Winterization question

Cal Coon · 11-01-2019, 07:59 PM

I have a mercruiser 350 magnum. I winterize my engine through the earmuffs because I figure it is going to get antifreeze everywhere there was water... I run the engine up to running temp to get the thermostat open on the garden hose. I then drain the riser's and the block of all the (hot) water. Then I put the plugs back in the riser's and the block, and I have a 5 gallon jug that has it's own set of engine ears. I then start the motor back up while running on the engine ears connected to the 5 gallon jug of RV antifreeze. It is gravity fed. I run about 15 gallons through the system, making sure that all I see is "pink" coming out of the exhaust, and just before I run out of antifreeze, I fog it, and stall it out on the fogging oil. I then leave it just like that for the winter. I leave the antifreeze in it. After the motor cools down, I spray it down completely with wd40 silicone to preserve plastic and rubber, and helps to keep critters away. I also dump about a half gallon of antifreeze down the bilge just to mix it with any standing water. I also put a couple of the little buckets of scented "damp rid" in the boat. One in the cockpit area, and one on the floor of the cuddy cabin. That is my annual ritual, as well as changing the gear oil in the outdrive. It is now ready for shrink wrap...

Dtodt223 · 11-02-2019, 04:38 PM

hey guys thanks for all the tips and advice. I think I got it sorted today. I might have been using the riser hose instead of the manifold hose last week. I also back the trailer up onto a ramp on one side to get the motor to tilt the opposite way. I also made sure to run coolant through the lower unit pickup hose! Thanks all. Now i have another problem/question I'll be creating another thread for.

Blue Thunder · 11-03-2019, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cal Coon

I have a mercruiser 350 magnum. I winterize my engine through the earmuffs because I figure it is going to get antifreeze everywhere there was water... I run the engine up to running temp to get the thermostat open on the garden hose. I then drain the riser's and the block of all the (hot) water. Then I put the plugs back in the riser's and the block, and I have a 5 gallon jug that has it's own set of engine ears. I then start the motor back up while running on the engine ears connected to the 5 gallon jug of RV antifreeze. It is gravity fed. I run about 15 gallons through the system, making sure that all I see is "pink" coming out of the exhaust, and just before I run out of antifreeze, I fog it, and stall it out on the fogging oil. I then leave it just like that for the winter. I leave the antifreeze in it. After the motor cools down, I spray it down completely with wd40 silicone to preserve plastic and rubber, and helps to keep critters away. I also dump about a half gallon of antifreeze down the bilge just to mix it with any standing water. I also put a couple of the little buckets of scented "damp rid" in the boat. One in the cockpit area, and one on the floor of the cuddy cabin. That is my annual ritual, as well as changing the gear oil in the outdrive. It is now ready for shrink wrap...

15 gallons? That’s a lot of anti freeze wasted.

Cal Coon · 11-03-2019, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Thunder

15 gallons? That’s a lot of anti freeze wasted.

(A lot) cheaper than a new motor. I wasn't aware of any "shortage" of anti freeze. Didn't know I was supposed to be "conserving" it. I like to run it for a few minutes on antifreeze to ensure the thermostat opens completely for maximum circulation, and more importantly, peace of mind knowing that the antifreeze gets to every crack and crevice where there was water...

nhcatrider · 11-03-2019, 04:34 PM

I helped a friend do his this morning, he used a 30 gallon drum and plopped the outdrive right into it, ran it until it was up to temp and the mixture in the drum was warm, fogged it and put it to bed. The drum gets covered so nothing gets into it and is reused the next year. Works for him.

camp guy · 11-03-2019, 04:57 PM

Boats are like women, hence, the use of feminine pronouns, in that no two are alike, and what works for one may not work for another. I rest my case.

11-03-2019, 04:57 PM	#6
camp guy Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: formerly Winter Harbor, still Wolfeboro Posts: 1,224 Thanks: 317 Thanked 560 Times in 310 Posts	Winterization question Boats are like women, hence, the use of feminine pronouns, in that no two are alike, and what works for one may not work for another. I rest my case.

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11-01-2019, 07:59 PM	#1
Cal Coon Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Lakes Region Posts: 475 Thanks: 175 Thanked 158 Times in 100 Posts	I have a mercruiser 350 magnum. I winterize my engine through the earmuffs because I figure it is going to get antifreeze everywhere there was water... I run the engine up to running temp to get the thermostat open on the garden hose. I then drain the riser's and the block of all the (hot) water. Then I put the plugs back in the riser's and the block, and I have a 5 gallon jug that has it's own set of engine ears. I then start the motor back up while running on the engine ears connected to the 5 gallon jug of RV antifreeze. It is gravity fed. I run about 15 gallons through the system, making sure that all I see is "pink" coming out of the exhaust, and just before I run out of antifreeze, I fog it, and stall it out on the fogging oil. I then leave it just like that for the winter. I leave the antifreeze in it. After the motor cools down, I spray it down completely with wd40 silicone to preserve plastic and rubber, and helps to keep critters away. I also dump about a half gallon of antifreeze down the bilge just to mix it with any standing water. I also put a couple of the little buckets of scented "damp rid" in the boat. One in the cockpit area, and one on the floor of the cuddy cabin. That is my annual ritual, as well as changing the gear oil in the outdrive. It is now ready for shrink wrap...

11-02-2019, 04:38 PM	#2
Dtodt223 Member Join Date: May 2019 Posts: 24 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	hey guys thanks for all the tips and advice. I think I got it sorted today. I might have been using the riser hose instead of the manifold hose last week. I also back the trailer up onto a ramp on one side to get the motor to tilt the opposite way. I also made sure to run coolant through the lower unit pickup hose! Thanks all. Now i have another problem/question I'll be creating another thread for.

11-03-2019, 04:34 PM	#5
nhcatrider Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 167 Thanks: 19 Thanked 29 Times in 27 Posts	I helped a friend do his this morning, he used a 30 gallon drum and plopped the outdrive right into it, ran it until it was up to temp and the mixture in the drum was warm, fogged it and put it to bed. The drum gets covered so nothing gets into it and is reused the next year. Works for him.