Back in the saddle

[rick1954]

Well, it was a sad day this past Saturday, Seascape went back to the saddle for the winter. Then last night we had snow, wow, that is what I call cutting it close. Hey, I had beer in the fridge to finish LOL.

Okey, someone told me that I should fog the engin, I can understand the reason, but how could I do it now with the boat out of the water, there is no way to get water in the pump?? I guess I could remove the belt to the pump, the engin would not care.

Hope everyone had a wonderful season

[Paul]

I run and fog my engine on the out of the water every fall. To do this I first drain the water from the engine and manifolds. Then I place a large bucket under the exhaust to catch the coolant as it comes out of the boat. In the bottom of the bucket I have a 1100 gph bilge pump connected to a 5/8" vinyl hose which pumps the coolant back to the water intake under the boat. Here I use a tube from a hand cart tire as a seal sandwiched between the hull and a piece of Starboard. The Starboard has a bulkhead fitting in it to connect the other end of the hose to and the whole thing is held in place with a two piece extendable pole.

I then pour Prestone and water into the bucket at a 70/30 mix, turn the pump on and run the engine until it's warm, adding coolant as required to the bucket. I then fog the engine. By the time the coolant mixes with the remaining water in the system, it becomes a 50/50 mix and is good to -37°F. Having the entire system filled with anti-freeze also prevents internal rusting thru the winter months.

I use the same setup to winterize the generator.

Hope this helps.

[rick1954]

Thanks Paul,
I was wondering how one hooked up to the water inlet, nice, I will be doing that. In the past I would remove the hoses and pure antifreez down them, it has worked so far but you never know if you have it right.

[Paul]

When using this method, it's important to run the engine long enough to allow the termostat to open. It also requires a few more gallons of coolant than your system actually holds. when your done you'll be able to pour these back onto the Prestone jugs from the bucket and save it for next year's storage.

[chucka]

My approach is similar to Paul, but a little different. I think most people use propylene glycol, non-toxic antifreeze rather than ethylene glycol for the raw water side.

Before I start on the raw water side, I check the strength of the ethelyne glycol mix on the fresh water side of the heat exchanger. If it's due I flush and refill the block with a 50/50 Ethelyne Glycol - water mix. I always warm up the engine to change the oil before putting her up for the winter. I open the top of the raw water intake strainer and stick in a garden hose to provide cooling while warming up the engine.

With the engine is up to temp, and running, I remove the garden hose and pour in about 2-1/2 gallons of straight propylene glycol non-toxic antifreeze (also available at discount stores and automotive suppliers for RVs and campers)

http://ecatalog.westmarine.com/full.asp ... odId=32239

It helps to have someone watching over the transom to observe when the antifreeze reaches full strength at the exhaust outlet. At that point, while an assistant continues pouring in antifreeze, I pour about 8 ounces of Marvel Mystery oil directly into the carburetor. I start pouring the fogging oil gradually at first then faster toward the end to stall the engine. It takes just under 3 gallons of antifreeze for one FWC Chrysler 318. I like Paul's approach of recirculating the anti-freeze, but with dual exhausts that's a little too much effort for me. Since the propylene glycol is non-toxic and can be used in potable water systems, I don't worry about spilling a couple of gallons.
Regards,
Chuck

[Paul]

Hi Chuck,

You have a heat exchanger? Nice. I have an open cooling system so what ever I put thru the intake is what I end up with in the engine. For fogging I use Quicksilver spray oil. Spray until it stalls and it's protected.

[ltbrett]

get a fake a lake. Makes winterization really easy.

http://www.boatfix.com/shop2/scripts/pr ... =798-FAK01

[Paul]

Fake A Lake is a great item for running off a garden hose, however not so good for recirculating coolant. It doesn't seal 100% therefore tends to leak around it's edge. I lost a couple gallons of coolant on the ground with Fake A Lake. Nasty mess.

[Dan Faith]

I have a 30 ft sport fisherman with twin 318's and an F32 with 360's.
The way I winterize is quite simple.
318's take out thermostats, take hose off water pick up(raw water cooled) take hose off transmission cooler and drain and replace. Then put a five gallon bucket filled with -50 RV Marine anti freeze put pick up in bucket start engine when 5 gallons is gone stop engine by fogging.

360's same except no seperate line to transmission cooler so don't have to do anything Engine drains out pick up start with 5 gallons in bucket and follow same as above.

I have done this for eight years and never a problem I live in Ohio near Sandusky so it gets cold up here. It takes about 15 minutes per engine and cost about $15.00 per engine. Next spring take thermostate gooseneck off replace thermostate put in water and your ready to go.

[fpawn1]

Had fittings put on intake hoses--raw water cooled--so I can flush the engine with a garden hose. Once done I run anifreeze to the engine the same way. However, I think I did not let my starboard engine heat up enough to open thermostat--going to re-do just for my satisfaction

[Dan Faith]

I remove the thermostats so I don't have to warm up the engine, if the thermostat is closed the antifreeze does not go into the engine and you stand a very good chance of cracking the block or minimum pushing out a freeze plug. Thermostate is very easy to take out and maximum cost would be a new gasket next year.

[mr elevman]

i fitted a standered hose bib to the water intake hose inbetween the seacock and the strainer i hook up a transfer pump and a 5 gallon buckit and do it that way i havent had a prob