Pouring Pink into hoses. Raw Water Pump concern?

Sicktght311

Sicktght311

Active Member
Sep 21, 2021
108
Boat Info
Sundancer 270
Engines
7.4L MPI/Bravo3
winterizing my boat this year. I've got a 99 270da with a raw water cooler 454 MPI with a bravo 3, which means my water comes in through the outdrive, through the engine mounted raw water pump, through an oil cooler, power steering cooler, and cool fuel, then into the thermostat. I see a lot of people draining their motors through the blue plugs, then removing the hoses from the raw water pump to drain that area, reinstalling, and then pouring pink through the hoses attached to the thermostat so everything circulates through the motor, through the exhaust, and backwards through the raw water pickup and through the coolers.

My only concern is, what about the water line from the input of the raw water pump back through the outdrive? Wouldnt the impeller be in the way and cause the pink to not really get past the pump and make its way backwards out the drive? or am i overthinking it
 
I would pull the raw water line from the raw water pump and use a five gallon bucket with a sump pump in it and with the engine running pump the anti freeze through that way. You can use air to blow back through the outdrive line to evacuate reaming water. The bucket and pump thing is used on jetski's and the like and is super easy.

If it's too hard to get to that water line, put a tee in it somewhere it easier to get too, that way next year will be a bit easier.
 
Since your raw water pump is probably not updated to the newer style with blue plugs, pull the "output" hose off the raw water pump - the regular rubber one - not the stiff reinforced one that comes from the transom - the stiff one is too much of a pain to do. Then, flip your kill switch to "kill" and turn the engine over a few times. That will evacuate all the water from the "input" hose and the raw water pump.

When you pour the pink stuff into the inlet hose at the t-stat, you will backfeed everything else on the way back to the drive with pink. Depending on where the impeller rests will determine how easily the pink flows past the impeller. It will eventually do it, though. HOWEVER, it's sort of a moot point since the raw water pump is empty and the drive drains itself.

In other words, you really don't need to worry about getting pink into the drive since it always self drains.

Usually when I do this, I leave the output hose off the raw water pump temporarily. Then I pour a little pink into the input hose at the t-stat - when I see some pink come out of that output hose at the raw water pump, then I put the hose back on and finish. I have absolutely no problems wasting a little pink to the winterizing gods :)
 
To answer your question, and not tell you how I would do the entire process different than you, like others like to do here, I agree with @Lazy Daze, I also agree with the self draining comment(s). I considered your approach on my last 2 boats that had twin outdrives. It will work just fine, no costs except for the antifreeze, and you don't need to buy, or make, anything else.
 
Pirate Lady said:
Best method EVER…. I pay a mechanic $350 to winterize engine, outdrive, includes oil change and outdrive lube change. By time i buy all the AF, oil, gear lube, its not worth my time to do myself.
Click to expand...
"To answer your question, and not tell you how I would do the entire process different than you, like others like to do here,"

;)

I couldn't resist
 
Is it better to restore your boat with the outdrive all the way up or all the way down I usually do it down but when I had it winterized my dealer left it all the way up I was just curious
 
Scott215 said:
Is it better to restore your boat with the outdrive all the way up or all the way down I usually do it down but when I had it winterized my dealer left it all the way up I was just curious
Click to expand...

Down, water doesn't accumulate in the drive.
 
Little Ducky said:
I take it your boat is out of the water?

How about the baby pool, sump pump, and motor muff method?
Click to expand...
Seems like a lot of work?

Meaning, the draining part has to be done regardless. At that point, taking a few hoses off at the t-stat housing and pouring AF right out of the jug into the hoses is pretty easy and quick - and no setup needed.

To each his own, though.
 
My boat is winterized. Last year they left the drive down. This year it was all the way up. I think he just left it up because he knew I still had stuff to do before it got wrapped up
 
@Lazy Daze . I pay 325 for winterization and to treat the fuel. No oil change in engine or drive. You did good
 
Sicktght311 said:
winterizing my boat this year. I've got a 99 270da with a raw water cooler 454 MPI with a bravo 3, which means my water comes in through the outdrive, through the engine mounted raw water pump, through an oil cooler, power steering cooler, and cool fuel, then into the thermostat. I see a lot of people draining their motors through the blue plugs, then removing the hoses from the raw water pump to drain that area, reinstalling, and then pouring pink through the hoses attached to the thermostat so everything circulates through the motor, through the exhaust, and backwards through the raw water pickup and through the coolers.

My only concern is, what about the water line from the input of the raw water pump back through the outdrive? Wouldnt the impeller be in the way and cause the pink to not really get past the pump and make its way backwards out the drive? or am i overthinking it
Click to expand...
I've been winterizing raw water cooled for 30+ years. The following has always worked for me. Flush out drive with it completely down, always store drive down to drain, with fresh water. Remove drain plugs from block, and stick hard wire in the drain and move it around to break up the rust. Remove the thermostat. Remove lowest hose from engine circulating pump. Pour in winterizing antifreeze slowly through thermostat housing until it just starts to come out block drains, and reinstall block drains. Continue to fill antifreeze through thermostat housing until full. Reinstall thermostat.
You will actually see the antifreeze come out the intake vents in the outdrive.
Best of luck
 
For a sterndrive boat, it is easy. First, drain the engine as described by others above. Put the plugs back in and put earmuffs on the drive. Get yourself a "Blaster" type of water pump, use a 5 gallon bucket of pink, start the engine and run it until the pink runs out the back. It will take most of the 5 gallons. Leave the drive down for 2 reasons: to keep fresh water out and to not stress the rubber boot through the transom. Mercruiser makes clear that the drive should never be stored in the up position to avoid stress on the boot.
 
Seriously put my out drive in a 5 gallont bucket it won't even fit and that's an Alpha one Gen 2
 
Let me clarify. I have a Mercruiser stern drive with raw water cooling. To protect the engine, I flush it after every use by running it with ear muffs and a fresh water from a garden hose. To winterize, I flush, drain the system, and replace the garden hose with a marine washdown pump connected to 5 gallons of pink. I also use the same pump to winterize a pair of diesel engines, a generator, an A/C system, and the fresh water system on a larger boat. CAUTION! You must drain the engine block on a raw water cooled gas engine because the thermostat will keep water in the block, causing freeze damage. I've been using the same pump for over 20 years with zero problems and little work. For the last few years, I've also added a can of radiator anti-rust to the pink for corrosion protection. Hope this helps someone.
 
Note - most of my boating is in salt water. That's why I flush every time.
 
All of my boating is done in freshwater and every time I pull the boat out the motor gets flushed with salt away and it's convenient for me to have my authorized mercruiser dealer winterize my engine
 
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