screwed up!!

[machicj]

Just got done reading the winterizing crash course and realize i screwed up. i'm storing my boat in a friends pole barn and i forgot to put the outdrive down. Do I absolutely have to put the drive down? thanks

 

[Bondo]

Re: screwed up!!

Storing with the drive Down is for several reasons,.........<br /><br />1) To keep water(ice) from pooling in the exhaust cavity of the drive,+ Splitting the Case,......<br />No Worries for You there........It's Inside......<br /><br />2) So the Bellows don't take a Set,..... Your's will Probably survive,.. But,.. Down Is Better.......<br /><br />3) To keep Critters from Munching on the Bellows,..... <br />Again,.... Being Inside,.. It Shouldn't matter in Your case......<br /><br />Personally,...... I just Pull the Whole Drive,+ store it on a rack in the shop......

 

[machicj]

Re: screwed up!!

Thanks Bondo, i just bought the boat in july and put about $900.00 in the outdrive,(gimbal bearing and u-joints along with one bellow. i have never winterize before so i'm hopin' i did it right. ran boat with muffs for about 15 minutes, change oil & filter. restarted and ran for 15 minutes, switched muffs to bucketful of rv antifreeze(3 gallons)ran til almost gone, then fogged the heck out of it. pulled plugs and fogged each cylinder for 10 seconds. by the way its a 1985 170 merc. with the closed system. i guess i'll know in the spring!! thanks again

 

[trebor0301]

Re: screwed up!!

Why don't you just go to the barn and put the outdrive down?It shouldn't be that much trouble.If you have a emergency booster box you can bring that alond instead of the actual battery.

 

[machicj]

Re: screwed up!!

trebor, thats probably what i'll do. i got it covered and tarped really good, thats why i asked. thanks

 

[Alumarine]

Re: screwed up!!

You could loosen one of the trim cylinder lines and the drive should come down.

 

[djvan]

Re: screwed up!!

You might be asking for trouble trying to loosen trim hose fittings on a boat that age. I know mine (1986) were a real problem when I tried to loosen them.<br /><br />DougV>

 

[Don S]

Re: screwed up!!

If you have a Merc, or OMC, or even a Volvo SX or DP-S outdrive, just remove the rear pin for the trim cylinders and let the drive down on the ground. <br /><br />