Minimal Winterization?

[achris]

...

Next, we could buy a small roll of insulation and cut a few long pieces of it to lay over the engine, with a couple of old bed blankets over the insulation. Would that keep at least some cold/freezing temps out of the engine area?...

What do you think?

No, I think it's a terrible terrible idea...

Blankets work on people because we generate heat (about 100 watts)..

All that will happen with blankets over an engine is that it'll take slightly longer to cool and warm... The temperature it reaches (high or low) will be EXACTLY the same as the outside temperature (research 'equilibrium')... Ultimately, you'll change nothing...

Here's your bottom line. Where you are and the temperatures you'll experience during winter, there are no shortcuts... You either do it properly or replace the engine block and manifolds in spring....

Chris...

 

[Rick Stephens]

I'm in Idaho at 3800 feet. I just did my full winterization this afternoon after a last fishing trip yesterday.. took me a several hours while also doing some other shop work for customers (welding machine shop type stuff). Fired up on muffs, went on to other stuff while it came to full temp. Shutdown, stuffed the vacuum pump down the dipstick since pulling the oil out is slowest part. Then pulled port side oil cooler drain plug, block plug and manifold plug. Went to starboard and did block and manifold, block port was mostly plugged with scale or sand, probed that out. Pulled the bottom of the big hose off the water pump. Left, came back engine oil finished sucking, backed into shop and pulled the prop then the outdrive which goes on a simple wooden stand. Checked oil level in drive and pulled drain plugs. Pulled engine and gearbox drains on kicker. Checked gimbal, ujoints, bellows. Refilled engine and fired it up dry for a little to be certain it had no leaks. Disconnected battery and hooked up maintenance charger. Refilled drive and kicker. I'm done till spring.

If I do that for someone, gonna cost them near $400. Move somewhere without freezing temperatures if you don't want to do it yourself or pay someone. Sorry, boats cost to maintain. Always will. Only thing more expensive is an airplane or a very beautiful woman.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Another thought hit me..…...what about:

Draining the block and putting plugs back in. Our boat/trailer sits in gravel, and when that gravel is dry, people who drive by can create somewhat of a dust bowl. We are waiting for a paved spot to open, but still have to wait for that.

Next, we could buy a small roll of insulation and cut a few long pieces of it to lay over the engine, with a couple of old bed blankets over the insulation. Would that keep at least some cold/freezing temps out of the engine area?

blankets dont work without a heat source. if you had the boat in the water with a bilge heater and an areator in the water, you may get away without winterizing. however if you loose power, your block would crack

Another thought hit me..…...what about:


Then, last thing, put our full-size "winter" type cover on the boat.

prior to covering your boat, you will want to put moth balls and irish spring soap shavings around the interior of your boat to keep mice, spiders, and other critters out of your boat. put in the disposable bowls

Thing is, the boat HASN'T seen any actual lake/water time since before our last oil change in August 2017 and fuel filter/water separator change (also in 2017). The engine has only been run on the muffs. So, I'd really think the oil is still good as well as the fuel filter/water separator.

When we take it out this coming Friday (temp of 77 degrees), I will check smell and how clear the oil is on the dip stick.

Really trying to stay away from the $400 winterization and $175 summarization, but may not be able to.

What do you think?

if the boat was run any time between the oil being installed, and now, that is a long time for acids to build up in the oil which lead to destroyed bearings.

oil change on a boat is every 50 hours or annually for a reason

the only way to get away from paying for a winterization is to winterize the boat yourself.

 

[H20Rat]

I would not consider my engine ready for cold temps without I run it on muffs and pull the plugs while hot. That way a warm block will evap most of the remaining water still settin in low spots.

Won't matter if you pull the plugs with it hot, there is zero water that will evaporate out. Steam/evaporation rises, plugs are at the bottom, not the top, so zero chance of water leaving through that method. At a minuscule level, you probably end up with more water left over by pulling the plugs hot. The humidity is far higher, and that will all condense out inside the engine once it cools down.

I actually AVOID pulling plugs on a hot engine, scalding hot water isn't fun.

 

[LuvBoating]

Totally understand what you two gentlemen are telling me about that new idea that I had thought about.

First, don't ever want to live in the South and/or Florida again. Contending with a Tide Table, algae and foam.......not fun! Took two USCGA Boating Classes and still couldn't figure out the buoys on the water. Besides that, there are things we love about Colorado and Wyoming that definitely aren't in the South or Florida. It took us one visit back to Colorado (northern/eastern slope), in August 2018, to realize we should have never left Colorado in the first place in Oct 2007.

Obviously, with my lack of marine mechanic skills, and that I'm much more of a computer "geek" than mechanic, wife and I was just trying to think of another way to winterize, instead of having a marine shop tear apart our engine area to winterize. Giving us a plastic bag with all of our hose clamps inside, along with both block plugs, just to return in the Spring to have it all put back on...…...geeeeeeeeeesh! There are only two marine services in our area and one of them won't touch our boat because of it's age (1992). When they remove the hose clamps to drain any water from hoses, what if they come across hoses that "they" say need to be changed...….more money! This boat is a 1992, not a 2019.

So, from what I've been reading, if I can get both block drain plugs out and drain the block, then add the gas stabilizer to the tank, I COULD be in good enough shape for the upcoming winter? Guess we'd really not know until next Spring when we start it.

If "push comes to shove", and we have to take it to this marine service that takes all of the hose clamps off, etc., we do. I guess having an oil/filter change and new fuel filter/water separator put on would (could) be better.

We love boating, but just haven't been able to get it on the water that much in the last couple of years. Last year it didn't go on at all due to my laser cataract surgery and, after we got it transported to here, we had to have the tow electrical in our vehicle replaced, so couldn't get it on the water so far. The boat is old, as well as the trailer, but it's all we can have.

 

[Rick Stephens]

So, from what I've been reading, if I can get both block drain plugs out and drain the block, then add the gas stabilizer to the tank, I COULD be in good enough shape for the upcoming winter? Guess we'd really not know until next Spring when we start it.

Block drain plugs -

Manifold drain plugs -

lower water pump hose -

Knock yourself out. If you crack something, or lack of annual maintenance breaks one expensive part, you'll no longer have this problem.

 

[Scott Danforth]

dont forget to drain the power steering cooler

and then change oils (part of the annual maintenance)

• changing engine oil minimizes acid build up from condensation and combustion byproducts
• changing gear oil takes care of any water that may be in the gear case from a leaking seal
• pulling the drive to inspect and align takes care of any water in the bellows

 

[JASinIL2006]

I can't imagine a '92 boat is that much trouble for them, especially given all you've done to the boat.

One thing I'd be concerned about is leaving the plugs out all winter. I'd be worried about rust/corrosion on the threads in the block. I don't worry about a small dribble of water or condensation getting trapped in the block and freezing over winter. A small bit of water won't freeze and crack your block. If the block, hoses, PS cooler, etc. are fully drained, you can put the plugs back in and reattach hoses after a half hour of dripping.

I understand about not being physically capable to do the work yourself, but cutting corners or trying ineffective techniques like blanket on the engine will only lead to future problems.

I wonder if any of those marine mechanics do freelance work outside their jobs at the marina? Maybe you could hire one of them to winterize the way YOU want it done?

 

[LuvBoating]

Well, we are going to take the advice that has been given to us to get it done by a marine mechanic. Since we are going to have a few more warm days ahead of us, with daytime highs in the mid to high 70's, we will (finally) get it on the water at least once. It hasn't been on the water since August of 2017. IOW, we really, really need to get it on the water again before winterizing it. ​

Wife and I want to say "THANKS" to those here that replied to us. ​

 

[briangcc]

Check with other marinas in the area. One I used to deal with was exactly as you described....fixed cost for winterization and then another fixed cost for summerization which included putting the block plugs back in.

I found a different marina around the corner from me that winterizes the boat and come spring time I connect up my batteries and turn the key. That's it. Everything is connected and ready to go other than the batteries...which sit in my heated basement on a battery tender all winter.

 

[LuvBoating]

Well, last October (2019), we ended up taking our boat to the only marine service, in our area, that will work on older boats. The other one won't touch a 1992 or any boat that old. I was able to take out both block drain plugs and drain the block, before taking it in. That was very good, because a week after taking it in, we got some 6 inches of snow! Wife and I went over to the service and took all of the snow off of the boat, and the service like that so much, they pushed our "winterization" up by a week and a half.

They changed our oil/filter, which was needed. Changed the water/fuel separator filter. Changed our drive oil. Fogged the engine, took off hose clamps and added fuel treatment to the gas tank. They also fixed a leaking Trim Pump hose. So, we didn't have a thing to worry about! All we did is go over to our boat/rv storage and clean the snow off of the full cover each time it snowed.

Took the boat back in early May (this year) and they connected all clamps back up, put new fishfinder transducer on and checked our carb.

Both, the winterization and the summerization cost us, but for us, it was well worth the cost.

But, for the upcoming winterization, I will again, if possible, take out the block plugs and drain, but we won't have the oil/filter changed or drive oil changed, due to not using the boat enough this summer. So far, as of this posting, we've been able to get it on the water once (last week). Wanted to get it out more, but wind/rain stopped us. However, it was GREAT when we did take it out last week. First time this boat has been in freshwater!

And, next Spring, will take it back and have the "summerization" done to it.