Winterizing a 3.0L Mercruiser in the water.

[LouDoo]

I'm not ready to winterize the boat just yet, but I'm trying to formulate a plan, because I know it's coming. I keep the boat at the lake on a lift under cover, and I'm trying to figure out a way to winterize it on the lift. BTW our lake never freezes, or at least it hasn't in the last 25 years.

Here's what I have come up with so far:

1. Pull the boat out, on the trailer and service the lower unit, just change the lower unit oil, I put a new impeller in last year. Add marine stabil to the gas tank

2. Put the boat back in the lake and go for a short ride, fog the engine until it chokes out. Change the oil and filter, I have one of those suction thingies that pulls the oil out of the dipstick fitting.

3. This is the point I'm a little confused. Drain the water from the block, I think there are 3 or 4 drain plugs. Re-install the drain plugs and fill the block with RV antifreeze through the thermostat housing. Pump the water out and clean the bilge. Put the boat on the lift, put a couple of tubs of Damp Rid and cover the boat.

4. Remove the battery and take it home.

Notes on step 3, my old SeaRay all I ever did was drain the block, I did it that way for years and never had a problem. I guess the new theory is to either flush the block with antifreeze or in my case fill the block with antifreeze. Maybe I'm wrong but personally I don't feel that RV antifreeze has much if any corrosion protection. Mercruiser actually still recommends glycol antifreeze.

So does this sound like a plan? I'm certainly open to suggestions.

Lou

 

[Brian J]

Sounds good to me with a few comments. I probably wouldn't pull the boat just to change the lower unit oil. I would leave it on the lift, stand in the water and crack the lower screw (with a paper towel ready) just enough to get a sample of the oil. If it's pure oil it's good and don't bother changing it. If there's a little water, bleed that off. If it's all milky water/oil then you need to pull the boat and replace the seals that are leaking.

On the refil with antifreeze - I do not. You can read pages and pages of online debate on the topic, most will agree "air doesn't freeze"

On the battery, I would probably just disconnect it and leave it in the boat (I guess that depends on how long of a walk you have to your truck).

 

[LouDoo]

Thanks Brian,

On the lower unit, it's a really deep lake, I have an air lift, it's about 75' deep at the lift, but I can borrow a rental fishing boat to check the lower unit. I was kinda thinking the same thing on the antifreeze, in fact on the old boat I just left the drain plugs out until spring.

Lou

 

[Seadoobuddy]

Thanks Brian,
On the lower unit, it's a really deep lake, I have an air lift, it's about 75' deep at the lift, but I can borrow a rental fishing boat to check the lower unit. I was kinda thinking the same thing on the antifreeze, in fact on the old boat I just left the drain plugs out until spring.Lou

Lou, An air lift, whats the deal with that....do you have any pics of it....sounds neat. 75 ft deep at the lift, is this lift out in open water at an end of a dock or something.

Anyways, IMHO I wouldn't fill it with antifreeze if you can't first start in the Spring on land. Even though it may say it's Ok for dumping in water, I wouldn't do it. I winterized my boat for many yrs just by draining the water out of the blocks/manifolds/hoses etc. Although I now use the pink antifreeze (for the last 8-10yrs, I couldn't tell you why I switched ..) but I start it in my driveway in the Spring with the hose attachment.

 

[LouDoo]

Hi Tim, That's the way I've used to do it just drain the block and manifolds, it worked for many years. Probably the way I'll do it this year. Here's the lift I have, it the front mount lift, FM model toward the bottom of the page. It's a ballast tank, works on a shop vac blower motor, pumps air in to raise the lift. Actually the lift is fairly near the shore, it's a rock wall, just a deep lake. HydroHoist is another brand with similar operation.

http://www.econolift.com/products.html

Lou

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

I'm not ready to winterize the boat just yet, but I'm trying to formulate a plan, because I know it's coming. I keep the boat at the lake on a lift under cover, and I'm trying to figure out a way to winterize it on the lift. BTW our lake never freezes, or at least it hasn't in the last 25 years.

Here's what I have come up with so far:

1. Pull the boat out, on the trailer and service the lower unit, just change the lower unit oil, I put a new impeller in last year. Add marine stabil to the gas tank

2. Put the boat back in the lake and go for a short ride, fog the engine until it chokes out. Change the oil and filter, I have one of those suction thingies that pulls the oil out of the dipstick fitting.

3. This is the point I'm a little confused. Drain the water from the block, I think there are 3 or 4 drain plugs. Re-install the drain plugs and fill the block with RV antifreeze through the thermostat housing. Pump the water out and clean the bilge. Put the boat on the lift, put a couple of tubs of Damp Rid and cover the boat.

4. Remove the battery and take it home.

Notes on step 3, my old SeaRay all I ever did was drain the block, I did it that way for years and never had a problem. I guess the new theory is to either flush the block with antifreeze or in my case fill the block with antifreeze. Maybe I'm wrong but personally I don't feel that RV antifreeze has much if any corrosion protection. Mercruiser actually still recommends glycol antifreeze.

So does this sound like a plan? I'm certainly open to suggestions.

Lou

This is how I do them on a customer lift:

Spike fuel tank with stabil

Place boat in water start engine and bring up to temp.

Raise boat on lift

Drive service boat under stern drive, dump and refill drive oil.

Change engine oil and filter, run engine in lake and bring up to temp.

Lift boat remove bilge plug.

Remove all drain plugs (manifold, manifold elbow, block).

Antifreeze option:
Connect antifreeze jug (3 gallon jug) to flush muffs and attach to stern drive. Place jug on transom above engine and flip jug on it's side so antifreeze runs to muffs and start engine.

While running engine is filling with antifreeze, fog through carburetor until smoke plume appears and antifreeze is exiting prop hub exhaust.

Spray engine with protective oil.

Disconnect battery

Reinstall bilge plug.

 

[LouDoo]

Sportster, thanks for the input, what are the pros and cons of using antifreeze? Is it really necessary? It would be a step I would just as soon skip.

Also if I use antifreeze should I use RV or glycol, honestly I think the only reason to use antifreeze is for the anti corrosion properties, of which RV has little probably none. I probably shouldn't use glycol the way I store the boat because some is going to go in the lake.

Lou

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

Sportster, thanks for the input, what are the pros and cons of using antifreeze? Is it really necessary? It would be a step I would just as soon skip.

Lou

Antifreeze will reduce corrosion of the cylinder sleeves and manifold jacket, also keeps the recirc pump seal wet. We're discussing non-toc PG type potable system antifreeze of course, not the nasty EG type that I would never pour on the ground anywhere.

"Star brite® Wintersafe -50°F (-46°C) Non-Toxic Antifreeze provides excellent cold weather and corrosion protection for drinking water systems and all engines"

I think you can skip this step but in your case you seem to take superb care of your boat. Make sure the elbow drain is opened too, if it has one (item 30 of drawing). Install a petcock if there isn't one. I have yet to see a freshwater 3.0 with a pinhole in the cylinder sleeve, so you should be fine as far as I know. Another thought, perhaps you'd rather remove the recirculation hose and pour the antifreeze in.

Antifreeze Mandatory for salt IMO: I think for any raw water engines run in salt water antifreeze is a must, to avoid off season corrosion.

http://www.marinepartsplus.com/catalog/mercruiser/serial/120_GM_153_I-L4_1972-1978/+68582/1587-7