2004 Sportster LE DI winterizing question, need your help.

[ssthz24]

Hello members, I'm a bit confuse with the winter storage antifreeze procedure. Should I fill the cooling system with antifreeze like the shop manual( hose pincher installed on the engine drain hose, disconnect engine water supply hose and pour premix antifreeze and/or do the exhaust flush of antifreeze. To be on the safe side, can I do both?

Thank you

 

[mikidymac]

Yes you can but make sure the engine is running whenever you are adding anything to the cooling system.

 

[ssthz24]

Hello Mikidymac, thank you for your quick reply. Just to make sure, when your talking about "whenever you are adding anything to the cooling system", are you talking about "exhaust flush of antifreeze"?

Thank you

 

[mikidymac]

I am talking about adding antifreeze or flushing the system. THe only way to keep fluids from going into the crankcase and cylinders is to have the engine running so the exhaust blowing out keeps it from going in.

 

[ssthz24]

Hello again, I'm a bit confuse... Regarding the exhaust flush I understand that the engine must be running before pumping antifreeze in the inlet near the exhaust.

But when I'm looking in the shop manual for the sportster LE DI, it does not say that the engine must be running for the "antifreeze colant method on the engine head". This is what it says;

1- Install a hose pincher to engine drain hose near the PTO flywheel guard.
2- Disconnect the water supply hose at cylinder head.
3- Temporarily install a short piece of hose to engine water outlet at cylinder head.
4- Insert a funnel into hose and pour antifreeze mixed.
5- Remove temporary hose and reconnect engine water return hose.
6- Remove hose pinchers.
And :
Most of the antifreeze will drain out when removing hose pincher(s). Use a container to recover it. Dispose of antifreeze as per your local laws and regulations. NOTE: Although antifreeze will mainly drain out, the antifreeze has mixed with the water that was possibly trapped in the cylinder water jackets and thus preventing freezing problems. At pre-season preparation, drain the remaining antifreeze from cooling system prior using the boat.

So again (sorry I'm new to this), I'll be running the engine for the exhaust flush but should I follow the shop manual regarding the "antifreeze colant method on the engine head".

Thank you for taking time with newbies.

Have a nice one

Sylvain

 

[mikidymac]

Your ski has a wet pipe so the water goes into the head and cylinders then into the waterjacket on the pipe and then dumps into the inner body of the pipe. If you put antifreeze in the head and cylinders it will make it's way into the exhaust chamber.

If it was mine I would have the engine running. The last thing you want is water and/or antifreeze sitting in your cylinders or crank all winter.

I would fog the engine when you are finished with the antifreeze.

 

[ssthz24]

So just doing the exhaust flush with engine running should be fine then for the winter (like this:

)? It smeems easier... than doing both. Of course, fogging, fuel stabilizer and jet pump oil change will be made...

Thanks

 

[mikidymac]

That is a 4-stroke so it is different than yours. But, yes if you do yours from the back flush port like that it will protect the entire engine for freezing. But, again make sure the engine is running the entire time.

 

[ssthz24]

Do you suggest (like in the video) to finish by blowing 55psi air to remove the excess or leave the antifreeze in?

 

[mikidymac]

Just leave the antifreeze.
Most of it will drain out anyway since the engines have a low level drain hose and will get almost all of the water out as long as they aren’t blocked with sand.

 

[ssthz24]

Thank you very much.

 

[tintagel55]

I also have a 2004 Sportster LE and am winterizing myself for the first time. Regarding the winter storage antifreeze procedure...As an alternative to the manual directions, would adding antifreeze through the upper flushing connector port (next to the oil tank cap), with the lower flushing connector capped and the engine running, sufficiently protect the cooling system? It seems to me that gravity would carry antifreeze through to the exhaust.