Last Dollar
Active Member
- May 10, 2011
- 245
- Boat Info
- Sea Ray 225
- Engines
- 5.0 Mercruiser
My 2003 5.0 MPI Alpha Drive with single point system is now winterized and I was reading some of the threads on this system and decided to comment. Years ago when winterizing the very first time I did not necessarily trust this single point system. I'm aware how clogs can prevent certain areas to retain water. So I hook up a hose to the system and drain into a 5 gallon bucket sitting on the ground behind the boat. A hose is ran thru the drain plug in the hull. I always get exactly 4 gallons of water out. For the past 12 years I get exactly 4 gallons of water! Then I remove the thermostat housing and pour regular old style antifreeze until the block is full. Some of the antifreeze will drain back out of the water intake on the outdrive which tells me the block is totally full. Usually this is about 2 plus gallons. Then I re install the thermostat housing and consider the job finished. Never had a problem with freezing. It's possible to measure the output of the single point system by using a hose attached and fed thru the hull drain hole. I don't trust any procedure of timing the flow in seconds or minutes. Measure it to be exact !!