Freezing temps.

[know_fear]

We're starting to get overnight temperatures of -2 C (28 F) around here but I'm not quite ready to put the boat away. It's a '93 5.8L with a Cobra outdrive. I put a small space heater under the block but what about the outdrive? Does most of the water drain out when on the trailer or am I taking too much of a risk? Are there drain plugs on the leg I should remove?
Thanks.

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: Freezing temps.

You won't have any freezing problems @ 28 degrees. You should drain the engine of water even if you're going to run the boat before the end of the boating season. It just takes a few minutes to drain'em.

I'm not a Cobra guy and cannot help you on the outdrive. I doubt winterizing is done on the outdrive, however.

 

[Howard Sterndrive]

Re: Freezing temps.

instead of a space heater, you can just open all the drain cocks after a boat ride.

 

[Idlespeedonly]

Re: Freezing temps.

A cobra will hold quite abit of water from the pump on the drive all the way to the t-stat housing. I always pull my drive in the winter and keep it inside anyhow. They cant steal what isnt there. Like Howard said, open the drains. And dont forget about the power steering cooler drain. Alot of people seem to miss this one. As for it not freezing at 28 degrees, that is an expensive risk not worth taking imo.

 

[boobie]

Re: Freezing temps.

I'm from northern WI orginally and have seen things break bad at 26*. Best thing to do is drain everything. Temps can vary in any area no matter what the weather man says.

 

[boaterinsd]

Re: Freezing temps.

I have a 91 4.3 L and it has a plig on the back bottom of both exhaust manifolds, on the sides of the block and on the starboard of the outdrive near the gimball grease zerk are 2 plastic drain plugs for water passages, pull them too.

 

[know_fear]

Re: Freezing temps.

Thanks guys. I had it winterized at a shop but from now on I think I'll do it myself. I can see which hoses and plugs they removed to drain the various reservoirs.

I removed the casting that contains the thermostat to see how the water passages route the flow. It sure is different than how I imagined it. It looks like the thermostat is the only connection between the engine cooling water and the water stream that comes from the impeller to cool the fuel, power steering and then the exhaust manifolds. The thermostat itself seems to be pressed into that casting. Should I have the thermostat replaced while it's apart? What temperature thermo. should be used? The temp. gauge on the dash never seems to go above 120 degrees.

 

[know_fear]

Re: Freezing temps.

Never mind. I see from the parts diagrams that the thermostat is held in by an o-ring. Once removed I see my thermostat is indeed a 160 but it was not closing. That explains why it was always running so cool. I'll see if they have a replacement at an automotive shop though it does look a little different than others I've installed on Ford engines.