Winterizing question - making sure all water out

[250Gimp]

Hi All

Got a stern drive boat this year, and want to make sure I winterize properly. I have had outboards all my life and this is different (obviously)

I have decided to dry store it, aka drain and leave it.

I have a 2006 Mercruiser 4.3l MPI with the single drain point, and an Alpha 1 Gen. II outdrive.

I drain the engine and out drive with no problems, but I want to be sure I got all the water out!!

The manual suggests trailering the boat around for a bit with the drain open to ensure complete draining. I like this idea, but is there anything else i need to do to be sure I have all the water out.

On my boat, 2006 Maxum 1800 SR3, the engine bay is extremely tight, so access will be a bear if I have to get in to undo any thing else.


Lastly, I live near Ottawa, Ontario, Canada........so cold in the winter.

Sorry for the long post, and I look forward to your responses.

Cheers

 

[Alpheus]

Re: Winterizing question - making sure all water out

Found right at the top of the page.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=178695

If you dont want to be one of the guys next year asking "can a car block be used in my boat" follow this post to the Letter and you will be fine. If not you are taking a risk and everytime the mercury drops below 32*F you will have that little feeling in the back of your brain asking. "Shoulda,coulda,woulda"...

 

[jtmarten]

Re: Winterizing question - making sure all water out

I have decided to dry store it, aka drain and leave it.


The manual suggests trailering the boat around for a bit with the drain open to ensure complete draining. I like this idea, but is there anything else i need to do to be sure I have all the water out.

Cheers

First thing I do is add StaBil to the fuel, fire up each engine on the muffs so the treated fuel can run through the entire fuel system.
I remove the drain petcocks and use a small screwdriver, etc, to make sure the drain is clear. I remove all the riser and manifold plugs, pull most of the hoses. Make sure to drain the PS and oil cooler(s) if applicable. Once everything is drained I tow her a few miles. I have a nice route that has short, fairly steep up/down hills to help drain any residual water.
This year I fired up both sides to blow any water out of the circ water pump, knowing I'll be replacing the impellers next Spring. Still pumping plenty of water on the muffs, but I like to change them every 2yrs.
Good luck with it!

 

[Jeepster04]

Re: Winterizing question - making sure all water out

Ive gotten pretty good at draining the block/manifolds/intake. Since we pull our boat pretty late in the year no one is at the ramp, I can have the engine fogged everything drained in about 10 minutes at the ramp. Leave the plugs out, hoses off, and the plug out of the boat so everything drains really good on the trip home.

Personally having a central drain like that would scare the crap out of me. Sure water may come out and you think everything is drained but what if that water came out of one manifold and one side of the block? You have no way of knowing if everything drained.. I like taking the drain plug out and seeing the water come out.

 

[250Gimp]

Re: Winterizing question - making sure all water out

Thanks for the responses everyone.

Alpheus: I read the post you linked before, and I guess I am checking to see if anyone stores their boat dry up in my area.

I was also wondering specifically about the single point drain system I have, and if it reliably drains all the water, or if I have to remove hoses as well.

Thanks

 

[Brew2]

Re: Winterizing question - making sure all water out

I've used the single point drain system without issue for three years now (and it gets really cold here!). Having said that, I've often had that nagging "what if" thought in the back of my mind.

I only boat in fresh water, so I guess internal corrosion causing a blockage in a drain hole is less of a possibility, but certainly not a guarantee.

At the end of the day, the only way to be 100% sure is to take off all the hoses and use a wire to make sure the various drain holes are clear. Having said that, getting at all those hoses can be a royal PITA....just depends on your percepton of the risk associated with the single point drain system getting clogged....and your willingness to accept the fact that it was your own fault if the engine does get freeze damage.

 

[Limited-Time]

Re: Winterizing question - making sure all water out

Thanks for the responses everyone.

Alpheus: I read the post you linked before, and I guess I am checking to see if anyone stores their boat dry up in my area.

I was also wondering specifically about the single point drain system I have, and if it reliably drains all the water, or if I have to remove hoses as well.

Thanks

If it does not drain the system completely its on you. Just an FYI

 

[250Gimp]

Re: Winterizing question - making sure all water out

Thanks for the replies Brew2, and limited time.

I know that any problems are on me, hence why I am trying to be certain I can drain everything properly.

I assume that if Mercruiser puts the single point drain on their engines that they must be confident it drains everything, but.......

Thanks

 

[250Gimp]

Re: Winterizing question - making sure all water out

Any other thoughts on the single point drain system??

 

[Brewman61]

Re: Winterizing question - making sure all water out

I have the 4.3L MPI with Single Point Drain.
I've winterized every year since 2006, and I store my boat outside in Minnesota winters. It gets well below zero here and so far no freeze problems. I guess I hadn't really thought about clogging in the drain system, so I'll be giving it an extra bit of thought/scrutiny next week when I winterize.

 

[250Gimp]

Re: Winterizing question - making sure all water out

So you don't use anti freeze at all Brewman61?

 

[jtmarten]

Re: Winterizing question - making sure all water out

So you don't use anti freeze at all Brewman61?

I don't use any, just drain. Air doesn't freeze until it gets realllllllly cold, prob < 10 kelvin.

 

[jtmarten]

Re: Winterizing question - making sure all water out

I only boat in fresh water, so I guess internal corrosion causing a blockage in a drain hole is less of a possibility, but certainly not a guarantee.

Still can pick up plenty of sand/mud/etc to ruin your Spring. Corrosion could help you out with additional drain holes. #8^)
I verify my drains are clear even if they seem to be draining well.

 

[fraannk]

Re: Winterizing question - making sure all water out

I am going to take a wet-dry vac to mine this year and see if I can get that little bit of extra water out. I know.... that sucks.

 

[250Gimp]

Re: Winterizing question - making sure all water out

I don't use any, just drain. Air doesn't freeze until it gets realllllllly cold, prob < 10 kelvin.

We're all i trouble then, let alone our boats!!

 

[Searay87]

Re: Winterizing question - making sure all water out

I just finished winterizing my boat (87 Sea Ray 17BR Merc 3.0) for the first time and spent the $10 on 2 gallons of the anti-freeze. I followed the instructions written down on the winterizing checklist from the former owner. I live in Fredericton NB Canada and it gets cold here too.

So other than saving the cost of the anti-freeze what is the advantage of storing it dry? Would you not be concerned with condensation and corrosion in the block and manifolds? How can you be sure you got all of the water out?

I cleaned out the drain holes (one in the block one in the manifold) with a wire and poured in the AF until I saw it running out of the block. Seeing the AF run out of the block at least let me know I was doing it right.

 

[Don S]

Re: Winterizing question - making sure all water out

I am going to take a wet-dry VAX to mine this year and see if I can get that little bit of extra water out. I know.... that sucks.

You gotta' be kiddn'

A few drops of water is not going to damage an engine.

Even if you drained the engine and there was 1/4" deep water in the block, it will not be a problem. The problem comes when there is no room for the water to expand when it freezes. That is what cracks blocks. Lots of water and no place to expand but out.
With a 1/4" in the block it would expand up maybe a few thousandths of an inch, and not hurt anything.

if you have the engine close to level (by eye is fine) and you clean out the drain holes in the block with a wire or something to make sure the hole isn't blocked, you can sleep at night.

This fairly new Mercruiser single point drain system does nothing more than hopefully drain ever thing when you pull the handle. But you have to take it apart to check that nothing is plugged when winterizing (read your owners manual). It's a waste of hoses, fittings, and your money, because Merc will not guarantee freeze damage of any kind.

 

[letsgo19]

Re: Winterizing question - making sure all water out

Don .i have a question.Some have said that rust will be a problem if you store dry.I think if you replace plugs it would be negligible caus rust needs oxygen.Am i right?

 

[Don S]

Re: Winterizing question - making sure all water out

Don .i have a question.Some have said that rust will be a problem if you store dry.I think if you replace plugs it would be negligible caus rust needs oxygen.Am i right?

Never compared, looked or tested that theory. Maybe someone else has. But that would be a question for a new topic, not hijacking (changing direction and focus) on this thread.

 

[250Gimp]

Re: Winterizing question - making sure all water out

Now I am second guessing myself. I think I will pour Anti freeze into the hoses this year to make sure I got all the water ou, and then store it dry.

Can I just pour into the line at the thermostat?

How do I tell if I have an oil or power steering cooler?

Cheers