Winterizing question

[scott8058]

Sorry if this is in the wrong section but have a quick question about winterizing my 5.7 or more so the antifreeze part. My first question is how much antifreeze can that block hold? I got 6 gallons that I am goin to muff in tomorrow morning, i assume that this is plenty and it don't hold near that much anyway? I will also change oils and grease everything and all that stuff just nvr put antifreeze in before. Tks

 

[agallant80]

Re: Winterizing question

The muffs are questionable.

Drain the block (remove plugs and put back in)
pull the thermostat housing
pour the pink stuff in every hose attached to the housing
pour pink stuff int he block
put back togeather
drain block again if you like.

 

[scott8058]

Re: Winterizing question

Ok so the thermostat housing is right there in the front correct w the hoses coming of it right? Motor is a 5.7 merc cruiser, also when I pull that am I going to need a new gasket also? And what is questionable about muffing it in and checking drains again to make sure it's pink? Thanks for the help

 

[81 Checkmate]

Re: Winterizing question

Yes thermostat needs new gaskets....Check the themostat condition also, or just buy the kit and it has new gaskets and new thermostat with it.

Take your hoses off the housing first then unbolt the housing from the manifold....pour you pink stuff in all the hoses and manifold till it comes out the block/manifold drains then put your plugs in. New gaskets and thermostat... conect hoses/bolt back up done till next fall.

Note: drain the water from the power steering cooler....before the pink stuff.

 

[skydiveD30571]

Re: Winterizing question

It's incredibly important that you get all the water out before you add the antifreeze. So the preferred method is to drain the block and manifolds and then add antifreeze if you want (not really necessary but some people like doing it). If you drain everything then use the muffs to suck up antifreeze, your thermostat will not open and allow any antifreeze into the block anyways...it will just go thru the manifolds and out the exhaust. If you want to add antifreeze, pour it manually into the block and manifolds via the thermostat housing and hoses like agallant said.

The problem with adding antifreeze to a block that hasn't been drained, is that you run the risk of not having a strong enough mix and still cracking the block from freezing. Drain first and you don't have to worry.

 

[81 Checkmate]

Re: Winterizing question

Yea skydive good chatch....I forgot to mention...Drain all water before antifreeze pink stuff!

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Winterizing question

FWIW - My 7.4 engines hold upwards of 6 gallons of water/coolant. So, the 5.7 engine are probably 5-6 gallons as well.

That is why folks say to drain the existing water from the block and manifolds, if you are drawing in antifreeze through the outdrive.

6 gallons of antifreeze will probably not fully purge a system that holds 6 gallons of water. . . some areas of the engine will have higher concentrations of anti-freeze than other areas.

 

[fen-isl]

Re: Winterizing question

Follow your owners manual for proper winterization. There are threads At the top of this forum on how to. Also, No where in your mercruiser owners manual is using muffs mentioned. Your playing Russian Roulette with your engine. The antifreeze wont mix properly. Most will exit the exhaust and make you think it went thru the engine when it didn't because the tstat closed,when that cool solution hit it. I say cool solution because its at ambient temp and not 160-170 degrees. Also the anti freeze may not mix completly in the engine and there for, not be able to prevent freezing. Its really not hard to drain the block just make sure you probe the holes with a wire to dislodge any rust or sediment. It only take me 10-15 minutes, max to drain my block. Its really easy once you find the drain locations. And like the experts on here say "air doesn't freeze"

Good Luck

 

[scott8058]

Re: Winterizing question

Tks for the help, I drained the block from the 2 petcock valves and the 2 on the exhaust manifolds, so now ur saying pull the thermostat and pour pink stuff in there and the hoses until it comes out the block drains? Do I nd to check the manifold ones too to make sure it's coming out of there too?

 

[fen-isl]

Re: Winterizing question

I wouldn't bother with the pink stuff, no need if you drained the block and manifolds I would how ever pull the large hose off the bottom of water pump as you will get a good amount out of that hose and the water pump. also power steering cooler if you have one has a drain on the bottom. But if it makes you sleep better at night pull the tstat pour the pink stuff in and let it drain out the block drains

 

[Bondo]

Re: Winterizing question

I wouldn't bother with the pink stuff, no need if you drained the block and manifolds I would how ever pull the large hose off the bottom of water pump as you will get a good amount out of that hose and the water pump. also power steering cooler if you have one has a drain on the bottom. But if it makes you sleep better at night pull the tstat pour the pink stuff in and let it drain out the block drains

Ayuh,.... Exactly,.... Take the antifreeze back for yer money back, 'n relax,....

Ya did poke, 'n prod the drain holes to make Sure they're good, 'n clear, Right,..??

 

[Lou C]

Re: Winterizing question

Ok so the thermostat housing is right there in the front correct w the hoses coming of it right? Motor is a 5.7 merc cruiser, also when I pull that am I going to need a new gasket also? And what is questionable about muffing it in and checking drains again to make sure it's pink? Thanks for the help

What is questionable is that if you don't drain the block first, or remove the 'stat, if the stat does not open all the way, then the raw water can't get out of the block and you might have a block/heads full of raw water or very diluted antifreeze. That can lead to a cracked block.
So you can just drain it but I'd poke all the drains and disconnect the lower end of the big hose on the front water pump as noted. I'd also disconnect the raw water intake hose from the thermo housing and point it down in the bilge to drain it. There is often a power steering cooler in line with this hose and it has to be drained too. I pour -100 no tox antifreeze down the hose which pushes out any water until you see AF come out the outdrive water intakes. I also fill my engine and manifolds manually because it does reduce corrosion, not needed for freeze protection but raw cast iron rusts when exposed to air. Esp here in salt water. I don't get rusty water out the exhaust in the spring and have been able to make this engine last a LONG time doing it my way. Just make sure you got all the water out.

 

[scott8058]

Re: Winterizing question

Ok I do want the extra piece of mind w the antifreeze overkill is cheaper than a junk engine in the spring. I'll look for that hose on the water pump too, and yes I poked around the drains to make sure they were clear. I will have to do it again tho as I want fog the motor too, in the past I have just sprayed it into the carb til it died and drained it, is that safe enough or should I take the time to pull all the plugs and spray in there too. Tks

 

[fen-isl]

Re: Winterizing question

Here is how i did mine. 1st ran it on muffs got engine nice and warm, 2nd pulled wire harness off fuel pump so carb would run dry at same time spraying fogger down carb throat, 3rd pumped oil out while nice and warm changed filter, 4th opened all block and manifold drains poked with wire then removed large hose from bottom of water pump, used shop vac to get little bit of water out of valley in pump bottom, then used simple green and cleaned and rinsed bilge out, 5th sprayed engine with silicone spray. Haven't got to the spark plugs yet or outdrive, hope to one night this week shes in the garage so no big deal.

 

[skydiveD30571]

Re: Winterizing question

From what I have read, fogging depends on length of lay-up time. If it's just for a few months over the winter, it's not going to do much. Having said that, I usually fog thru the carb and call it good. If I planned on the boat sitting for a significant length of time, say a year or more, then I would probably pull the plugs and fog the cylinders directly as well.

 

[fen-isl]

Re: Winterizing question

I have read that also about fogging, i only do it because she sits in a salt air environment for 7 months. About 1000 ft from beach and 500 from the bay, that salt air mist gets on and in every thing.I also rigged up a adapter that screws onto top of engines elect fuel pump so i can pump out all of the gas . Have done this on all of my boats and never had any type of fuel/water or crud issues. This spring I intend to replace all 3 fuel lines (fill,vent,and supply) there 18 years old and due

 

[sr54x4]

Re: Winterizing question

, in the past I have just sprayed it into the carb til it died and drained it, is that safe enough or should I take the time to pull all the plugs and spray in there too. Tks

I too am curious about this. My uncle and cousin always do this with their boats, pull the plugs and spray it in the cylinders. But is that necessary if its just for winter storage until may-june? Part of me says its not worth risking damaging a thread on the head. Does enough foggining oil enter the cyclinders on its own?

 

[fen-isl]

Re: Winterizing question

It should be enough especially if your engine stalls while spraying the fogger. You only want to put an oily film on the cylinder walls to prevent surface rust, your not trying to fill the cylinders up with oil that could lead to a whole different issue!! But some guys will do a compression test every season when winterizing so they know the health of the engine.

And thats not a bad idea, so those guys are pulling the plugs. I wouldn't be scared to pull your plugs and at least check or replace them, it would be rare if you actually messed the threads up. If the plugs not going in very easy....Stop..... somethings wrong!! Get a mirror, or borescope and look in there But its very rare in my opinion to mess up the cast iron threads in the head!!

 

[tpenfield]

Re: Winterizing question

Fogging in through the carburetor is nice in that you will coat the intake manifold with oil as well as the intake valves and the combustion chamber. Judging how much oil actually gets into the cylinders is a tough thing, especially if your engine stalls out quickly.

My 7.4 Mercruiser did not seem to like to stall out with a continuous squirt of oil, so I tried 2 cans simultaneously . . . it still kept running, although slowly. I figuring the oil got where it needed to go.

I now have MPI engines and I am digging the way that those get fogged. . . . running a 10% mix of 2-cycle oil for 15 minutes. I recall seeing oil up the spark plug threads during the Spring prep work. So, oil must have gotten where it needed to go. I wonder if that same sort of thing could be done for carb'ed engines :noidea:

 

[scott8058]

Re: Winterizing question

So for some reason I can't send a pic but the tstat housing has 2 hoses to it and the part in front of it has 4 more (5.7 merc) my question is what all hoses should I pour the pink stuff in? I hate to sound like I have no clue I just like to get many opinions to make my own decision. Tks