Winterizing Question: Antifreeze or empty?

[Scott Danforth]

your right, the manual states how to completely drain the block, heads, manifolds and plumbing.

it also states that the following are optional for long term storage

disconnecting your fuel system, running it on a remote tank with 10% Quicksilver 2-stroke blah blah blah

and in a side note under that

if added corrosion protection is desired, remove thermostat housing and fill block and heads with Quicksilver PG AF.

Winter is not long term storage. Then again, if I sold quicksilver products, I would probably put their use in the manuals.

The key to the manual. Drain the water first (most will attempt to suck AF up muffs without draining), buy quicksilver products

 

[tpenfield]

I view all of these different published and touted methods of winterization as just different paths to get to the same 'place', which is prevention of freeze damage. So, as long as you get to that 'place', your methods are fine.

Of course the challenge is to understand if you got there. Some roads are easier and more fool-proof than others.

 

[Maclin]

My Volvo manual makes a distinction between what it calls "Cold Weather Protection" and "Inhibiting for Extended Layup". Cold weather protection just covers proper draining of affected components,. Extended Layup is much more involved and covers blocks, drives, impellers, props, and includes oil changes with specific oil recipes, all that. Extended Layup in this context I take to mean multiple seasons.

I am just concerned with the wording that hostage used when he got to the antifreeze part in his procedure..."...then running Marine Antifreeze into it..."

 

[jayhanig]

If you worried about corrosion you shouldn't run your boat in water. How many blocks have you seen go bad from not using antifreeze? I drain mine and forget it.

With what I had to pay in cash and time for my last engine, you can be sure I do everything in my power to protect my new engine. I use Salt Terminator after ever use (I live on a NC barrier island; it's all salt water here), and I use antifreeze and fogging oil in the winter, along with an engine compartment heater and a battery tender. My boat started up this spring like it'd been run yesterday. I'd like it to do that every spring.

You might say I'm a belt and suspenders kind of guy.

 

[airshot]

With what I had to pay in cash and time for my last engine, you can be sure I do everything in my power to protect my new engine. I use Salt Terminator after ever use (I live on a NC barrier island; it's all salt water here), and I use antifreeze and fogging oil in the winter, along with an engine compartment heater and a battery tender. My boat started up this spring like it'd been run yesterday. I'd like it to do that every spring.

You might say I'm a belt and suspenders kind of guy.

Have to agree all the way.....Mine is a 1983 and it is all original except for regular maintenence items, has it been because of good care and putting in antifreeze in the winter? Don't know and don't care but I will keep doing what works best for me. Not many I/O owners out there can say their 1983 is all original !!

 

[04fxdwgi]

My winter layup routine:
1. Remove outdrive from boat and store on cradle in garage. Takes a whopping 30 minutes with home made drive craddle made from a funiture dolley. I check gimbal bearing, coupler, bellows and alignment and grease the u-joints / spline every year in the spring, so drive needs to be off anyway. Plus bellows sits naturally when drive is off, relieving stress from being extended.
2. Change oil and filter. (I Cheat. Have the drain hose on the pan that is plumbed to a perminently installed "turbo scavenger pump" that pumps oil out from the bottom of pan in no more than 2 minutes with the flick of a switch. Bought pump off e-bay for fifty)
3. Run engine on hose ( I have a perminent flushing manifold installed so drive does not have to be installed to run engine) to circulate clean oil and then fog till engine dies, then change fuel filter.
4. Let cool down then drain all water from block, manifiolds, hoses and cooler, leaving all drains open.
5. Remove themostat housing from intake .
6. Pour a gallon of anti-freeze into large hose to dispace any water in circulating pump and let it drain out the open drains.
7. Pour a gallon or two into the open intake manifold thermostat opening to displace any water trapped in low areas in manifold / heads and let it drain out..
8. Inspect themosat assembly and re-install w/ new gaskets.
9. Remove risers / elbows to inspect for corrosion and check flappers. Re-install risers w/ new graphite gaskets.
10. Remove the raw water / fuel pump assembly, inspect, change oil and leave off, with impeller removed, for re-installation in spring and maybe new impeller if needed.
11. Install homemade cover that covers the hole where the drive normally sits on gimbal, to keep critters out.

All this takes about 3 hours to do and all but assures no freezing problems.

 

[04fxdwgi]

Have to agree all the way.....Mine is a 1983 and it is all original except for regular maintenence items, has it been because of good care and putting in antifreeze in the winter? Don't know and don't care but I will keep doing what works best for me. Not many I/O owners out there can say their 1983 is all original !!

You are 100% correct there.

You have me beat by a mile. My '92 engine and drive are original w/ 1375 hours on them. You got me beat by 9 years.

Keep doing what works best for you.

 

[thumpar]

With what I had to pay in cash and time for my last engine, you can be sure I do everything in my power to protect my new engine. I use Salt Terminator after ever use (I live on a NC barrier island; it's all salt water here), and I use antifreeze and fogging oil in the winter, along with an engine compartment heater and a battery tender. My boat started up this spring like it'd been run yesterday. I'd like it to do that every spring.

You might say I'm a belt and suspenders kind of guy.

And the engine died because you didn't use AF during cold months? Doubt it.

 

[Fun Times]

Looks like it is time to freeze (pun intended) up this this topic to avoid any damage amongst forum friends.

Either way of leaving your engine for the winter works well as time has tested....Using A/F just helps slow down a corrosion buildup internally....If you run in salt type waters then the pendulum should be swinging a bit more to the A/F side in theory but again not absolutely needed. http://www.corrosion-doctors.org/Experiments/Air.htm