Merc 170/470: Is it really so easy....

[8AteEight]

.....To get the water out of it? ? Iv been told contridicting stories from people that may have different agendas (i.e. want me to pay them to rebuild an engine);

Some have been telling me it is as easy as opening the rear cap of the Heat Exchanger. Others say "no" (i.e. they may want me to pay to have it winterized thru them)

So, Im confused. . . . .and so far this thread sounds like im a 14 y/o girl
But if I can get away with draining ALL the water out, and have a mechanic to other stuff I need done, Thats the way Id really like to go.

Thanx-0-much in advance,
Jon.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: Merc 170/470: Is it really so easy....

if you get the service manual from mer it describes all the raw water systems.
best I recall I-duh-hoe gets rather chilliy.
best I can say is the 3.7 blocks were fresh water cooled. means you should have a 50/50 antifreeze coolant mix in the freshwater side.
a simple hydrometer at walmart for 5 bucks will tell you the freeze protection on the fresh water side.
now for the raw water side.
add fuel stabilizer for the tank and fill the tank.

run the engine on the flusher until its at least operating temp.
shut it down.
change oil and filters as nessary.
fire it back up on the muffs and check for any leaks.

now comes the dicey part.
I use a 5 gallon bucket with a 500 GPH bilge pump, others use a 5 gallon bucket and gravity.
if done properly the results are the same, if not you melt an impeller and dont protect the raw water side.

I use camco PG2000 mixed at one gallon to 4 gallons water.
hook the flush muffs to the buckets bilge pump output. start the engine, fog like mad while watching the bucket, when its about out shut the engine down
NOTE this will NOT work with raw water cooled engines.
on a stren drive or inboard type system not only do we have to prevent subsystem degradation(fuel,ign,electrical) we must also prevent any damage due to ice expanding in a confined space.
most the time with outboards we dont sweat Ice,
however we still sweat fuel,ign and electrical degeneration.
ya still have to protect the shiny parts inside the motor.

I get at least 10 motors a year busted due to improper storage, whats funny is at least 5 will tell me they did it right.

 

[Regal1800]

Re: Merc 170/470: Is it really so easy....

Interesting, glad I live in Pensacola, Fl and don't have to worry about the freezing 8)

Steve

 

[marunr]

Re: Merc 170/470: Is it really so easy....

Interesting, glad I live in Pensacola, Fl and don't have to worry about the freezing 8)

Steve

Let's see...# of boats wiped out by improper winterizing last year vs. # of boats wiped out by hurricanes...
hmmmm:devil:

 

[8AteEight]

Re: Merc 170/470: Is it really so easy....

True Dat marunr!!

RodBolt: How does the Gravity meathod work?? also, Overtons has a winterizing "thingy" that recycles the antifreeze mixture and does it. However, the Mixture is better off at about 65/35 here, as (you said it) it dips as low as -60F.

But; I was wondering more or less if theres any water that pools anywhere besides the Heat Exchanger. All the times its been winterized, Ive had to re-cap the exchanger, and I think Thats all these shops do to drain the water.

 

[pod184]

Re: Merc 170/470: Is it really so easy....

As Rodbolt is in the business, he would be the one to listen to. That being said, on my 3.7L last fall, all I did was stablize gas/fog engine/drain heat exchanger. I actually winterized the same engine about three times because I ended up taking the boat out in November since it hit 70 degrees a couple of times after I had put it away for the year. I can certainly understand the possiblility of damage to the raw water pump side, I did not have this issue. I had pretty much assumed the lower unit itself would self drain much like an outboard. Again, YMMV, it worked for me.