Winterize help?

[bassadict69]

This is my first winter with a Mercruiser and need info on winterization. I have always been a bass boat/outboard kind of guy so I am totally lost with my new ski boat and do not want to get taken advantage of.

In the process of calling and getting prices to winterize, some are quoting a simple fog/drain while others are putting antifreeze in the block and changing oil and filters including fuel filter.

What exactly do I need done? How much is reasonable to pay? What then needs to be done in Spring to make it lake ready again?

 

[blaster]

If it is winterized properly it won't require service again in the spring. A simple drain you can do yourself by opening the single point drain on the 4.3mpi, its the blue knob on the front of the engine. I wouldn't fog it unless you are storing it for at least 6 months. The fog procedure requires 2 stroke oil rather than fogging oil so as not to mess up the injectors.

I would add a generous amount of stabilizer for ethanol fuel, then fill the tank. If you can get non ethanol gas, better still. Change the engine oil and filter. Change the water separating fuel filter. Change the gear lube in the drive. Lubricate throttle linkages with motor oil. Drain water from the engine, add pink antifreeze by removing the thermostat housing and pouring in until the block is full. Then pour AF into the hoses until they are full and pink comes out the drive. Remove the prop and grease the shaft.

Check with your manual, but that about covers the basic winterization for your boat. There are other maintainance items which could be addressed but the big things are the gas, the fluid and filter changes, and draining and filling the block. You could just drain the water and be OK but without the pink in it there will be more corrosion.

I'm guessing $300 or there about is a reasonable price for winterization. You can do it yourself for about $50

 

[gerryb]

Just about everything you'll ever need to know is on this site. I would suggest that you do a search on winterization and start reading on the threads that seem most interesting to you. My advice would be to let the pros handle it the first year and ask them what they did. Then next year, you can start to some yourself based on your interest and time available. FWIW, I drain and fill with antifreeze, and change oil and filters. I believe most do the same bus some skip the drain step. Fogging is a different issue. There are several ways to fog your engine and some techniques are engine-dependent. I would read-up on this specifically for your engine setup. I do fog my engines using a oil stabilizer mixture in the fuel filter.

 

[skolbe]

I would suggest hiring a pro the first year and help a few friends winterize their boats and read up. Every year with a new boat - I hire a pro and then I have read a ton and helped others. Make sure you drain the block and remove the thermostat if you plan to run antifreeze through the block via the outdrive.

 

[bassadict69]

I wish I had time to search and read, read, read to get all the info...heck, I wish I had time to do it myself! LOL!

Only worry I have doing it myself is something breaking down somewhere down the line and it hurting my warranty because I have no records of winterizing, yearly maintenance, etc.

 

[blaster]

I wish I had time to search and read, read, read to get all the info...heck, I wish I had time to do it myself! LOL!

Only worry I have doing it myself is something breaking down somewhere down the line and it hurting my warranty because I have no records of winterizing, yearly maintenance, etc.

I have had lots of warranty work done and I have never been questioned about doing my own maintenance. If you keep receipts and use genuine parts while keeping a maintenance log you shouldn't have any problems.

As others have said, if you aren't confident about the procedures, pay a certified merc dealer to preform the work. It doesn't have to be a Sea Ray dealer if that's not a convenient option.

What ever you decide, get a quote with specific services to be preformed and a price before you proceed. There are many out there who will not be so honest.

 

[dwna1a]

Just to ask a stupid kinda question here but how often does it freeze in LA? Yea hire a guy the first time and then pay attention while he does the job (ask first).

 

[spfortjohn]

I would change the oil,filter,fuel filter,drive oil and drain it. Draining is simple so just crank it up in the hose about once a month then drain again. No need to go all the trouble like the guys that get hard freezes

 

[bassadict69]

Just to ask a stupid kinda question here but how often does it freeze in LA? Yea hire a guy the first time and then pay attention while he does the job (ask first).

Freezes alot, however rarely does it get below freezing and stay below freezing. The last few winters we have had several nights with temps in low twentys with highs in low 30's for a couple days. Enough to do the damage I guess!