Winterization

[Spidrmunky]

Just winterized my 4.3l Mercruiser …kind of. I only had antifreeze coming out of one exhaust port….should I redo? I’ve drained water from the 5 blue plugs and ran the antifreeze through on muffs. If I didn’t see pink out if both exhausts could this damage the boat? Thank you.

 

[Scott Danforth]

You drained all the water from the plugs and probed all the plug ports with a pick?

You changed oil?

You pulled the drive and checked alignment? U-joints? Bellows? Gimbal? You replaced the impeller if it's been 5 years?

If so you are winterized

As the manual stated, did you add the optional -100 AF to the thermostat housing with a funnel?

 

[Spidrmunky]

Just winterized my 4.3l Mercruiser …kind of. I only had antifreeze coming out of one exhaust port….should I redo? I’ve drained water from the 5 blue plugs and ran the antifreeze through on muffs. If I didn’t see pink out if both exhausts could this damage the boat? Thank you.

You drained all the water from the plugs and probed all the plug ports with a pick?

You changed oil?

You pulled the drive and checked alignment? U-joints? Bellows? Gimbal? You replaced the impeller if it's been 5 years?

If so you are winterized

As the manual stated, did you add the optional -100 AF to the thermostat housing with a funnel?

Thanks for the reply. Yes I did all of that (the shop did my alignment ….except the optional part at the bottom adding AF to the thermostat housing. I ran AF through muffs with only one exhaust port showing pink. Where I live it can get to -45 to 50 at night.

 

[Lou C]

For those temps the ONLY thing I'd use is -100, not the -50 or -60, if you want to use AF. The -100 stays liquid to approx -55*F, last time I checked. If you have -50 or -60 in there drain it out.
The other options:
drain and leave dry
mix up your own batch of PG antifreeze (Sierra) use a refractometer to get the proper mix for your cold temps
I do the last option....

 

[Spidrmunky]

Thank you! Very helpful. Appreciate your time.

 

[Spidrmunky]

I actually didn’t know they made -100

 

[Scott06]

I actually didn’t know they made -100

If you got full amount of water out of the 5 drain plugs then you are good I would drain the -50 af you put in and leave it dry given the temps u state

If you ask two guys on here about af or no af you will get 3 different answers … I personally don’t use it and have never had any corrosion issues fresh water use

 

[Chris1956]

Running antifreeze info engine via a flusher device is a fool's errand. it has very little chance of working, and very often leaves water in the block.

It is better to pull the plugs, probe the drain holes to dig out the rust and debris. After the water drains out, add some antifreeze to each hose and watch for it to emerge from the drain holes, and the exhaust ports. Now either leave it dry or install the plugs and fill the block and manifolds with antifreeze.

Make sure to pour some A-F down the raw water hose to push the water out of the power steering cooler and water pump.

 

[Lou C]

Running antifreeze info engine via a flusher device is a fool's errand. it has very little chance of working, and very often leaves water in the block.

It is better to pull the plugs, probe the drain holes to dig out the rust and debris. After the water drains out, add some antifreeze to each hose and watch for it to emerge from the drain holes, and the exhaust ports. Now either leave it dry or install the plugs and fill the block and manifolds with antifreeze.

Make sure to pour some A-F down the raw water hose to push the water out of the power steering cooler and water pump.

Been doing it this way for 20+ years & never a problem. And, you don’t have to pull out the stat BTW…All that’s needed after disconnecting the bottom end of the J hose up front & draining the block is to reconnect the bottom end of the J hose & disconnect the top end. Replace the block drain plugs. Then stick a funnel in the J hose & fill with AF till the AF spurts out the stat housing neck. Engine is now full you can reconnect the hose & are done. I put Evinrude gasket sealer on the threads of metal drain plugs & triple guard grease on the hose fittings on the stat housing, & circ pump. This keeps the hoses from rusting to the cast iron & makes the job much easier in a cold fall day!

 

[Chris1956]

OK, so you don't use the flusher to add the A-F. Good for you, as that doesn't work very well.

 

[Lou C]

Yep I have always done it this way & I think it’s safer & uses up less AF in the process…
1) you know for sure the engine is totally drained
2) no risk of burning up the impeller if it won’t pull in the AF…..

 

[ROY WILLIAMS]

Just winterized my 4.3l Mercruiser …kind of. I only had antifreeze coming out of one exhaust port….should I redo? I’ve drained water from the 5 blue plugs and ran the antifreeze through on muffs. If I didn’t see pink out if both exhausts could this damage the boat? Thank you.

THE OUTDRIVE IN THE FALL SEASON , TAKE IT OFF INSPECTED IT .. DID THE GREASE AND THE OUTDRIVE GEAR OIL .
The water 5 plugs take it off .... also the antifreeze in the engine ... T -STAT ..
the no engine is running ...

 

[QBhoy]

Running antifreeze info engine via a flusher device is a fool's errand. it has very little chance of working, and very often leaves water in the block.

It is better to pull the plugs, probe the drain holes to dig out the rust and debris. After the water drains out, add some antifreeze to each hose and watch for it to emerge from the drain holes, and the exhaust ports. Now either leave it dry or install the plugs and fill the block and manifolds with antifreeze.

Make sure to pour some A-F down the raw water hose to push the water out of the power steering cooler and water pump.

Spot on. I cringe every time I see this method used. Unfortunately the internet how to videos doing this are everywhere. So dangerous