Winterized this Weekend - Observations on not draining the engine

[skolbe]

So when winterizing this weekend - I pulled my thermostats out and drained the motors and ran the -100 through. My dock neighbor warmed the engines up - they were plenty warm and then ran the -50 through. We were talking and he said - I am sure things are okay for the winter. I said lets pull some drains and see what it looks like. His engine was light pink on every drain. This was after running 8 gallons through a 454 - crusader. So I mixed some pink and water just to try and match the consistency. My best guess was that it was 70% water and 30% antifreeze. The only part that was pure antifreeze was the mufflers. My 350 Mag took 6 gallons before it was spitting antifreeze through the exhaust. I know lots of folks don't drain the engines before they winterize. But I was surprised how much it was diluted. We ended up draining his motor at that point. He normally left his engine drained anyway. Just an observation that hopefully will benefit someone.

 

[RobnBern]

Funny I found this post today. We've owned our boat for 4 seasons. During the first year, the marina did the winterizing. We moved the following season and I've done it since, initially with help. I've got a new guy who works for me who LOVES boating but he's very sad. 2 seasons ago, he winterized his boat but didn't drain the block before putting it up on the hard. In the spring, she fired right up...and spewed water all over the engine room. (I don't know the exact procedure he followed). But, I've never been taught to drain my engines. I've always been told that since I'm fresh water cooled, I just need to disconnect the intake, run pink thru until it comes out the exhaust and then I'd be fine. Now, I've always run -100 thru the system and have a 750 watt engine room heater in the boat, which stays in a covered slip. But, now I'm really curious about draining the block. If I drain the block, what's the point of adding -50 or -100?? I mean, there's regular anti-freeze in the closed side and, if drained, nothing on the seawater side, right?? Maybe I've just been VERY lucky so far.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Your engine (block) is covered - draining just makes more work for you since you'll have to replace the AF (it's different than the "winterizing" AF). You just need to worry about the intake, heat exchanger, exhaust. To do it right, you should drain those before running the pink stuff through. That eliminates the guessing game of what mixture ratio is in there. Because you have a bilge heater, that gives a secondary level of 'margin of error'. But if the power goes out for an extended period of time, it would be good to have winterized it such that you are guaranteed you're safe (as opposed to guessing on the mixture ratio). Not that AF is expensive, but draining first allows for using less AF and you're fine to use the -50*, too as it doesn't get ANYWHERE near that cold where you are. FYI, using the -100* in the past was a good move on your part since you didn't first drain. It didn't eliminate it, but it cut down on the 'guessing game'.

 

[skolbe]

I drain the engines, remove the thermostat, then run 8 gallons of antifreeze and run a bilge heater for the winter. I am still surprised how diluted it was in my friends boat.

 

[CV-23]

I got caught with my pants down in PA last week. Went to winterize yesterday and some water is frozen in my hoses!!! Was 50 yesterday and 60 today with fans running warm air over my motors (both boats). They are thawed out but we had a cold snap last week. None of my bottled drinking water in the cabin was frozen and I had done the fresh water and septic but not motors. Calling for 3-6 inches of snow Wednesday so I'll get them done this afternoon. I learned a lesson the hard way with no damage I hope. Hard to believe but it happened. Lesson learned!

 

[Lazy Daze]

Close call. Probably wouldn't have taken much more time at sub-freezing temps to start doing damage. Was it the intake hose? I could see that being the first one to go.

 

[CV-23]

Not good Dennis!!!!.....Everything thawed out and I winterized today. 5.7L in my CV-23 did a Milkshake after thawing and running. I did fill the block with antifreeze. So it's antifreeze in the oil. A head must have cracked? Both Exhaust manifolds leaking at seams externally also. The 454 in my 270DA blew two freeze plugs....the center one on both sides of the block. Put new plugs in and ran it and winterized it. No water in the oil but both manifolds are leaking externally at the tops. No water in the oil. What really upsets me is that not one of the water bottles in my cabin were frozen? It's not any warmer in there than the engine bay? I just learned a real expensive lesson! The CV-23 will probably get a 383 in her just to speed things up a bit. I just hate to spend money because of being stupid!!!! My exhaust manifolds on the 454 are pretty old so that's probably money well spent. Any Black Friday specials coming up? Snow coming Wednesday here....4-8 inches.

 

[Do Over]

Your engine bay has vents to the outside air......makes a big difference on temp obviously

 

[CV-23]

Just thinking out loud......should I just drain all the water out of the 5.7L, pump the crankcase empty, put new oil in and run it to get the water out? Are the bearings toast already? Is it worth trying to save or just throw in the towel?

 

[Lazy Daze]

Yuck. Sorry to hear that, Mike. Both the blower vents and the intake water line are sources. I think the outer transom assembly will transfer cold to the inner, too.

Unfortunately, it's hard to say what to do without taking it apart. Depends on your skill, too. Can you get the engine (5.7L) out and tinker with it over the Winter? At least you got lucky with those 454 freeze plugs - they usually don't pop out like that to save an engine.

 

[CV-23]

Drained all the water....dumping all the vanilla oil in the bilge via pan drain plug & and hull drain plug and draining into pan out outside of boat. What a mess! The oil filter was full of pudding so when I add fresh oil, I'll start it without the filter for a few seconds to clear the oil pump and passage to the filter. Spin a filter on and let her run until the heads and manifolds get to 180 degrees. I will disconnect my fresh water hose to the engine and let the Alpha1 pump water into the bilge off outdrive muffs. God forbid I burn out an impeller in the lower unit!!!! Hoping it's the intake manifold that cracked and the bearings are not toast! I had oil pressure the whole time. Getting cooler out now....only 50. Dam weather!!!

 

[CV-23]

Changed the oil twice in the 5.7L....getting better and may have saved it.....I hope!

 

[OldSkool]

Drained all the water....dumping all the vanilla oil in the bilge via pan drain plug & and hull drain plug and draining into pan out outside of boat. What a mess! The oil filter was full of pudding so when I add fresh oil, I'll start it without the filter for a few seconds to clear the oil pump and passage to the filter. Spin a filter on and let her run until the heads and manifolds get to 180 degrees. I will disconnect my fresh water hose to the engine and let the Alpha1 pump water into the bilge off outdrive muffs. God forbid I burn out an impeller in the lower unit!!!! Hoping it's the intake manifold that cracked and the bearings are not toast! I had oil pressure the whole time. Getting cooler out now....only 50. Dam weather!!!

Are you getting the snow today? We are to get about 6 inches but we'll see.

 

[SCORPIO]

What did you find out? I pulled my engine yesterday and brought home to work on. I'm guessing block or heads on mine. We'll see.