Winterizing - The Struggle Continues

steveziv

Member
Sep 28, 2015
49
United States
Boat Info
'07 Sundancer 340
Engines
Twin 8.1 Horizon
As expected, winterizing the '99 290 SD I just bought has been a challenge as I learn this particular boat's systems.

I winterized the generator in the water minutes before I was scheduled for haul out. Oops, now how do I winterize the A/C? I picked up a 110>shore power adapter but apparently it lacked the power (amps I suppose) to run the A/C. So now I guess I have to run the generator with a hose running into its strainer so I can power up the A/C and winterize it. After which, I'll have to re-winterize the generator. I'll have to gather up every hose at my disposal to get water to the generator, good thing I'm a pack rat. Unless there's an alternative method for the A/C?

Blue plugs? NFW. Manifolds are no problem but the plugs on the block can be touched but not unscrewed. How important is it to remove them and drain the block? Can you just run more anti-freeze through the engine? I'd gladly run an extra $50 worth of pink through the engine instead of dealing with those four blue block plugs.

Today, as long as I was on-site I figured I'd try to winterize an engine (w/o removing the block plugs). I removed the flame arrester (for fogging), clamped on the relatively well sealed ear muffs and started the port engine. It ran, maybe a minute, but did not seem to be taking much anti-freeze. My surveyor told me the (drained) engine would take 2 gallons of anti-freeze before discharging pink. Since the block wasn't drained I expected at least water to be discharged. With no fluid being discharged and anti-freeze being drawn in very slowly I shut it down. My plan is to replace my bucket's spigot with a gate valve to be sure I get adequate flow from the bucket and try again. The Cummins diesels on my last boat sucked the anti-freeze very quickly, how quickly should my Bravo's be sucking up anti-freeze?
 
The bravo3 pump will struggle to develop suction. Be sure the bucket is as high as possible, higher in elevation than the pump, to provide head pressure to help.
 
Bravo 2, not sure if that makes a difference. The bucket was on the swim platform, it will be hard to get it higher with the engine hatch up.
 
The A / C you can vacuum the A / C discharge on the side of the boat with a vacuum or you can use a pump and push in from the A / C discharge on the side of the boat
Side of boat is what I do, I have my wife look at the bottom of the boat for pink
 
Easy way to winterize the AC...I took a sump pump and added a 1/2" hose, filled the bucket with anti-freeze and stuck the tube into the exit hole...once I saw the pink stuff coming out of the pickup under the hull...done.

BTW - I've previously taken a water hose and back washed the AC lines to clean them out, much better and easier IMO.

Hope that helps.
 
Sounds like the A/C does not need to be running to be flushed and I can push or pull anti-freeze through the system, correct? If so I should be able to figure something out with either my drill pump or a shop vac. Thanks for your responses!
 
Use your drill pump.
I cut the tip off a funnel clamped it to discharge hose of drill pump.
Pump it thru the discharge on side of boat till you see it coming out of intake on bottom of boat.

I would be using the blue antifreeze for the engines.
It's more expensive but it has corrosion inhibitors in it.
I see you have a Bravo outdrive.
Does it have an engine mounted raw water pump and sea strainers?
If it does you're going to have to pump the antifreeze thru the strainer
 
I see you have a Bravo outdrive.
Does it have an engine mounted raw water pump and sea strainers?
If it does you're going to have to pump the antifreeze thru the strainer

I honestly don't know, I'll take a look. The earmuff approach doesn't impress me but it seems to be the standard for I/O's. On my previous boat, an inboard, I disconnected the raw water intake hose, connected to it and sucked straight from the bucket.
 
Please just pull the plugs!!!! I just bought a boat dirt cheep because somebody did it them self and thought this method was good. I always pull the plugs and all hoses per mercuriser, and then dump some antifreeze in the block and back down the water inlet to the engine.
 
As expected, winterizing the '99 290 SD I just bought has been a challenge as I learn this particular boat's systems.

I winterized the generator in the water minutes before I was scheduled for haul out. Oops, now how do I winterize the A/C? I picked up a 110>shore power adapter but apparently it lacked the power (amps I suppose) to run the A/C. So now I guess I have to run the generator with a hose running into its strainer so I can power up the A/C and winterize it. After which, I'll have to re-winterize the generator. I'll have to gather up every hose at my disposal to get water to the generator, good thing I'm a pack rat. Unless there's an alternative method for the A/C?

Blue plugs? NFW. Manifolds are no problem but the plugs on the block can be touched but not unscrewed. How important is it to remove them and drain the block? Can you just run more anti-freeze through the engine? I'd gladly run an extra $50 worth of pink through the engine instead of dealing with those four blue block plugs.

Today, as long as I was on-site I figured I'd try to winterize an engine (w/o removing the block plugs). I removed the flame arrester (for fogging), clamped on the relatively well sealed ear muffs and started the port engine. It ran, maybe a minute, but did not seem to be taking much anti-freeze. My surveyor told me the (drained) engine would take 2 gallons of anti-freeze before discharging pink. Since the block wasn't drained I expected at least water to be discharged. With no fluid being discharged and anti-freeze being drawn in very slowly I shut it down. My plan is to replace my bucket's spigot with a gate valve to be sure I get adequate flow from the bucket and try again. The Cummins diesels on my last boat sucked the anti-freeze very quickly, how quickly should my Bravo's be sucking up anti-freeze?

Years ago before I started to winter indoor heated, I took a deep socket and cut a groove in each side to allow the socket to slide over the engine block drain plugs.
 
Maybe the reason you didn't suck down any pink is because you only ran her for a min and it didn't get warm enough for thermostat to open - I'm no expert, but that's my guess. Def drain the block first.
 
I assume this is a raw water cooled engine. If you do not drain the block, and if you do not remove the thermostat, it likely never opens and any antifreeze you suck in will bypass the block and expel through the exhaust, leaving the block full of water. You really need to drain it before you run on AF.
 
The bucket method is definitely not the "standard" method. It's the lazy way :smt001 . Given my screen name, you might think I use that method. Not a chance. But really, it doesn't take any longer to do it the right way (as mentioned above... drain, then refill via hoses). Also as mentioned, the ONLY way to safely use the "Bucket" method (other than using probably 20-some gallons of AF) is to drain, then remove t-stat, then run AF through. But then you also have to try and time that with fogging. Even after draining, there is still some water left in the intake manifold area. When you backfill via the t-stat hoses, it pushes that water out.

Don't forget to pull the output hose off your raw water pumps and bump the engines over a few times. Also don't forget about your fuel cooler plugs (if you have fuel injection). By the way, if you have fuel injection, it's better to avoid spraying fogging oil into the intake as it may foul sensors.

The inboard block plugs are a bit of stretch to get to, but you can totally do it - although it's mostly by feel. You just gotta get yourself in the right position. You'd probably get a kick from seeing some of the positions I get myself into!

Take a look in the Tech articles section - there's a post there by me about easy(ier) removal of the blug plugs. It has a picture of what ElecDoc is referencing.

What is the active ingredient in the antifreeze you bought?
 
The inboard block plugs are a bit of stretch to get to, but you can totally do it - although it's mostly by feel. You just gotta get yourself in the right position. You'd probably get a kick from seeing some of the positions I get myself into!

I thought the same thing while I was under our port engine. If anyone caught a picture of the position I got they wouldn't believe I was able to get back out. Yet people like to complain what marine mechanics charge, I'd like to see them twist the way you guys do on a daily basis.
 
+1 on drain and fill. I've never messed with the suck it up method - only sure fire way to know you have the correct amount of anti-freeze is to drain it and fill it.
 
Also don't forget about your fuel cooler plugs (if you have fuel injection). By the way, if you have fuel injection, it's better to avoid spraying fogging oil into the intake as it may foul sensors.

hm... i have the cool fuel gen3 on my 5.0 MPI and there is definitly no drain plug on it.

best regards
 
hm... i have the cool fuel gen3 on my 5.0 MPI and there is definitly no drain plug on it.

best regards

Loosen the bolt between the two hoses(5/8" I think) and back the hoses out enough to all the fuel cooler to drain. Then tighten back down. Done...

Bennett
 

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