Full Closed Cooling Winterize - In Water

[Grant Brown]

2007 5.0L Alpha 1 gen 2, carbureted. I am leaving my boat in the water year round this year in a covered slip.
I have recently installed a San Juan Engineering full closed cooling system (manifolds are cooled) running fresh Mercuiser brand anti-freeze.
I would like to have the boat set up so I can run out to fish for winter Chinook when we get some nice days this winter.
I need to drain the raw water side to prevent damage, but will it fully drain with the leg in the water?
I intend to disconnect the raw water hose from the drive, the heat exchanger and power steering cooler.
What about the exhaust risers?
Grant

 

[Bt Doctur]

I intend to disconnect the raw water hose from the drive
Then you would have a hole thru the transom that leads to the impeller, A BAD IDEA

 

[tpenfield]

I take it that you are in an area where it does not get so cold that it prevents boating during the winter months? The primary areas to protect would be the intake hose leading up to the heat exchanger, the heat exchanger and the risers, as you mentioned.

Let us know the serial number of the engine, as that may effect how to best purge the intake hose.

Water will be in the inlet hose from the transom assembly, so nothing you can do about that . . . but IF the water does not freeze around your boat in the slip, then the outdrive should be OK. It is more a matter of the parts of the cooling system that are above the waterline and exposed to colder temps overnight, etc.

I do this sort of thing if I run the engine after having winterized the cooling system (which I did this weekend)

First thing would be to drain the heat exchanger . . . preferably by removing the intake hose low on the engine (maybe at the oil cooler?) I just take mine off the sea water pump.

Then on the top of the heat exchanger you may have something that looks like the picture below (these are my engines with the SJE systems).


The hose on the top of the heat exchanger that leads to the 'T' fitting can be used to fill the riser/elbows as well as the heat exchanger/intake line, just by disconnecting and pouring AF into the end of the short hose pictured and as shown by the arrows. Pouring one end will get the risers and pouring into the other end will get the heat exchanger and intake hose.

The riser/elbows will purge of water fairly easily as you pour AF . . . the heat exchanger should have the water purged from it first though. I poured about 1 gallon of AF in each end of the hose.

 

[Grant Brown]

I intend to disconnect the raw water hose from the drive
Then you would have a hole thru the transom that leads to the impeller, A BAD IDEA

Disconnect to drain out the water then reconnect it.

 

[stonyloam]

Don,t know much about the San Juan, but it seems like there should be a seawater drain on the underside of the exhanger (it appears that there is in photos). If you drain it and leave it open then the water in the hoses should drain back through the impeller pump to the surface level of the water (especially if the water inlet for the exchanger is on the underside). The impeller will be below the surface of the water, and as long as the water around the boat does not freeze you should be OK.

 

[thumpar]

What kind of temps are you going to see over winter? Do you have power at your slip? If you have power and the temps are not too low you could use a light bulb in the engine bay to keep it warm. If you do go that route you would want to check on it regularly and if the power goes out have a backup plan.

 

[tpenfield]

The raw water hose connection at the transom is probably below the waterline, so you will get water coming in while you try to drain the cooling system. Just something to think about.

 

[stonyloam]

As long as the heat exchanger is above the waterline it should be OK. Of course if the exchanger is below the waterline and you tried to drain it the boat would sink. Probably would be a good idea to replace the exchanger drain plug after draining, just in case. Assuming the lake does not freeze solid things should stay warm enough so you will not have to worry about freeze damage.

 

[alldodge]

I think your rolling the dice, but if your going to do it disconnect the hose to the pump and tie it up high. Drain the rest of the system. Come time to use reconnect the hose.

If your boat sits low or for easier tying up, use a piece of pvc pipe to insert into the hose, put a hose clamp on it and tie it up

 

[thumpar]

What is your setup for the water intake? Engine driven or drive? If engine driven is it thru-hull?

 

[Grant Brown]

It's an Alpha 1 G2 so pulls water up through the leg. The heat exhanger is "about" 2-3 feet above the water line. I doubt the boat would fill up with water if I drain it and then close the drain plugs etc. I live near Vancouver BC and it gets below freezing here but not much or for long. The boat is in salt water (lower freezing point) and in a covered slip (even more shelter). I have power so I just ordered a 300Watt BoatSafe heater that I will use to keep it above the freezing point. We very occasionally lose power in the winter, but if it happens it is only for a few hours at most.
Thanks for all the helpful suggestions.
Grant

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... I would think the P/S cooler will be the only thing left holdin' water,...

I believe it's mounted along side, under the port motor mount,....