Flushing engine/winterizing

[kvduff]

This is my first season winterizing my 2006 mercruiser 6.2 mx horizon and I wanted to get a little advice on my " method".
The engine is a closed cooled system, inboard engines with strainers. The sea water drain system features the air pump for draining the sea water side of the cooling system.
Today I closed the seacock and followed the directions in the manual, pumped the air pump until the green indicators Pop out. Well only one of the two indicators popped out. Some water did come out of the water distribution drain but not much on the other side. I removed the three drain plugs as the manual states to do if the air method doesn't work. Some additional water came out, I probed each of the openings looking to clear any obstructions. I am trying to figure out how much water should have come out? It wasn't a heck of a lot. I replaced the plugs and connected fresh water to the flush fitting and ran the boat at idle for 10 minutes, warming up the oil, the water temperature reached 159 degrees and didn't go any higher. I tried draining the sea water side again pretty much the same result.

Following that, I drained the oil, swapped out the filter and refilled the engine oil.
My next step over the weekend will be to use a bucket with an 1 -1/2 inch hose flanged to the bottom with a shutoff, I am going to fill the bucket with antifreeze -60, to fill the strainers. Thought about 3 gallons would be enough, start the engine suck it through to it comes out the exhaust ports. At the same time I will have connected a remote tank before the fuel cooler with the cocktail of outboard oil, stabilizer, and gasoline.
Does this "method sound ok?
Any thoughts/advice/tips would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.


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[tlrlc]

No one wants to respond? ....


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[Smokeio]

The only thing I could add is you could use the flush connection to run the engines on antifreeze instead of trying to fill the strainer. I vacuum the water out of the strainers then connect the antifreeze through the flush kit and prime the systems with the strainers open (filling the strainers with antifreeze). Close strainers and run motors on antifreeze. Also, don't forget to drain the mufflers. It's about 3 gallons before the antifreeze starts pumping out of the exhaust. Open the thru hull valves after the boat is on the hard to make sure any trapped water is drained.

 

[tlrlc]

I've never done my motors.... Do you have to pump the antifreeze in the flush attachment or it will suck it out? And how do you drain the mufflers? Thanks


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[cfd95]

Do not run the motor with the hose on the flush attachment.
It is plumbed in after the sea water pump.
You will burn up the impeller and overheat the motor.
You're supposed to remove the blue plugs on the bottom of the manifolds leave the motor off and flush thru that attachment.

You either have to buy or make a hose adaptor for the strainer.

Invest the the $100.00 for the Sea Flush kit.

I run 5 gallons of antifreeze thru my raw water system

 

[Smokeio]

My flush is before my sea water pump. The antifreeze does not need to be pumped, the sea water pump will do that for you. My suggestion would be to open up your strainer to make sure you prime the system with antifreeze and then close the strainer before starting the motor.

To drain the muffler, you should see a small bolt at the base of the muffler.