Winter maintanence

[geomaster]

Hey guys Just started winterizing the boat (tige 21i - Mercruiser 350 MPI5.7L EFI) and had a couple questions:
So far I stabilized fuel, changed oil, drained engine block, remove thermostat to fill with antifreeze)

Do you change the transmission fluid at this time? Or is it changed on some other interval? (it's not really specified in the manual) What is the replacement process? What transmission fluid should be used? (It looks like Dexron II has been deprecated)

Additionally it's noted that the fuel filter should be replaced. Does anyone actually do this before the winter? Or do you do this after the first gas tank of the new season (after refueling the the tank with fresh gas)?

Anything else important? Should corrosion preventions on the engine and areas susceptible to corrosion (propeller shaft, prop)? (I realize fogging wouldn't be a good idea as this motor is fuel injection)

Do you guys use On Off to clean the hull? I have mild brown staining throughout the hull (which doesn't wash off with soap) and wasn't sure if it was to use this as it appears very potent and heard it could damage the trailer. Any thoughts?

Thanks for all the help.

[embo]

On OFF was recommended by a shop I use. It is costic! Wear gloves, mask for nose and mouth and eye protection. This is important. Find a spray bottle and fill it up with some On/Off. You won't need much. Spray it on let it sit for the minute or whatever it says to do and then I wiped the stuff off and then hosed it off. I used a sponge and kind of scrubbed/wiped the stuff over the areas I wanted and then washed off with a hose. It didn't do anyting to the trailer and I was told it wouldn't. It will clean very very thoroughly any aluminum (bracket that holds the swim platform). It will discolor the exhaust outlets or other plastic/rubberized pieces. I didn't put it anywhere near the graphics or something like that. It works really well. I had lake scum on my boat from sitting in a lake all summer. It took about 10 minutes to completely remove all scum. It looks like the scrubbing bubbles add on tv when you spray the stuff on. As it drips down the side, you can actually see it cleaning.

Again DO NOT INHALE AND WEAR PROTECTIVE HAND, EYE AND BREATHING EQUIPMENT!

I wouldn't let this stuff sit on anything too long until I tested it on something I didn't care about but the recommended time they say to use the stuff worked just fine.

This stuff was recommended by a shop that works on inboard boats only. They said if this stuff didn't do it they would have to do light sanding and buffing to get it off. They have been in business since '89 I believe. If you have questions, just ask.

Hope this helps.

[Lightning Rod]

Use this for your lake stains, I use the powder mixed with hot water and its great
http://www.slimygrimy.com/

I was told it was better to change the oils in the spring, gets all that winter condensation out at the same time.

[brainlpb]

Tige Winterize

So where is the thermostat, is it marked? Engine manual is worthless... MPI 5.7L on 2007 24ve. I pulled all the plugs that the dealer does (2 knock sensors, 2 plastic screws, 1 brass screw on some device with hoses on either end down near the ballast tank that the dealer always pulls, changed the oil, any other hoses I should blow out? Ie the hoses to the heater I can identify and I know they use water but there are a lot of hoses back there. Or don't worry about hoses?

[chpthril]

So where is the thermostat, is it marked? Engine manual is worthless... MPI 5.7L on 2007 24ve. I pulled all the plugs that the dealer does (2 knock sensors, 2 plastic screws, 1 brass screw on some device with hoses on either end down near the ballast tank that the dealer always pulls, changed the oil, any other hoses I should blow out? Ie the hoses to the heater I can identify and I know they use water but there are a lot of hoses back there. Or don't worry about hoses?

The heater hoses need to be pulled and blown through. If the water sits in the heater system, the core will likely pop whan it freezes.

The t-stat housing is on the top front of the engine and is where all the water hoses junction.

Did you get the transmission cooler drained? Sounds liek that's what you descibed with the brass plug and hoses on each end down by the ballast, and that's the ballast pump manifold. IMO, leave the plug in and pull one of the hoses off, it's 10X easier.

If you are adding anitifreeze, you should be good. When was the last time the transmission fluid/V-drive was changed?

[brainlpb]

Haven't messed with transmission fluid. The boat has 100-120 hours on it. Unless the dealer has done it in the past, but I doubt it. The dealer lost their Tige dealership. Should it be done?

[brainlpb]

If I add anti-freeze, where do you add it at? I doubt the dealer ever did because there is lots of rust inside the knock sensor holes.

[chpthril]

Haven't messed with transmission fluid. The boat has 100-120 hours on it. Unless the dealer has done it in the past, but I doubt it. The dealer lost their Tige dealership. Should it be done?

It's only a few quarts of fluid, and there's no such thing as over-maintenance Cant remember if the 07's had the Walter V-drive/Borg Warner trans setup or the ZF unit. The ZF uses all Dexron trans fluid, but is 2 separate units. The Walter V-drive uses 30W non-detergent oil and the Borg-Warner trans uses Dexron trans fluid.

[chpthril]

If I add anti-freeze, where do you add it at? I doubt the dealer ever did because there is lots of rust inside the knock sensor holes.

Where do you live? You will not need to mess with the T-stat if you are NOT adding Marine/RV antifreeze.

[brainlpb]

North Idaho... it gets cold here for sure.

[ajholt7]

It's only a few quarts of fluid, and there's no such thing as over-maintenance Cant remember if the 07's had the Walter V-drive/Borg Warner trans setup or the ZF unit. The ZF uses all Dexron trans fluid, but is 2 separate units. The Walter V-drive uses 30W non-detergent oil and the Borg-Warner trans uses Dexron trans fluid.

Just wanted to add that my 08 has the ZF and both the trans and v-drive are filled with SAE30w oil. Something to pay attention to.

[chpthril]

Just wanted to add that my 08 has the ZF and both the trans and v-drive are filled with SAE30w oil. Something to pay attention to.

I've heard that some have come from Tige that way, but I believe the owners manual states Dexron and the folks at ZF say that is correct.

[brainlpb]

So on the heater hoses, are you blowing them out from the engine ends of the hoses or hunting down the heater and blowing them out at that end?

[chpthril]

So on the heater hoses, are you blowing them out from the engine ends of the hoses or hunting down the heater and blowing them out at that end?

Pull them both off at the engine and blow the water out through one.

[skindog44]

I'm in north Idaho too, and all I've done for this is pull the pugs, transmission cooler hose, and run stabile. Did you decide to run antifreeze thru your engine? If so, how did you do it? I didn't think it was needed but don't want to have a prob come spring.