Re: WINTER-izing Let's collect some ideas now
Great idea, here is what i do each year, engine is a 1973 mercruiser, orig lower end, rebuilt engine(lotsa hours). Drain oil out of lower end. this gives me a chance to see if there has been any water intrusion and repair seals over the winter. I leave the lower end empty, no oil. Leave screws in. I disconnect water pump hoses and hose from lower end and pour antifreeze back through the hose until it flows from the lower end. Capture the antifreeze in a bucket and pour it back through until you are certain you have antifreeze everywhere. Pull the drain plugs out of the engine block and the manifold and exhaust riser, drain the water. Put the plugs back in and pour antifreeze through the disconnected hose, back through the pump and fill the block. Pull the drain plugs out again and let the antifreeze run out. Do it again, antifreeze is cheap, blocks are not. I let the antifreeze drain into my bilge and dilute any water that might be there. Then I pull the boat drain plug and let the excess antifreeze run into the bucket.<br /><br />I use plumbing antifreeze as it is environmentally friendly. I grease the lower end and the steering arm and the trailer bearings. Battery boxes and batteries come out, get fully charged, and stored on the workbench in the garage, not the floor.<br /><br />I remove the spark plugs, flood the cylinder with WD40, put the plugs back in. Put Sta-bil or similar product in the fuel tank and fill to 3/4 or close to full for the winter. Last but not least, change the engine oil.<br /><br />In the spring, I put the engine drain plugs back in, change the water filter. I refill the lower end with mercruiser synthetic gear oil. After double checking everything, I hook up the earmuffs, turn on the water and turn the key...then I run in to the garage and get the batteries and try it again! So far its worked.
