Winterizing

[darin]

I bought a 22' Tige this spring, and as the cold approaches I'm needing to get it winterized. I can't believe how much the dealers want to do this. I would like to do this myself, but I need a definative list of what should be done.
I plan to take it in in the spring, as it is time for an oil change and new impeller, but doesn't winterization just involve fogging the engine and draining all the water. I use to do this on my old boat, but it had a carburator, and I knew all the hoses and plugs. Any ideas where I can get directions?

Thanks,
Darin

[poohpotta]

If you don't mind me asking, how much have you been quoted for this service?

[darin]

I've been quoted between about $150 and $250 around here. Its a bit more than normal they say because the boat has a heater on it.

[ghollow]

Winterizing is not that tough. Check Mercruiser's webpage.
I change my oil. Add fuel stabilizer to the gas tank and fill the tank. Run the motor until it gets up to normal tempature. This will fill the fuel system with gas that has stabilizer in it. Remove the spark arrestor and spray about half a can of fogging oil down the throttle body with the engine running. Once you have done all that, kill the engine, remove the spark plugs and give each cylinder a squirt of fogging oil. Then turn the engine over to lubricate the cylinders with fogging oil. Replace the plugs. If you have the Mercruiser, there will five blue drain plugs around the engine. Remove them and drain all of the water out of the engine. Top off your transmission fluid and your done. be sure to disconnect the batteries.
At the beginning of next season replace your water pump impeller and fuel filter. The engine should crank back up again at the beginning of the season. It may smoke a little until the fogging oil is out of the system. Be sure to grease the rudder.

[Tip]

I've got a guy who comes to my boat house and does the winterizatin for only $85.

In addition to draining the water fom the block, my guy recommends putting pink anti freeze in the block, this will minimize the corrosion inside the block.

[wolfpack]

Make sure you know how many blue plugs there are. Mine has 6.

[darin]

This is just what I need. The only other twist is that I have a heater on the boat. There is a water circulation line that goes up to the blower under the console. Do I just disconnect the hose and maybe blow some compressed air through it?

(I wish I could find someone who would come out and do it for $85.)

[Tip]

I don't have a heater so I can't help there. Good luck with it!

[bfrank]

I have a slick system to get the anti-freeze into the block, I have a bucket with a hose on the bottom. I fill the bucket with anti-freeze and hook the hose up to a fake-a-lake on the water intake on the bottom of the boat. (almost forgot i run the boat with the garden hose with water to let the engine heat up so the thermostat opens first) with the bucket all hooked up I fire up the boat and gravity and the water pump suck the anti-freeze inot the block, I just wait for it to come out the exhaust and I know its through the system. I still check the freeze plugs to make sure anti freeze is in the whole system by just turning them out untill I see the anti-freeze appear.

[darin]

Cool idea!

Just to make sure I get this right....

Run the boat like normal hooked to the hose to warm it up.
Turn it off and take out the plugs to drain the water.
Hook up the bucket of Anti-freeze and start the engine again
Run it until the Antifreeze comes out the exhaust and turn it off.

-Or do I put the plugs back in b4 starting it?
-Also, do you fog the engin after this, or try to time it such that it stalls just as you are getting the anti-freeze through?

[bfrank]

To tell you the truth I never fog the motor. I change all the oil (tranny and engine) and do like I told you above. Its important to see that thermostat open, once it opens I shut it down and hook up the bucket. I learned this system from my father who has two chevy 327's in his 1962 chris craft, he's done it this way for years. I do stablize the gas and fill it up. Living in Wisconsin we gennerally get months of below 0 days, and I have never had a problem with winterizing my boat or my familys boats.

[Domsz06]

I never fog the motor either. I tend to use mine year round. It might sit a month, but I always wondered if fogging it is necessary. I always pull the plugs out, fuel stablize and then cover it and put two heaters on the block to keep the block at 50. When i get in it during the winter I have to work in shorts and t-shirts even when it's 0 degrees F. The cover and those two heaters keep the boat at around 70 degrees. I think that's good enough, what does anyone else think?

Dom

[Tip]

Good idea on the heaters. Not only does it prevent freezing, it keeps the mildew out!

What kind of heaters do you use?

[Domsz06]

I just use two small space heaters from walmart. I'd get one that oscillates, they work even better. They never get hot and work great:)
Dom

[RZMike]

I was going to buy one of those "air dryers" I've seen at Boater's World, but the space heater sounds better and cheaper. :D

The air dryer is supposed to keep mildew away which is the main reason I wanted one. I guess a space heater will do the same?

[Chris Wilcox]

I work for a boat dealership and when I winterize, I put stabilizer in the fuel, enough for what is in the tank. Then I get the engine up to operating temp. and fogg the engine, through the carb or throttle body until the can is gone then kill engine. I pull the block plugs(maybe knock senser on some engines) the exh. manifold plugs or hoses, the engine circulating pump hose, the sea water pump hoses & a plug on the side top on v-drive models). Some engine hose routings I still have to pull the hose off the oil cooler(always look for low hoses that may hold water). If the boat has a heater I pull the inlet & outlet hoses off the engine & blow compressed air threw them. If it has a shower I take the hoses off the manifold for the shower & blow compressed air threw them(most of the time the hot water will come from the engine block plug). Open shower sprayer on the shower & blow air threw it, to get water out of the pump(it will brake if water is left in it).
If it sounds like to much for you I would take it to a dealer & let them do it. They have to back there work & engines are extremely expensive. We charge $108. for all of that. Good luck!

[Thomas Chobot]

I tried the antifreeze in the bucket trick. The bucket was on the ground with a hose hooked up to the Fake-a-Lake, however it wouldn't suck. Then we used a funnel and filled it up and the antifreeze went through the system. Can you tell me why it wouldn't suck the antifreeze from the bucket on it's own?

[bfrank]

You have to have the bucket above the intake for the water, gravity will make the water always run to the lowest point. If the bucket is higher than the water intake the anti freeze will be right at the pump. I have enough hose on mine so I keep the bucket on the trailer fender.