Power steering cooler lay up

[Tclark18]

Please forgive another winterizing question. I have a 2001 5.0 - 305 EFI merc. I am going by the manual for winterizing, piece of cake, until it comes to a question I have. My power steering cooler is located all the way behind the engine on interior transom. Almost impossible to get in there and try to remove the hose for the cooler to drain. Will the step I show with pic drain the cooler?

So afraid of leaving any water behind!......

 

[scoflaw]

Yes it will, that hose is so hard to get to I don't bother and never had a problem.. I usually dump a gallon of pink in the strainer and send it through.

 

[Tclark18]

I don't have a strainer. So If I remove ref a I in theory am draining the cooler?...Do I then pour anti freeze into that hose and lift as high as possible?...

 

[scoflaw]

The cooler is a horizontal tube that doesn't hold water. The pump and hose leading to it will hold water.

Just drain it is good enough.

 

[Tclark18]

Thank You scoflaw.......So in final, so I can sleep, LOL...This does not hold water after pulling all plugs and draining blocks and manifolds?....

 

[scoflaw]

PS cooler drains when you open the plug on the fuel pump cooler

 

[Tclark18]

Thanks......Only if I had a plug on the cooler..LOL...straight hose connection, no plug....I will pull hose. Thx scoflaw

 

[scoflaw]

Block drains, big hose on the circulating pump, fuel cooler, exhaust manifold drains. All set ?

 

[Tclark18]

All Good....Thanks Much scoflaw.................

 

[Lazy Daze]

You don't have that sea water pump that you showed in your first pic. That's for a Bravo drive and your signature says you have an Alpha drive. But yes, it self drains. PLUS, when you pour antifreeze into the input hose on the t-stat housing, it will backflush up and through the power steering cooler and exit the drive through the intake area on the drive.

You SHOULD have, however, a blue plug on the bottom (back side, I believe) of the fuel cooler (#3 in your diagram). It's inboard of the port side motor mount. Luckily you have a boat that makes it pretty easy to get to.

 

[Tclark18]

You don't have that sea water pump that you showed in your first pic. That's for a Bravo drive and your signature says you have an Alpha drive. But yes, it self drains. PLUS, when you pour antifreeze into the input hose on the t-stat housing, it will backflush up and through the power steering cooler and exit the drive through the intake area on the drive.

You SHOULD have, however, a blue plug on the bottom (back side, I believe) of the fuel cooler (#3 in your diagram). It's inboard of the port side motor mount. Luckily you have a boat that makes it pretty easy to get to.

Thanks for the update!