Winterizing - sump pump method - question

[lurtz]

Hey all,

I winterized my boat last week and something is still gnawing at me. Every year I use a small pony pump to pump a few gallons of antifreeze into the flush port while the motor is running. But I am concerned that I still may have water in the engine.

Boat: 2002 sportster le 951 carb

This year I did my normal routine.

1) Remove flame aresstor from carbs.

2) set up pony pump and five gallon bucket bucket of antifreeze

3) start engine and allow to idle on its own.

4) turn fuel selector to off

5) turn on pony pump

6) Spray stabil fogging oil into each carb easily

7) when carbs begin to runout of fuel full hose down of fogging spray into carbs

8) when engine dies shut off pump

9) remove sparkplugs and spray cylinders generously with fogging oil

10) use small fuel pump to remove all remaining gasoline from boat tank

11) remove battery

12) button up until spring


This method has worked well for me in years past. The question I have is that this year I did not gwt any pink antinfreeze coming out of the telltale pisser below the tow hook. I ran 3 gallons of antifreeze though the system. Am I safe?? I keep thinking about it. I dont want to have to put a battery back in, fuel up, and start the whole process over again. ugh....

Could there still be water in the system?

I have noticed that there does not seem to be as much water flowing out of the pisser when in the water but it runs great and I have had no overheating issues or warnings from the mpem. Could the hose going to the pisser be blocked?

What say you?

 

[Sportster-2001-951C-Stock]

Could be your pump wasn't strong enough to build pressure inside the exhaust water jacket. The pisser water outlet comes from the two high spots in the exhaust manifoldm the purpose is to provide an escape for any air that may be trapped in the manifold thus trapped air displaces cooling water.

Maybe there's some debris in one or both of the two pisser lines or fittings?

Nun-the less, I expect your winterization was sufficient.

My method is somewhat different and doesn't involve running the engine while introducing antifreeze.

Each time I remove the boat from the water, I restart the engine to blow remaining water out of the exhaust.

For winterizing, I use a pair of hemostats to pinch the engine block drain tube, disconnect the cooling hose from its barb on the cylinder head and pour somewhat less than 1/2 gallon of antifreeze through a hose-funnel into the head until the pink stuff runs out the jet pump flush port.

Then I squirt a bit of oil into the cylinders through the plug holes and turn the motor over a few turns by hand. About 1/2 ounce of oil per hole is plenty. I've been using regular cheapo outboard engine 2-stroke oil due to I have tons of it and it has a great anti-corrosion package.

Then I remove the hemostats from the engine block drain tube and watch for the pink antifreeze as it runs out the pump support drain. This also verifies my engine block drain is functioning properly.

Done!