Which Winterizing Method?

[DiSH]

I've been told two different methods to winterize my boat. The first is to drain the block and manifolds, then pour the pink stuff down 3 of the 4 hoses at the t-stat. The 4th will just run out the back. The second is to drain the block and manifolds and use the hose and bucket method to suck the pink stuff up through the out drive and into the engine. Which one is best and why?

 

[rcknecht]

I am a hose a bucket guy, I find it easier... Just make sure you run the engine long enough with fresh water to open the thremostat...

 

[moparlvr4406]

On my SBC I always just drain the block and manifolds and remove the stat and fill right down the stat hole
and then fill the manifolds through the front hoses... replace the stat every year anyway so always seemed a handy time to do it.

 

[skolbe]

So my dock neighbor didn't pull his thermostat and warmed the boat up and then sucked antifreeze through. The dilution on his big blocks was amazing at 10 gallons. He ended up running 15 gallons through the one engine and it was still diluted. He ended up starting over. Because he was concerned. I pull the thermostat and run it though the bucket method after draining everything.

 

[yako]

Here is what I have been doing for years:

I do this at home. First, I drain the manifolds, since it is easy to get to the plug. I have a large wash tub, whcih I place under the outdrive. I put in about 15 - 20 gallons of rv antifreeze (don't remember). Then I put on muffs that attach to a submersible pump. I plug it in and start the engine. THe pump is now providing antifreeze to the motor and as water is expelled out, it is collected in the tub and recirculated. I let this go on until the engine gets to aperating temp. Then I shut off the engine and disconnect it all. I take all of the antifreeze and using the pump, I pump back into a 55 drum, which I store in the back of my house. Before I start, I make sure that the antifreeze is going to give me good protection. I target - 40 to -50. If necessary, I buy -100 ( a gallon or two and sweeten it up. Never had a problem and it goes rather quick. For several years I tested the mixture after I was finished to see the dilution factor. I live in Ohio, so if I have -32 after I am finished I am just fine. The coldest ever where I live was -20. That was in 1994. The last time the temp dipped below zero was 3 years ago.

I am able to do this quickly, re-use most of my antifreeze. I know that I will have a homogenous mixture in the engine and I can measure what the freeze protection is after I am finished. If you are in a colder environment, just start off with a richer mixture.

Anyhow, that is what I do.

 

[bbwhitejr]

As you can tell, there is a "split house" on this issue. I am new to this as well. This will be my first time. I have read every thread on this site pertaining to winterizing and communicated off line with several of the experts. Here is my take...

Pulling the hoses at the thermostat is the prefered way as you are guaranteed to get AF everywhere undiluted if you properly drain the block. As you pour in the AF, you will see some amount of water get pushed out that did not drain. In the north, I would say this is a must. In the south, the muff method probably works just fine as our temps do not get as low for the extended time that they do up north. That being said, I plan to pull the hoses and take no chances. Just my take on all of the conversation here.

Bennett

 

[yako]

Yes, there are multiple methods. I disagree that the "muff" method is only good for the south. It is all about understanding how much dilution you have. With the muff method you get a nice homogenous mixture. This allows for the abilit yto test the mixture and see what kind of protection you have. minus 40 is fine for northern Ohio, which rately sees temps below zero and the record cold is minus 20. Used this method for 10 - 12 years without a hitch.

Not telling what to do, just explaining another option.

 

[probie24]

I ran the motor and revved it up 2 to 3 times until it stopped sprayin water out the exhaust the shut it off. I then removed the hose from the water strainer and put it in a bucket with two gallons of antifreeze-50 or maybe higher, cant remember, and ran the engine until it sucked it all up and at the same time fogged the carb until it died. that was last winter and had no problems this summer. and we had -15 to 20 in Michigan for weeks at a time last winter.

 

[Great lakes pirate]

You should buy some lottery tickets my friend.

I ran the motor and revved it up 2 to 3 times until it stopped sprayin water out the exhaust the shut it off. I then removed the hose from the water strainer and put it in a bucket with two gallons of antifreeze-50 or maybe higher, cant remember, and ran the engine until it sucked it all up and at the same time fogged the carb until it died. that was last winter and had no problems this summer. and we had -15 to 20 in Michigan for weeks at a time last winter.

 

[DiSH]

Are there any advantages to using one method over the other? As an example, someone told me that using the bucket and muffs method allows circulation of the pink stuff throughout the engine allowing for corrosion protection to parts that only pouring it into the hoses won't reach. Thoughts?

 

[AFD]

you are pouring directly into the' block when you pull your thermostat. you fill it to the top for the best protection. you are guaranteed to cover all the surfaces of the metal where you are guessing the muff and bucket method fills completely.

 

[Bt Doctur]

If you don't drain everything first you will have a diluted mixture, If you guessed correctly you survive, if you guessed incorrectly you have cracked blocks and manifolds. Really,how hard is it remove some hoses an pour the A/F in?

 

[Bt Doctur]

Not knowing how diluted the mixture is ,that's the question. guess correctly and you go boating next season, guess incorrectly and your replacing blocks and manifolds. How hard can it be to remove a few hoses and pour the A/F in?

 

[Bt Doctur]

double post

 

[Dave 205]

I'll chime in (late) as the OP has a boat similar to mine, and I've done this both ways.

I used a Camco "bucket" system the first year, and the job was kind of a wet, messy hassle, especially as I did it by myself, and you don't want the engine suddenly running dry at the intake when the anti-freeze runs out. My driveway was kind of slick from the anti-freeze, and had an odd character each time it got wet, and that persisted for a few months. I've never gone the kiddie pool route, but it would seem you have to buy a lot of (expensive) anti-freeze, have a mess to deal with, a pool to store, etc. I didn't pull the t-stat, and I guess I got lucky my first year.

This year I've perfected doing the job in my garage, doors closed. This allows me to stretch the season as I know that I can quickly protect the engine. This is done by pouring from the top.

*On my engine, there are five plugs to pull, one at the front, and two each starboard and port (the lower side ones are a bit under there!). I drained these to the bilge. Its about 5 gallons of water. I pulled the plug on the boat, drained the bilge to a bucket, replaced the plug. I put a plastic trash can lid underneath the exhaust, and another under the outdrive. Lowered the outdrive as low as possible.

*Pulled the four hoses marked with green tape. Front starboard is the big hose to the block. Fill until anti-freeze comes out of the housing the hose was pulled from. Fill the two hoses going to the risers until you hear anti-freeze going out the exhaust and into the lid. Fill the front port hose. This is the water intake hose and you'll hear the anti-freeze drain out of the outdrive. Check the anti-freeze that drained out and make sure it is good and pink (pink in my case). The initial drainage from the outdrive looked pretty diluted, so I went back. I put the drained anti-freeze down the toilet (don't worry, this is environmentally sound - the stuff is formulated to go raw into lakes!)

Pulling hoses can be a pain, but pulling the t-stat is its own project if you do the bucket method correctly. Since I pulled the hoses last year, they came off readily this year. If I were really proactive, I'd have polished the housings and applied a coat of wax before putting the hoses back on. The job is 20 minutes, can be done in a garage out of the weather if you've got a little space, even without a floor drain (which I do not have).

I marked the hoses to be filled with green tape......and by the way, my Camco bucket system is for sale - used twice, looks like new!

 

[Dave 205]

Opps, double post!

 

[onthejob]

If you're not running pink from the point of where your boat picks up fresh cooling water to the point you see it being pushed out of the exhaust, how do you know everything is protected? What about the impellers? Or the cutlass bearing, that has fresh cooling water in those lines? I have 8.1's with a closed system so I guess it's easier for me to run pink from the sea strainer through my system because I don't have to worry about the thermostat opening up. I can also first pump air into raw water side to push out most of the water so it can be replaced with a higher percentage of pink. It does a pretty good job because I pulled the drain plugs the first time after I pumped the air into the system and only just a little bit water came out. I then have a large funnel contraption attached to the top of the sea strainer (seacock closed) so I can pour 9 gallons of pink directly through each motor while it is running. Bright pink is coming out of the exhaust (and dripping from my shafts).