it shows 7 point (7 blue plugs)
Or single point drain

Hello
I have 5 blue drain plugs on this baby and one blue handle one on front of motor with a red drain tube. So if I up all those up and make sure all water is out is there any reason to put antifreeze in it?

I need a pic of this handle

 

[kbryant]

For open cooling it shows 7 point (7 blue plugs)
Or single point drain


I need a pic of this handle

I do have single point drain. It has a blue twist handle on front of engine.

 

[alldodge]

I do have single point drain. It has a blue twist handle on front of engine.

ok that's different then what I thought with 5 blue plugs

You have only one plug
https://www.mercruiserparts.com/bam/subassembly/31503/13808/200

In that case, your playing with maybe's
Maybe all the water drains out, and maybe it doesn't

Fresh water boats have less of a chance to not drain but it's still a chance.

If (note the IF) the system works, open the drain and drain all the water out and your good. Would suggest filling with RV AF in this case because you (mostly me) can not trust the Merc single point drain.

Leave all drain plugs out

 

[kbryant]

I do have single point drain. It has a blue twist handle on front of engine.

 

[kbryant]

ok that's different then what I thought with 5 blue plugs

You have only one plug
https://www.mercruiserparts.com/bam/subassembly/31503/13808/200

In that case, your playing with maybe's
Maybe all the water drains out, and maybe it doesn't

Fresh water boats have less of a chance to not drain but it's still a chance.

If (note the IF) the system works, open the drain and drain all the water out and your good. Would suggest filling with RV AF in this case because you (mostly me) can not trust the Merc single point drain.

Leave all drain plugs out

Ok.
So I will open this one single handle deal and take out the 5 drain plugs. If I take the 2 front hoses off one on each side and pour some RV antifreeze I should be good to go?

 

[Chris1956]

Gee, everyone focused on draining the block. Good stuff, but not complete. Your shop does a lot more stuff, or it should.

Run motor on flusher. After warm, fog engine with Fogging Oil, and stop flushing.

Pull all drain plugs to drain engine of water.

Pull upper and lower drain plugs on gearcase. After gear oil has dripped out, refill from bottom, until gear oil leaks out top plug. Replace plugs with new gaskets and tighten.

Clean Flame arrestor. A bit of Kerosine does it. Spray engine with water, let it dry and spray with anti corrosion stuff.

Drain engine oil. Remove old filter and install a new one. Coat new oil filter rubber seal with oil. Add new oil. Run Motor briefly, say 45 seconds to distribute new oil..

Grease zerc fittings. Wipe steering rod in bilge and relubricate with marine grease.

I recommend that the entire block be filled with antifreeze. I use the straight stuff, figuring that any water mixed with straight A-F would still not freeze. Of course, I am in NJ. Colder climates than Central NJ may require different measures.

So, you have the drain plugs out of the motor. Dump some A-F into the hose on the manifold. When A-F emerges from the drain, move on to the next hose. You will want to drive antifreeze out of each drain.

Different motors have different hoses and components. So make sure you drive water out of each drain, and see the antifreeze. Most brands have a block, manifold(s) and power steering cooler and the lines that connect them. Larger boats have water heaters and other stuff.

The Manifolds/risers usually have a drain plug. After the A-F has emerged, plug them and fill the hose supplying them with water.

When you have driven the water out of every drain, install the drain plugs and fill the block. Most blocks can be filled via a thermostat hose, or waterpump hose. Hopefully this will fill water cooled intake manifolds, as well, as they often are more distant from the fill sites.

A 4.3L motor takes about 4 gal of A-F. I drain and recover all that I can. I ends up being able to recover 3+ gals.

Alpha I Gen I need the drive pulled to grease the U joints. I assume you have newer ODs, so I won't bore you.

 

[alldodge]

Should be good
Still don't see the 5 blue plugs with a single point, but the more drain plugs pulled the better

 

[kbryant]

Is it possible to put some air in it and blow the water out like you do for an RV? Would that hurt things. Maybe keep the plugs out and take it for a spin around the block to move any water left out?

I know how to change the oil and lower unit. Just wasn’t 100% on getting the water out of the engine.

 

[alldodge]

You could blow air into the hoses to see if anything else comes out, would be no issue.

Taking a run around the block IMO would have little effect if any.

 

[Chris1956]

I like to use the antifreeze to push the residual water out of her block.

As a test, after the block has drained and been blown out with air, dump some antifreeze into it and see if any more water comes out.

 

[QBhoy]

ok that's different then what I thought with 5 blue plugs

You have only one plug
https://www.mercruiserparts.com/bam/subassembly/31503/13808/200

In that case, your playing with maybe's
Maybe all the water drains out, and maybe it doesn't

Fresh water boats have less of a chance to not drain but it's still a chance.

If (note the IF) the system works, open the drain and drain all the water out and your good. Would suggest filling with RV AF in this case because you (mostly me) can not trust the Merc single point drain.

Leave all drain plugs out

Open that valve with the vent plug out the thermostat first. Wait until it drains…then prove it’s drained by unclipping the quick connect fittings at the source of each hose feeding into it. As in each side of the block and manifolds. I do this by pouring some antifreeze in, watching for its appearance at each of them. I then box it all back up again and leave it all filled with antifreeze. Also clever to crack open the gear oil drain, check for any water in there, that might freeze.
With the mpi…there is also a fogging process to follow, should you be doing things by the book. It involves running tcw3 fuel mix through the system and engine, before storage. Don’t be tempted to fog the engine with spray oil down the throttle body…like older carb engines might want. To be avoided at all cost on the mpi.

 

[Scott06]

to the OP I think this has a video of your same set up being winterized. Would also agrees the single point drain system can clog and potentially not drain. Personally I would remove it and go back to multiple drain plugs if you have to disconnect all the lines and probe them to be safe.

Single Point Manual Drain System - Mercruiser 4.3L Marine Engine / Alpha Sterndrive | PerfProTech.com

Quickly find all of your technical tips and HOW-TO information for all of the Mercruiser Single point drain systems online at PPT!

www.perfprotech.com

I also do my engine oil/filter, fuel filter and drive lube at same time. You will find lots of opinions on AF and fogging. On an mpi you are supposed to fog by mixing 2 stroke and gas in a container and run engine on that.

Worth getting a factory manual that outlines all the lube points I think also has winter layup instructions.

 

[muc]

any reason to put antifreeze in it? ----- YES

That should be it, right? ------- NO

So I will open this one single handle deal and take out the 5 drain plugs. If I take the 2 front hoses off one on each side and pour some RV antifreeze I should be good to go? ------- NO

suggest you read the owners manual for your engine. if you can't find yours, I posted a link that you can download one for free. One of the things that you will find in it is about that blue drain plug on the thermostat housing. ------ Surprise ------ the only time you should pull this plug is when you use the single point drain system while the boat is still in the water!
Can you "get by" following some of the advise posted above? Maybe, I did some pretty funky things the day I had to "make safe" 30 engines one October day in Minnesota. Missed a power steering cooler, but saved everything else.
a note on "pink" RV anti-freeze, it usually doesn't have enough corrosion inhibitors in it because it's for RV water systems. I highly recommend you spend a few $ more and get the right stuff. You have a single point drain system and it is very hard to properly winterize this system. This system has gotten a "bad" name because soo many people don't winterize it right. This leads to rust in the system and a cracked block a few years later. If you read the owners manual you might notice a lot of detailed instructions, but you won't find anything about how to fill the system with the correct anti-freeze. I asked MerCruiser why that's not covered? Was told that's because it's common sense. "we provide a pump on the engine to suck it up and so fill it just like you flush the engine with water" when I pointed out that some engines have trouble sucking it up. "well then you should use a pump to get enough pressure".



IMPORTANT: Mercury MerCruiser requires that propylene glycol antifreeze, mixed to the manufacturers instructions, be used in the seawater section of the cooling system for freezing temperatures or extended storage. Make sure that the propylene glycol antifreeze contains a rust inhibitor and is recommended for use in marine engines. Be certain to follow the propylene glycol manufacturer's recommendations.

Mercury Marine Product Service & Support

Technical Resources for Owners - Download free digital copies of operation and maintenance manuals and find service and warranty information about your Mercury engine or drive.

www.mercurymarine.com

QUESTION:
Can I use propylene glycol (RV antifreeze) in my engine?
ANSWER:
Propylene glycol antifreeze with a rust inhibitor is approved for use in the raw water cooling system for cold weather storage purposes ONLY. However, if your engine is equipped with a closed cooling system, you should always use a 50/50 mixture of ethylene glycol antifreeze and water in this system. Even if you don't live in a freezing climate, you should still use an antifreeze/water mixture rather than plain water. Antifreeze mixtures have superior anti-corrosion and boil over protection properties.

EDIT - your engine isn't registered with Mercury so you haven't been notified of any recalls or updates. Suggest you talk to your local dealer and get this registered in your name.