WINTERIZATION...the "W" word

[tonyiiiafl]

I winterize the water system and sanitary systems myself and have had no issues. I was thinking of doing the Kohler 6.5 myself this year, engines I can't do, as I have to run the boat up the river to its winter storage place, so the Marina does this.
Please advise on what I tghink is a proper procedure:

The genset has a heat exchanger. I was going to CLOSE the seacock, and open the strainer to allow what sea water is in to drain out, with my transfer pump, it is a straight shot from seawater pump to strainer, so I am confident that will empty the sea water. Then I was planning on taking the hose off of the raw water pump for genset, and putting a short piece of hose on it, start the genset and flush out the heat exchanger with fresh water. Lastly, I would pour antifreeze (-100 stuff) into the hose with the unit running until I got a steady flow out the side exhaust port.

Sound reasonable?

[Midnightsun]

My method is rather simple. I disconnect the intake hose at the generator and put it in a 5gallon jug of antifreeze. Run genset until there is no more antifreeze and shut her down until next year. 5g sounds like a lot but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

Also make sure you clean out the strainer and drain it.

[bud37]

Source of the post Sound reasonable?

yup....just to add, check your antifreeze in the system as well, and if you have the lift muffler , there is a drain screw you can remove to drain it. You can actually drain it first then you will see just how much anti freeze you need. Also, if you have a racor type fuel filter for the gen, drain it first to make sure no water in the catch bowl.
With your shop vac you can blow back the thru hull to clear that line.

Good grief, you really have to watch spell check more than normal now for some reason ...

[buster53]

On a fresh water cooled engine, which you have...easy peasy.
Have 2 gallons of fresh water and 2 gallons of anti freeze close at hand. Close the seacock, open the strainer. Have the first mate start up the genset while you pour the 2 gallons of fresh water in the strainer to flush and follow up with the 2 gallons of AF. As you finish pouring in the AF, have first mate shut down the genset. Done and less than five minutes. Been doing my engines and gensets that way for years. Even do this with my engines at haul out. Pull my boat into the travel lift slip and I can have my engines winterized while the yard guy is moving the travel lift into place

[Randazj]

All,

I am fairly new to this forum and the proud owner this year of a 2003 Mariner 350. I have written a what I believe to be a comprehensive winterization process but I am looking for feedback. I have plenty of experience doing I/O's but this is my first inboard. Please comment on whether your process is similar or if you think I missed anything.

350 MAG MPI RWC instructions for on dry pavement (procedure does not include freshwater system or genset)

Supplies
10 gallons of WestMarine -100 AF
Fuel Stabilizer
TRAC's FLUSHCAP for Groco Sea Strainer 3/4 Hose
5 Gallon Bucket
Oil 25w-40 quick silver synthetic blend
Oil Filter
Trans Fluid Dex3
Mercruiser 2 stroke oil
Fuel injector cleaner


1. Pour proper stabilizer in starboard and Port tank
2. Shut seacock
3. Install Groco flush cap on strainer and run engines with fresh water hose to operating temperature about 160 degrees
4. Change engine oil
5. Change trans oil
6. Run engines again with fresh water and check level
7. Drain Engine Block all blue caps
a. Exhaust elbow drain x2, cylinder block drain x2, y-fitting drain on knock sensor x2
b. Remove hoses form seawater pump and crank slightly (NO START)

8. Drain Muffler
9. Fill 5 gallons of AF in bucket and drop hose going to Groco cap in 5 gallon bucket
10. Connect auxillary tank with fuel cocktail to engine (mercruiser service bulletin recommendation for fogging)
a. 5 gal rec fuel (non ethonol)
b. 64 fl oz. (1.89 L) Mercury or Quicksilver Premium Plus 2-Cycle TC-W3 Outboard oil
c. 5 fl oz. (150 mL) Mercury or Quicksilver Fuel System Treatment and Stabilizer,


11. Run engine until blue AF comes out exhaust
12. Check engine block by unscrewing engine drain petcock to see If blue, if blue stop leave AF in engine for Anti-corrosive purposes
13. Open Seacock
14. Corrosion protection spray exterior of engine

[Midnightsun]

I never bothered to add antifreeze when I had Merc engines, simply removed the blue plugs and poked around with a wire to make sure there was no sediment. Air don't freeze. Many do prefer to add antifreeze after for a warm and fuzzy feeling but not required. Did this for over 20 years in temps down to -35.

Welcome to CYO.

[Randazj]

Thanks for reply MidnightSun. The main reason I do the antifreeze is to prevent corrosion in the block and exhaust manifolds. The others is incase you have any water left in some pocket or other area, then your in trouble. Items like the water cooled drip less shafts or the transmission cooler, I have no idea how to drain. Pumping the AF through the systems makes me feel comfortable all these auxiliary parts are covered

Source of the post I never bothered to add antifreeze when I had Merc engines, simply removed the blue plugs and poked around with a wire to make sure there was no sediment. Air don't freeze. Many do prefer to add antifreeze after for a warm and fuzzy feeling but not required. Did this for over 20 years in temps down to -35.

Welcome to CYO.

[buster53]

Source of the post I never bothered to add antifreeze when I had Merc engines, simply removed the blue plugs and poked around with a wire to make sure there was no sediment. Air don't freeze. Many do prefer to add antifreeze after for a warm and fuzzy feeling but not required. Did this for over 20 years in temps down to -35.

Welcome to CYO.

I had a buddy who didn't winterize his engines, preferring to put a heater on his boat for the winter.
One spring day when he started up his engines for the first time, I just happened to be standing on the dock next to his transom. If you had seen what came out of his exhaust, you would never NOT USE antifreeze. It looked like thick, brown mud. It was sickening to watch. When I start up my engines, the anti freeze that came out of my exhaust was as clean as the day I put it in the engine, 5-6 months earlier.

[Viper]

Source of the post....The main reason I do the antifreeze is to prevent corrosion in the block and exhaust manifolds. The others is incase you have any water left....

BINGO!

[Randazj]

As I read posts around the internet there seems to be so much misconceptions about winterizing RWC engines. Some folks are saying pull the thermostat or heat the motor or AF won’t get through the block. If you drain the block completely and draw in the AF, my experience has been that antifreeze gets through the block. When I loosen the lowest block drain plug, it’s always blue AF that comes out. Anybody had a situation where this is not the case?