Winterizing 8.1s on 2005 340 dancer

[Partyoffive]

I'm winterizing my 8.1s for the first time myself. The process I've been told is as follows. I use the boat in salt water in NY, Long Island south shore.


Ive added stabil to fuel and have run motors to operating temperatures.

For engines.

Close sea cock on motor, remove cover on sea strainer
Start motor and add anti freeze to sea strainer until you see it blowing out exhaust. Then shut motor.

Next, remove flame arrestor. Start motor again while adding antifreeze to sea strainer. Spray fogging (or marvel mystery) oil into air flow. When exhaust fogs, shut down.

For genny, follow same process as above except to fog, remove water separator, pour out approx 1/2 the gas in the separator and add marvel mystery oil. Reinstall separator. Start Genny, and let run.

I could really use use some opinions from the experts here. Appreciate any and all feedback.

Thank you!

 

[Jimmy Buoy]

I store indoor/heated so this isn't what I do, just what I've read...

No need to run the engines to operating temps (the engine is closed cooled with glycol anyway - but check the reservoir for AF strength). Also, you might use the air-actuated drain system to get most of the water out of the raw water cooling system before adding antifreeze into the open strainer - that way your AF won't get more diluted. Spray fogging the 8.1's is apparently NOT a good idea and can mess up some sensitive intake sensors. The method preferred is to take the fuel water separators off and replace half of the fuel in them with 2-stroke oil, reinstall and let the engine run on that mixture, or go to the trouble of removing all spark plugs and squirt a bit of marvel mystery oil directly into the cylinders.

My generator is a Westerbeke 4.5 (with a carb), so I've sprayed fogging oil directly into the intake and manually shut it down while it's stumbling. You can run AF through the system the same way with as the mains. This unit is also closed cooled, so the AF is simply protecting the raw water path (water pump, exchanger).

This may be redundant since Scott was quicker than I with the keyboard!!

 

[Partyoffive]

Guys

thank you very much. Really helpful. I have one more question. Could I fog the system simply by putting mystery oil in the reservoir on the fuel service module? I do not have the typical water seperators, rather the module that contains the filter. It looks rather simple to remove the top via the 3 hex screws, pull out the filter and add oil to the resevoir? I have a picture of the module but can't upload it. There is a handle on top. Any thoughts??

 

[Partyoffive]

Ok. Thank you. Where exactly do you feed the 5 gallon mixture to? Do you remove the fuel line that feeds the fuel service module? If not, where? If so, are there after market products that have a hose and the fittings to attach to the module? Last question, are you aware of an after market top for the jabsco sea strainers that allow for a hose to connect to be able to run water thru for flushing the motors as well as winterize the motors?? I'm sure I could make both of these but just checking.

Thanks again to all
Dan

 

[DaleM]

I will be taking a section of fuel line off between my cool fuel and fuel filter to take to a place to make a remote fogging tank line. That way they can make sure they get the right fittings. I'm going to plumb into the fuel system with a remote tank. My mechanic did it this way last year when I watched him fog my MPI. He used 3 gal of gas, 1 quart of low ash two stroke oil, half a bottle of techron, half a bottle of fuel stabilizer and ran for 5 minutes. You'll also need to get a double male threaded splice that will allow you to thread the splice into the fuel line and add a cap to prevent fuel from flowing from the tank when the valve opens while the engine runs on the remote tank.

Once he got close to the 5 minute mark, he shut down the engine, closed the seacock, took the strainer cap off, started up and then poured about 5 gallons of *pink* into the strainer. As soon as that was done, shut down, reconnect fuel lines and do the next engine.

 

[DaleM]

I assume you meant 5 gallons of antifreeze into the strainer....not gas....that would be bad.

Opps! Yes - thanks for the catch! (I guess it wouldn't freeze....)

 

[rondds]

Dale
Will you be T'ing off the fuel line and leaving a shut off in place so that you can re-connect next fall? Or will you pull off the hose and attach it to the remote tank each year manually?

This is my cave-man rendition of how it could be set up (how do you like that exhaust system on my "engine?" ;-)

 

[DaleM]

Will you be T'ing off the fuel line and leaving a shut off in place so that you can re-connect next fall? Or will you pull off the hose and attach it to the remote tank each year manually?

I will pull the hose off and tie into the fuel line manually each year. I may do some more digging on here to see how to do the T set up that you show, but I haven't done enough research yet to feel comfortable with that detail of fuel line modification yet.

 

[rondds]

Understood. Not sure what material the valves would need to be made of.

 

[DaleM]

FWIW this is where I'll be taking the section of fuel line http://www.flowline.net/ to match up fittings. I'll see if they have a way to T-in while I'm at it.

 

[DaleM]

BTW rondds, I bet that exhaust is LOUD!

 

[rondds]

Next time I'll draw in a muffler!

 

[Lazy Daze]

How about a 3-way fuel valve for each engine, just before the fuel filter? I think I would want to plumb an extra shut-off in the "3rd way", though - either an actual shut-off valve, or... maybe something as simple as an outboard portable fuel tank connector. You could use one portable tank, split the hose to two hoses, and connect to both engines at the same time. It would literally be "click to port engine, click to stbd engine" and fire them up to run the cocktail mixture through. It would take no more time than what it took to read my ramblings to connect to the engines.

Ron... I'm glad you described what that "thing" is sticking out the top of your engine... I wasn't quite sure :smt001

Example: go to page 33 here: http://www.moellermarine.com/sites/moellermarine/files/2016catalog.pdf

 

[rondds]

Dennis
Fabulous idea. Didn't even know fittings like that existed. Now is someone would just do this project and post a "how-to" here on CSR...

I was going to just draw a rectangle for the engine but I wanted it to be more realistic. There's even an attempt at a serpentine belt.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Serp belt... Ha! I wondered what that was - I thought it was just a mistake! :smt001

You know... since Dale is ALREADY in the middle of doing some work on his fuel system.......

I'd love to do it, but it's hard to convince customers to let me hack into their fuel lines. I don't have my 260DA anymore, but even so, that one had the spin-on fuel filter so fogging is already super simple. Not that I don't like a fun project, though!

You could probably even add a third T and do the genny at the same time (if it's OK to fog it that way)!

 

[DaleM]

You know... since Dale is ALREADY in the middle of doing some work on his fuel system.......

I'd love to do it, but it's hard to convince customers to let me hack into their fuel lines. I don't have my 260DA anymore, but even so, that one had the spin-on fuel filter so fogging is already super simple. Not that I don't like a fun project, though!

I'm super game if you wanna help me put in a simple valve system to fog! You're by far a more experienced boat mechanical guy than I am. I think I get how all of this stuff would work in theory, but I'm not sure of all the 'safety' things that need to be considered when inside an engine room. If it was in a car, motorcycle, I'd chop into a fuel line no problem. I just hate the thought that something I "add in" would cause some fire/explosion and risk the safety of my family.

 

[rondds]

I've done plenty of photo-dox on jobs I've done but fuel gives me the willies. I imagine if all the right fittings are used (ie: no home depot stuff) there would be no cause for concern. What makes it dangerous is poor connections and crappy fittings. I had both CF modules on and off 10x on this boat, and replaced the floscan senders on my previous boat. AND pulled the starboard tank fitting for the generator off to pump out 17g of gas last fall. Not one kaboom!

 

[Lazy Daze]

What makes it dangerous is poor connections and crappy fittings.

Bingo. That and then there are others who will rush into a job like this, not thinking about the possible ramifications. Obviously neither of you (based on your comments here and just "knowing you" from reading other posts) fall into that category. Now, we would be running an extra fuel line through the boat and some will be concerned about that... "It's just another point for failure". Valid concern, I'll give them that. Personally, as long it's done correctly, I'm not worried one bit. Think of it this way: If this was done by a manufacturer, would anyone have concerns? Probably not. I just wanted to say that upfront, in case anyone wasn't thinking about that (meaning, making sure everyone is aware that there will be an extra fuel line in play here).

I'm game if you guys are! It might be a little difficult (time consuming) doing it via a forum, but I think we can make it work. Besides, we're all in the same part of the country - meaning we've (unfortunately) got plenty of time coming to do projects (winter)!

Could one of you verify what size fuel line you have? 3/8", maybe 1/2"?

Should we maybe do the brunt work through email? So as not to hijack Party's thread?

 

[DaleM]

Should we maybe do the brunt work through email? So as not to hijack Party's thread?

I'm game! If I get confirmation through someone who knows this stuff inside and out (Dennis!) I'm game in getting the parts together and doing it in a way that is safe. I assume for what we're talking about doing we would need a 3-way valve, various fittings, etc.

I will be wrapping the boat so getting into the ER in the winter might be a challenge but not 100% sure. As far as the fuel line, I think mine is 1/2". That'll be confirmed this weekend hopefully once I successfully get that line off and over to the fitting place to rig up my remote tank setup for fogging.

Anyway - like what was said out of respect for the thread owner, I cleaned up my PM inbox if we want to take this offline.

 

[rondds]

Mine's cleared too. Won't get into the ER til next Friday to see fuel line diameter.