Some winterizing questions...

[Jarabacoa]

After reading everything from manuals to articles, I have a few questions that I am sure you guys can answer. Most just say what needs to be done but not how it is done.
1. How is this done while on the trailer? ie. running the engine
2. What's the best way to winterize the ballast tanks and heater?
3. How do you actually run anti-freeze through the engine? Does this stay in or run through?
4. My lake water contains lots of lime and calcium. I am wanting to run a vinegar solution through the lines and tanks to clear this out. How would one suggest doing this?

Thanks in advance.

[NautiqueJeff]

1. How is this done while on the trailer? ie. running the engine

There are several ways to do this, including using fake-a-lake (http://www.skidim.com/prodinfo.asp?number=FAK01&variation=&aitem=1&mitem=1), flush-pro (http://www.skidim.com/prodinfo.asp?number=DP6&variation=&aitem=2&mitem=10), etc. The way I always did it on my '94 SN was to simply disconnect the raw water hose from the thru-hull fitting on the inside of the hull. I would place the end of the hose in a five gallon bucket filled with water. Have a garden hose running into the bucket while running the engine. It helps to have some way to control the flow of the water through the garden hose so that you don't overflow the bucket or starve the boat for water.

http://www.skidim.com/images/DP6.JPG
Flush-Pro

http://www.skidim.com/images/1.JPG
Fake-A-Lake

2. What's the best way to winterize the ballast tanks and heater?

Find the water lines that go to the heater. They usually are connected to a T fitting on the water line coming from the engine, if I remember correctly. Disconnect both lines that go to the heater, and use compressed air to force the water out of the lines.

CC recommends removing the rear tanks from the boat completely, and draining the tanks through the water intake opening. Obviously you'll need to remove the water lines from the tanks first. The center tank has a drain plug that can be accessed easily from the opening in the floor. Remove the plug, allow the water to drain, and replace the plug.

3. How do you actually run anti-freeze through the engine? Does this stay in or run through?

Before doing the following, be sure to drain the block, all hoses, and transmission cooler. Mixing marine grade antifreeze with ANY water DRAMATICALLY reduces its ability to protect.

Once you've completed all other winterization procedures (except fogging), turn off your water hose that you have running into the five gallon bucket, and fill the bucket with marine grade (pink) antifreeze. You will need AT LEAST five gallons. Run the engine at IDLE, pumping the antifreeze into the engine. If you're planning to fog your engine (not recommended on some EFI models), this is the time to do it. Spray fogging oil into the intake while the antifreeze is going into the engine. Once all anitfreeze has been pumped through the engine, stop fogging and quickly turn the engine off. Do not start it again until next Spring.

4. My lake water contains lots of lime and calcium. I am wanting to run a vinegar solution through the lines and tanks to clear this out. How would one suggest doing this?

I'll leave this one to someone else, since I have no experience doing anything like that.

This post is not intended to be an all-inclusive winterization procedure. I personally have not winterized my '03, and don't plan to until the warranty expires. Until then, I'll let the dealer handle it.

[M3Fan]

I might just add- you don't necessarily have to use antifreeze. This comes down to personal preference. Some say it helps inhibit corrosion, while some say the AF eats away gaskets. I personally just leave it dry because it's one less step, and one less thing that could go wrong. I'd rather have no liquid at all. All personal preference.

[tryan]

most boats with a heater have a closed/fresh water cooling system. you should have your dealer show you the step by step process for YOUR specific boat. that would be the smartest thing to do.

i store my boats in an unheated garage, that does not get below freezing. i still pump the block full of antifreeze to inhibit corrosion.


is the calcium and lime runoff from farm land?

[Jarabacoa]

tryan,
The calcium and lime is due to my lake being an old gravel quarry. Probably limestone.

[tryan]

do you just get deposits or does it cause corrsion? if it's limestone the water should have a low ph. most newer type antifreezes are close to neutral ph to keep the plastic parts from getting brittle. ( your standard prestone stuff has a ph of about 10. okay for metal, but tough on plastic)

do you have a heat exchanger? ie fresh water cooling?


everybody differs on their opinion about pickling their boat. here is mine.

fill the fuel tank completely with the proper amount of stabilizer. run the boat with a flush pro, fake-a-lake or the bucket method, to get the stabilized fuel into the system. ( the local mechanic at travis marine says that stabilizer is even harder to clean out than the varnish that is left over from evaporated fuel )

while the oil is up to temp, i choke her down with fogging oil. now i change the engine and tranny fluid. the acids in the old oil will eat away at your motor over the winter.

open ALL of the drains. (this is why a recommend the dealer). you should have a couple on the exhaust manifolds, a couple on the block, your tranny and engine oil coolers will have drains and your heat exchanger might have one or two.

remove the strainer if you have one and clean it.

blow out the speedo tubing.

i manualy pump straight antifreeze into the block from the block drains up to the thermostat housing.

i take the exhaust manifolds off and oil them. ( yes, i am sick.) and reinstall.

belts are removed. the impeller is removed and bagged.

spark plus are pulled and cylinders get the 10 second shot of fogging oil. i bump the motor a couple times and reinstall the plugs.

the key is put in the bag with the raw water impeller. tape the fuel vent shut. tape the exhaust flaps shut

the battery is removed and brought inside the house to get a trikle once a month.

wash it. wax it. throw some dryer sheets in the floor. engine cover cracked open. pray for summer to roll around again.

just my opinion, but i am sticking to it.

[Jarabacoa]

Hey guys, thanks for the info and answers to my questions. It's greatly appreciated.