Winterizing twin inboards by myself

[mrsrobinson]

I have winterized many engines, including inboards, but never by myself. I will be winterizing the 3126 CATs by myself this weekend. I am trying to figure out how to do this with me in the engine compartment:

• see the pink stuff come out the thru hull
• shut down the engines quick enough w/out damaging the impellers

A member here said I could use his SeaFlush. This will make getting antifreeze into the strainers easier, no hoses to disconnect, etc. but with me in the engine compartment pouring antifreeze, how can I see when I have poured enough, and then shut the engines down quickly?

I could place my phone on the dock and video the thru hull. I could then watch the video before disconnecting stuff to make sure a good flow of pink stuff came out. That still leaves shutting down the engine timely though.

My other thought is to disconnect the hose coming out of the strainer, insert a barb fitting, connected to a garden hose, connected to a pump in a 5 gallon bucket full of antifreeze. Similar to the cooper flush I did here, but w/antifreeze and only one hose:

 

[b_arrington]

You could use the Sea Flush and swap the AF jugs, but that's really not at all optimal. These bigger engines suck in coolant so fast that a gallon at a time won't keep up. My QSC will drain a full 5 gallon pail of AF in under 10 seconds.

Instead, a better way is to use the Sea Flush with their snorkel. Pic below.

The way I do it is this:

1. Close the seacock. Drain the canister/bowl.
2. Set up the Sea Flush
3. Insert vacuum end into grey Sea Flush insert.
4. Blow air through the Sea Flush - open the sea cock to blow out any water, then close before shutting off the vacuum.
5. Install the snorkel attachment.
6. Fill a 5 gallon pail with suitable AF and put the snorkel end in the pail.
7. Open and remove the seals from 5-6 more gallons of AF, or have another 5 gallon pail of it at the ready.
8. Start the engine and let the engine suck up the AF via the snorkel.
9. If using the gallons, immediately start pouring the AF into the pail. Make it go faster by cutting a large air slit in the bottom of the AF container so it empties faster into the pail. You may be able to keep up if you work faster enough. If not, stop the engine long enough the refill the pail then start again. (Easy on a Cummins; they have the start/stop panel in the engine room).
10. If using a 2nd full pail, swap the snorkel when the first pail is empty.
11. Stop the engine when the AF pail is empty.

So how to check if there is AF coming out the engine? A couple options.

• Set up a phone/video camera like you suggested and watch the replay.
• If you are on land, check if there is AF around the exhaust/around the boat. This is how I figured out I needed about 10-11 gallons of AF to do my engine.
• Get a webcam like a Wyze and connect it to a power source (like a portable USB battery pack), and use that to stream video to your phone.
• Set up a face time between your phone and another device like an iPad to watch the exhaust.
• Refill the AF pail, or use a 2nd pail. Stop the engine before using this 2nd pail. Get it all ready with the snorkel, then start it up and run the back to see the exhaust. Then go back and shut down the engine. Based on observations, use more AF as needed.

You could also use the garden hose adapter, subbing it for the Sea Flush. The throughput is lower because of the smaller hose size so you should have a longer time to drain the AF pail - likely not by too much though.

 

[midexp]

Here's my set up.

 

[Skybolt]

@mrsrobinson Greg, don't make this harder then it has to be. It's pretty simple, if you were able to do the flush then your ready to winterize. I am guessing your keeping the boat in the water? If so then disconnect the hose from the output of the strainer and just use a PVC plug or reducer and put a hose connector in the end. Then you can just connect a container with the anti-freeze and your done.

I also use a Y for the dock water and anti-freeze so I can switch between them. First run the engine with a the dock water hose connected until the engine is warm or the temp gauge moves as far as it will. Then while still running switch over to anti-freeze and your done. I use six gallons of -50, that seems to be the right amount for me. Then drain the mufflers.

I go an extra step and use an air compressor to blow air back out of the through hull. While air is bubbling out from under the boat turn the through hull off and then put some -50 in the hose and reconnect to the strainer and put all hoes back on and your ready for spring.

 

[mrsrobinson]

Thanks everyone, this was very helpful, I found out today the one I'm borrowing has a snorkel as well. So I have lots of options now. It's getting cold here quicker than I thought so I want to make sure I'm prepared when I make the trip to the boat, and yes it will stay in the water.

 

[Strecker25]

If you want to check your work get a refractometer and pull a couple zincs after the job to make sure the points all show the correct mix. I tend do this as a check along with measuring the output from the catch bucket (since I do ours out of the water)

it’s easy and will give you piece of mind.

 

[boatrboy]

Greg - while I’m new to winterizing inboards as you know from previous posts, After reading and watching all winterizing ideas I use the following.

My strainers have the screw on covers so I bought these (2 sizes for motors and ac/genny).

Then I made this bucket to sit on the cockpit floor and used a clear hose to go to the strainer cap. The procedure is the same as everyone describes but when I fill the bucket I keep the valve off and only open when the engine is running. It’s gravity feed so timing is not super critical. Why I like this vs the snorkel is that the bucket is in the cockpit like on the video, and I can control it without jumping in the bilge from above. I can also look over the sides as my water spits out the sides. I put a styrofoam cup under the hull after the engine was off and saw and tested the antifreeze as an extra precaution.
I had these fittings but saw better ones online for a few bucks. I also added the quick disconnect to the two strainers so I don’t even have to screw it together

 

[mrsrobinson]

Thanks @boatrboy , my strainer lids are not the screw on kind, I did see those though.

I have this left from when I owned a boat with twin outdrives. I think I can use this with a barbed fitting into the hose coming in or out of the strainer. Between this or the SeaFlush I think I've got it.

Most of my anxiety around things like this are around being 2 hours from the boat and wanting to have everything I need when I get there to get the job done. And not having to come back at a later date because I didn't have something.

 

[boatrboy]

Thanks @boatrboy , my strainer lids are not the screw on kind, I did see those though.

I have this left from when I owned a boat with twin outdrives. I think I can use this with a barbed fitting into the hose coming in or out of the strainer. Between this or the SeaFlush I think I've got it.

Most of my anxiety around things like this are around being 2 hours from the boat and wanting to have everything I need when I get there to get the job done. And not having to come back at a later date because I didn't have something.

View attachment 136589

Funny - that’s where my clear hose came from. I have two of those set ups. I saw someone cut a large hold in the top to both bleed the air quicker and allow filling while the threaded hose pieces are still connected in case you have to add another gallon while motor is running. You will defiantly need to open the bleed hole diameter at the very least because that 1/4 hole is just too small. I just decided to use a more robust bucket but that set up will do the same thing.

 

[mrsrobinson]

"drain the mufflers"

I have heard others say this, how does one do that? On my boat there's a smaller hose that goes to the thru-hull and a larger diameter exhaust hose that goes to the underwater muffler. What you see in @Strecker25 video above.

I've had both of those off and don't recall seeing any way to drain them other than removing them.

I thought with this guy did was pretty original, especially the block of wood, shelving liner and adapter.

 

[boatrboy]

See the bolt in the bottom - it has a rubber washer to seal it.
Remember I have gassers

[/QUOTE]

 

[Strecker25]

"drain the mufflers"

I have heard others say this, how does one do that? On my boat there's a smaller hose that goes to the thru-hull and a larger diameter exhaust hose that goes to the underwater muffler. What you see in @Strecker25 video above.

I've had both of those off and don't recall seeing any way to drain them other than removing them.

I thought with this guy did was pretty original, especially the block of wood, shelving liner and adapter.

your mains won’t have the water lift muffler, straight out the two locations you describe. The generator might but I don’t bother because it’s a pain to get to so I just run 3 gallons through

 

[mrsrobinson]

See the bolt in the bottom - it has a rubber washer to seal it.
Remember I have gassers
View attachment 136595

[/QUOTE]
Thanks, mine has the same mufflers even with the diesels.

When I pulled the exhaust hoses this year to do some work on the engine, I noticed a lot of water sits in the muffler, which is a little concerning, but I guess not enough to freeze and crack the fiberglass muffler.

 

[Skybolt]

Thanks, mine has the same mufflers even with the diesels.

When I pulled the exhaust hoses this year to do some work on the engine, I noticed a lot of water sits in the muffler, which is a little concerning, but I guess not enough to freeze and crack the fiberglass muffler.

The water being there is normal. That is how the muffler works and why you must drain it. If you don't drain them you must put enough anti-freeze through the system to compensate for the water in the muffler. It's much easier to just drain the muffler. The down side of that is the little screw with the rubber washer tends to strip out very easily.

 

[Jaybeaux]

@mrsrobinson One thing that I'll add to all of the great advice people have given. My first step is to use the SeaFlush and a shop vac to blow air through the strainer and down through the sea cock until you hear bubbles slapping againsts the bottom of the hull. Then, close the sea cock. This ensures that you drain the hose from the strainer all the way back through the sea cock. I then pre-fill the strainer with AF. When the level gets to the top, it will gravity feed back to the sea cock. Keep adding AF by hand until the whole thing is full. THEN use the Sea Flush or whatever gizzmo you're using, to run AF through the engines.

THE LAST THING I DO: On each sea cock, there is a square drain plug. I remove that and then using a small tube, blow air (by mouth) to push any water that may be in there out. I generally leave the drain plugs out until Spring, but it is OK to put them back in. When you do, put a little lubricant on the threads.

You could make the arguement that this step isn't necessary since I blow all the water out of the sea cock back down through the thru-hull and then close the sea cock with just air in the ball cavity. However, it is very cheap insurance.

Jaybeaux

 

[quality time]

The water being there is normal. That is how the muffler works and why you must drain it. If you don't drain them you must put enough anti-freeze through the system to compensate for the water in the muffler. It's much easier to just drain the muffler. The down side of that is the little screw with the rubber washer tends to strip out very easily.

I added ball valves to my mufflers and just ran a hose to a bucket to drain them.

 

[Strecker25]

Thanks, mine has the same mufflers even with the diesels.

When I pulled the exhaust hoses this year to do some work on the engine, I noticed a lot of water sits in the muffler, which is a little concerning, but I guess not enough to freeze and crack the fiberglass muffler.[/QUOTE]

wow, i stand corrected. I didn't think they ever had those on the caterpillars. Where did they stick the muffler?

 

[Skybolt]

I added ball valves to my mufflers and just ran a hose to a bucket to drain them.

That is exactly what is on my short list to do. Curious, how or what did you use to attach a fitting to the muffler?

 

[quality time]

I used a 1/4" female x male ball valve from McMaster and drilled/tapped the muffler for the male thread. I kept a plug in the female side when not in use and swapped it with a barb fitting when draining.

 

[Skybolt]

I used a 1/4" female x male ball valve from McMaster and drilled/tapped the muffler for the male thread. I kept a plug in the female side when not in use and swapped it with a barb fitting when draining.

View attachment 136600

I didn't think the muffler wall was thick enough for that. Thats great news and will be done this weekend. Thanks!