Winterize myself or pay someone?

mojocowboy

Member
May 1, 2018
74
Lake Barkley
Boat Info
2006 Sea Ray 200 Selectwith a 4.3
Towed by a 05, 3500 Dmax
Engines
4.3 Mercruiser
This is the first winter for me to have this boat, winterization looks a lot easier than on my 92 rinker. I'm assuming there may be a step by step process somewhere. Any suggestions?
 
4.3 I/O is pretty straight forward to winterize.

Warm it up.
Drain the oil and refill.
Is there Ethanol in the gas? Then drain it as low as possible.
Treat the remaining fuel with stabilizer.
Fog the motor.
Drain all water from the block.
Refill with antifreeze, pouring it into the large hose on the thermostat housing.
That’s my procedure in a nutshell.
Others will chime in with their input.

There are lots of videos on YouTube for reference.

Depending on where you store it, you may want to remove the outdrive as well.
 
If you do it yourself be thorough. Its my first year with a 310, dual i/0, generator, water system/heater, ac, waste. Ive been researching the manuals and talking with others for a few weeks now. Just did the fuel filters, filled tanks and stabil, generator coolant change, and oil 3 changes. Now the important stuff when its out of the water. Trying to get 4 more weekends in. Manuals, youtube, and csr.
 
I did this on my first year. I hired someone to do the job with the understanding that I wanted to learn how to do it. I've done it every year since
 
Bought our 420 in August of 2016 and I have winterized it myself every year. Take your time, be thorough. Don't miss anything: anchor washdown, windshield washer, etc. The first year, I had trouble with the Air Conditioning pump picking up a suction to push the pink through. I ended up having the Marina do that one just to be safe. Last year, I used a "drill pump" to push the pink into the AC pump. Worked well. I change the oil at winterization. I have inboards, so no gear oil, but you should change that. I save fuel filters for the Spring commissioning.

Jaybeaux
 
It's a simple boat to winterized if you are handy. Read the manual and watch some videos taking your time while you work. If you are a bit unsure, hire someone and take some pix of the key steps. Do it yourself the next time.
 
4.3 I/O is pretty straight forward to winterize.

Warm it up.
Drain the oil and refill.
Is there Ethanol in the gas? Then drain it as low as possible.
Treat the remaining fuel with stabilizer.
Fog the motor.
Drain all water from the block.
Refill with antifreeze, pouring it into the large hose on the thermostat housing.
That’s my procedure in a nutshell.
Others will chime in with their input.

There are lots of videos on YouTube for reference.

Depending on where you store it, you may want to remove the outdrive as well.

If your engine is an MPI, Mercruiser does not recommend Foggin the engine. If it is carburetor then by all means fog away
 
I'm at the boat today and began looking at things for winterization. Don't forget to blow the water out of seacocks, close them, then fill strainers with pink stuff. I also open the small drain plug on the seacock and blow out the bit of water in there, too. I also pour pink in the bilge areas where the pumps are located so that they pump some pink overboard. Don't forget your shower sump. Pour some pink down every drain that has an overboard discharge.

Jaybeaux
 
If your engine is an MPI, Mercruiser does not recommend Foggin the engine. If it is carburetor then by all means fog away

As far as my manual states, the MPI motors should be fogged for storage. There is a procedure on page 114-115

Maybe you’re thinking of the catalyst equipped motors?
 
Only you can judge your DIY comfort level.

Winterizing a one engine boat on a trailer plus doing the recommended fluid changes is very straight forward.
 
Bought our 420 in August of 2016 and I have winterized it myself every year. Take your time, be thorough. Don't miss anything: anchor washdown, windshield washer, etc. The first year, I had trouble with the Air Conditioning pump picking up a suction to push the pink through. I ended up having the Marina do that one just to be safe. Last year, I used a "drill pump" to push the pink into the AC pump. Worked well. I change the oil at winterization. I have inboards, so no gear oil, but you should change that. I save fuel filters for the Spring commissioning.

Jaybeaux
I do my A/C the same way, I use a small pony pump go into the A/C discharge hole on the boat. When pink comes out the bottom of the boat at the intake i'm Done !
 
4.3 I/O is pretty straight forward to winterize.

Warm it up.
Drain the oil and refill.
Is there Ethanol in the gas? Then drain it as low as possible.
Treat the remaining fuel with stabilizer.
Fog the motor.
Drain all water from the block.
Refill with antifreeze, pouring it into the large hose on the thermostat housing.
That’s my procedure in a nutshell.
Others will chime in with their input.

There are lots of videos on YouTube for reference.

Depending on where you store it, you may want to remove the outdrive as well.
If it's an out drive just put a set of ears on it with a short hose into a Five gallon pail of pink stuff. Start the motor, when blows out the exhaust your done !
 
As mentioned, whether it's "easy and simple" depends wholly on your skill set. But you still must drain everything, first. If you want to use the bucket method, remove the t-stat. Otherwise, simply pour the AF in. The amount of time it takes to either is the same.

An MPI does, indeed, get fogged... but it's done differently than what most think of. If you spray fogging fluid into the intake, it will likely foul sensors. Instead it's done by mixing a "cocktail" into the fuel/water separator and running the engine at specific RPM and time.

Adding to Espos4's list of things to drain... don't forget the manifolds!



https://i.postimg.cc/c4vLcVdm/87_F248_F9-_DE1_F-4236-_A209-25_AB0_B4_BDCA3.jpg
 
Here's what my engine manual says to do. I personally have not done this since I visit my boat year around and start it every few weeks and let everything warm up ..... if not take it out for a spin on a sunny winter day.


Prepare EFI fuel system for extended storage as follows:

Do the below after tuning off fuel supply:

a. Allow engine to cool down.
b. Remove the water separating fuel filter.
c. Pour out a small amount of fuel into a suitable container, then add approximately 2
fluid ounces (60 ml) of Quicksilver 2-Cycle Outboard Oil to fuel in the water separating
fuel filter.
d. Reinstall water separating fuel filter.
e. Start and operate engine at idle speed until the water separating fuel filter and fuel
injection system are empty and engine stops.
f. Remove and discard water separating fuel filter.
g. Install new filter.
 
This was easy, as my engine has a place to winterize it built in! But I had a buddy do the full fluid swap and replace all filters and winterize it and fix the Speedo for $280
 
This was easy, as my engine has a place to winterize it built in! But I had a buddy do the full fluid swap and replace all filters and winterize it and fix the Speedo for $280

When you opened up the drain to drop the water out of everything... did you double check by removing the small hoses from the block and manifolds and poke the holes? They are such small hoses that they can get clogged. When you pour antifreeze in, you then end up with a some "mix" of water and antifreeze.

But, what do you mean by a "place" to winterize it built in. There is no such thing standard. Did you add something?
 
Agreed as stated above.
Every year I remove the block drain hoses from the drain manifold and they are plugged with debris. If they aren’t flushed and flowing freely, then the block isn’t draining.
 
As far as my manual states, the MPI motors should be fogged for storage. There is a procedure on page 114-115

Maybe you’re thinking of the catalyst equipped motors?

MPI motors still get fogged for storage.
 

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