Winterizing - Did I forget something?

W

wreckless123

Member
Apr 17, 2008
117
Flushing/Higgins Lake Mi
Boat Info
2005 185 BR 4.3
Engines
4.3 V6
I was in a hurry and ever since I backed it into the garage and covered it, I feel like I forgot something..

185 BR 4.3 V6

1. Pull plug - Check
2. Fill with 93 Octane and stabilizer - Check
3. With muffs run to operating temp and fog - Check
4. Drain 5 plugs, 2 block, 2 exhaust, 1 water pump - Check
5. Fill top 4 hoses with biodegradable antifreeze - Check
6. Lower outdrive to relax bellows - Check
7. Pull battery - Check
8. Cover and park in garage - Check

I have done it myself for a few years and for some reason I feel I have forgot something.. Did I? Thanks
 
When do you
change engine oil
outdrive oil
grease fittings
clean spark arrestor?


This is usually done before long term storage.
 
Engine oil is done in the spring for me.. Outdrive oil still looks new with only 32 hours on the boat and the spark arrestor was checked when I fogged. Thanks though..

I am not sure I have grease fittings, thats something I better check!
 
wreckless123 said:
.....4. Drain 5 plugs, 2 block, 2 exhaust, 1 water pump - Check....
Click to expand...


This can vary due to all the different models out there.
1 pitot for the water pump? It’s possible I guess. I have 2 on each pump.
Dennis would be better equipped to comment.
What outdrive do you have?
 
You should change the gear oil in case there is water in the lower unit from a small leak in the gasket. The water/oil mixture could freeze and crack the lower unit. Mercury also recomends new engine oil due to the break down of the old oil which can cause pitting or corrosion. The due make a crankcase stabilizer that you could use in place of the oil change. Lube the trailer bearings and cheack the brake fluid level on the trailer.
 
wreckless123 said:
I was in a hurry and ever since I backed it into the garage and covered it, I feel like I forgot something..

185 BR 4.3 V6

1. Pull plug - Check
2. Fill with 93 Octane and stabilizer - Check
3. With muffs run to operating temp and fog - Check
4. Drain 5 plugs, 2 block, 2 exhaust, 1 water pump - Check
5. Fill top 4 hoses with biodegradable antifreeze - Check
6. Lower outdrive to relax bellows - Check
7. Pull battery - Check
8. Cover and park in garage - Check

I have done it myself for a few years and for some reason I feel I have forgot something.. Did I? Thanks
Click to expand...

What was the point of doing #3 if all you did after that was described in #5?

I always question the method and instead of just filling the antifreeze I use the bucket method to run the pink thru the system to make sure there are no water puckets. If there are they'll be filled with pink.
 
sfergson727 said:
If you read the mercury shop manual, it says to do just as he did, pour in the anti-freeze through the thermostat housing. The bucket method is a hack job invented by someone to lazy to do it exactly as the manufacturer says to.

To OP, did you remember to bump the starter over to purge any residual water out of the water pump? As others have said, either change the gear lube now, or at the very least, take a sample of the gear lube from the lower screw (fill) to ensure you do not have water in the oil.
Click to expand...

every mechanic will tell you that pouring antifreeze could be not enough and water left in cylinder can cause damage. they always drain block by removing drain plugs and run engine on "muffs" with antifreeze until it comes out through exhaust to make sure there is no water left inside engine. few extra gallons of non-tox and peace of mind for whole winter.
 
Scott,

You might be right. I didn't read the manual, but if I recall correctly I picked up this method from one of the courses held at WM. Just thinking logically it made sense to me. I'm not an engine guru, but I'm sure that an engine has water pockets that will remain filled with water unless antifreeze makes a complete system cycle. Two simple examples I have is the circulating water pump and the impeller. I just don't see how it's possible to move the water out of some vanes unless you spin the pumps. So, just pouring the pink in the engine while it's off won't make this happen. Running hot engine by supplying antifreeze in to the system travels every the intake water was present and replaces it. So, even if it conflicts with the manual it makes perfect sense to me. I've been doing this for number of years and never had a problem.

I'm not by all means saying that the merc mechanics are wrong, so this is just another case where there're dozen of ways to skin a cat.
 
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Scott,

Thanks for clarifying the manual's questionable items. I agree that cranking the starter would be the answer for the pumps.

But, I'm sure that the method I'm using is simpler (no hoses to take off) and safe enough. I like to keep the overhead down and apply simple methods in everything I do. So, IMO these steps are very simple:

1. worm up the engine to the norm temp
2. drain the water from the bottom plug
3. run the engine feeding the antifreeze, shut it down when the pink comes out of the exhaust.

I think in these 3 simple steps there's very little room for error. the only time it was a little more complex on my 240 due to the BIII. It required a little extra RPMs for the impeller to suck that pink at the required rate.

In my 320 the 3 steps method works like a charm.
 
Alex F said:
Scott,
1. worm up the engine to the norm temp
2. drain the water from the bottom plug
3. run the engine feeding the antifreeze, shut it down when the pink comes out of the exhaust.
Click to expand...

Alex F: I don't see the need for step one... ie: the block is drained in step 2, then refilled in step 3. T-stat open or closed, hot or cold, the system will fill regardless. I see this happen every time I perform an initial fill on a engine I've just overhauled!

Perhaps you could replace step 1 with: remove spin on fuel filter and fill with choice of fuel conditioner. Add oil conditioner and run engine just long enough....

On another note: some engine types will air lock on initial fill and will not take coolant. By instructing to fill via hose method, the engineer takes this possibility out of the equation. Now the Manufacturers service manual in simplified and written for the masses.
 
BonBini said:
Alex F: I don't see the need for step one... ie: the block is drained in step 2, then refilled in step 3. T-stat open or closed, hot or cold, the system will fill regardless. I see this happen every time I perform an initial fill on a engine I've just overhauled!.......
Click to expand...

Run,

Doesn't the engine have two cooling loops, small loop for colder temp operation and large loop for norm/hotter operations?

The reason for step #1 is to make sure that thermostat is open, so when I run the antifreeze it goes through the large loop as well as the small engine cooling circulation loop.
 
Can I insert another question in hear ?

In addition to stabilizer ....

do you fill up the tank before winter storage? empty? or where ever it is. (Mine is half full)
 
I always keep mine full over the winter to prevent condensation build up. Right before filling I add StaBil additive. Then I fill up to allow the solution to mix a little better. Then, I take a 20min or so ride, which includes final WOT test and 15min slow speed cruise allowing the solution to work well in to the fuel system.
 
Alex F: I like your description on “two cooling loops”. That is exactly what goes on, similar to a hydronic heating zone using a mixing valve.

A jacket water pump (engine water pump) constantly circulates a few gallons of coolant into engine block, up through cylinder heads, across the t-stat temperature bulb and bypasses back to jacket water pump for another round.

A sea water pump brings in lake water up to a distribution manifold of some sort. The jacket water pump draws if needed, the rest bypasses to the exhaust manifolds and out the exhaust stream to the lake.

When the t-stat is at opening temp, it only cracks and lets a small stream of hot coolant out. This small out going stream of hot is replaced with sea water at the jacket water pump inlet.

So people using the bucket method and not draining the block first are only diluting the water in the block. The longer the run, the more concentration.

Draining first; the block will fill even with a cold t-stat. The t-stat does not make a positive seal and will easily purge air.

FWIW… I did mine similar to your three step, I just didn’t warm things up first… My 7.4 swallowed close to 4 gallons before anything came out the exhaust.
 
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I spray penetrating oil between the leaf springs in the trailer and lube the zerc fittings on the spring carrier. That makes the trailer feel less stiff when I pull it out in the spring.
 
BonBini said:
......................FWIW… I did mine similar to your three step, I just didn’t warm things up first… My 7.4 swallowed close to 4 gallons before anything came out the exhaust.
Click to expand...

I believe nothing will come out from exhaust until thermostat opens up
 
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