Winterizing 340 Express with Crusader 454's

B

Brian1785

New Member
Aug 4, 2015
5
Chicago
Boat Info
1987 340 express
Engines
Crusader 454's
Looking for some data to help plan for winterizing my 87 340 express with 454 crusaders. Have always serviced my own boats, this one is new to me this season. All previous boats have been small block I/O's or inboards. First time with big blocks, and first time with big exhaust baffles.


Following is my plan:

  1. Drain blocks and manifolds
  2. Place collection tub with recirculating pump under exhaust ports
  3. Connect hose from recirculating pump to raw water hose intake after strainer
  4. Run engine circulating anti freeze, fog, shut down!
This has worked well for me with all other boats. My questions are below:

  1. Do people use the -50 antifreeze (pink) or -100 (blue)? I live in the upper Midwest….
  2. How many gallons will the block and exhaust baffles hold?
  3. Do you store with block full or drained?
Thanks for any tips!
 
It's still summer!!!! Wtf!!!!


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This post is depressing me.
 
ok, ok… For the sake of planning...

I did the same thing with my last boat that had Crusaders.

Always use engine antifreeze - not plumbers antifreeze (if that's what you meant by PINK) since it has corrosion inhibitors to prevent rusting of your internal plumbing during storage.

Every exhaust baffle will retain a different amount of water. I just mixed enough AF in the smallish pail (think it was a tall diaper pail actually), filled a sewage hose up with AF (had a ball valve at either end) and closed the valves, attached the one end to the raw water hose (leading to the water pump) and opened that valve. Then have a helper start the engine and you open the lower ball valve at the same time with the open end submerged in the AF. I used about 8 Gal total of 50/50 mixed AF in the pail. As your engine sucks up the AF, if the hose end is getting close to being exposed and no AF is coming out of the exhaust yet (can take 30-45 sec) simply stop the engine and close the lower ball valve, then add more AF to the pail. Once you have the system running and cycling AF, keep sampling the AF coming out of the exhaust with a tester. If it's getting weak from the extra water left in the system from draining, add more concentrated AF to bump up the overall strength. I just kept running the engine until the thermostat got up to my normal maximum temps and shut it down - that way you're sure to have the AF circulate throughout the engine. I did not drain the AF until spring since the AF is a rust inhibitor.

Oh, and I'm really frugal and would drain the system again in the spring and collect as much AF as possible from the drain plug, strain it and use it again the next year. I'd get a little more than half of the AF back.
 
Jimmy Buoy said:
ok, ok… For the sake of planning...

I did the same thing with my last boat that had Crusaders.

Always use engine antifreeze - not plumbers antifreeze (if that's what you meant by PINK) since it has corrosion inhibitors to prevent rusting of your internal plumbing during storage.

Every exhaust baffle will retain a different amount of water. I just mixed enough AF in the smallish pail (think it was a tall diaper pail actually), filled a sewage hose up with AF (had a ball valve at either end) and closed the valves, attached the one end to the raw water hose (leading to the water pump) and opened that valve. Then have a helper start the engine and you open the lower ball valve at the same time with the open end submerged in the AF. I used about 8 Gal total of 50/50 mixed AF in the pail. As your engine sucks up the AF, if the hose end is getting close to being exposed and no AF is coming out of the exhaust yet (can take 30-45 sec) simply stop the engine and close the lower ball valve, then add more AF to the pail. Once you have the system running and cycling AF, keep sampling the AF coming out of the exhaust with a tester. If it's getting weak from the extra water left in the system from draining, add more concentrated AF to bump up the overall strength. I just kept running the engine until the thermostat got up to my normal maximum temps and shut it down - that way you're sure to have the AF circulate throughout the engine. I did not drain the AF until spring since the AF is a rust inhibitor.

Oh, and I'm really frugal and would drain the system again in the spring and collect as much AF as possible from the drain plug, strain it and use it again the next year. I'd get a little more than half of the AF back.
Click to expand...

thanks!
 
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