Winterization

"I need to winterize twin 502&

"I need to winterize twin 502's EFI Mercruisers.I am familiar with the process from my other boat [twin454 mags]. But the 502's are real tight and it looks real hard to get to the petcocks on the blocks.Any other suggestions or procedures? Also I usually fog out the carbs,but what do you do with fuel injections? Thanks Ray"

"Raymond: There is a recent p

"Raymond: There is a recent post about running antifreeze thru the engine via the I/O intake. I use SEA FOAM in my fuel since it preserves fuel, cleans injectors, intake mans., engine carbon buildup, etc. Use it based upon your fuel capacity. Dump it in the tank and then top the tank off so it will mix. It will make it to the injectors while you add the antifreeze with the engine running.

Since there is water in the block you aren't draining, run the engines to operating temp with water only via muffs until the engine reaches operating temp and hot water is coming out the exhaust. Then switch to two gallons of full strength antifreeze and then swith to a 50/50 blend or 60/40 if you are in a severe winter area. Capture some of the antifreeze coming out the exhaust when you think you have enough in it and test it for freeze point. Not enough protection? Switch to straight antifreeze again about 2 gallons should do it--test again."

"If there's a chance that

"If there's a chance that the temperature would get really low, I wouldn't mix it and the RV anti-freeze is cheap enough that using 5 gallons is worth not having to worry about the motor cracking. I usually recommend not letting the anti-freeze get too cold when winterizing because it can close the thermostat if it's too cold. I also remove at least one of the block plugs to make sure what comes out is a similar color to what was in the jugs.

Get the anti-freeze with the lowest temperature rating you can."

".."Then switch to two gal

".."Then switch to two gallons of full strength antifreeze and then swith to a 50/50 blend or 60/40 if you are in a severe winter area."

Look out! Adding water to Pink Stuff raises its freezing point to dangerous levels. This is not true of the Green Stuff, but it is not supposed to be used where it can dribble onto the ground.

There's no reason at all not to leave the concentrated Punk Stuff in the motor all winter. It not only does no damage whatsowever, it prevents rusting. Nor have I ever heard of it "sticking a thermostat". Rust will do that, however, which is why I change mine (raw water system) every winter. Cheap insurance.

Jeff"

""Look out! Adding water t

""Look out! Adding water to Pink Stuff raises its freezing point to dangerous levels."

That's right, and I don't know of any dealers who purposely dilute pink RV anti-freeze. Even if it doesn't freeze solid, it can turn into a pink slushy and when there are ice crystals, there is expansion, which is a problem. Much better to use more and not have the motor turn to junk.

The regular car anti-freeze shouldn't be used at all in boats- there are others that are better, environmentally, that work fine if the boat has closed cooling and it's not just dribbling onto the ground that's a problem. People still fill their motors with the bad stuff and go right to the lake for the first time out and flush it right into the water. If it gets into the ground water and people drink it, they can die, just like other critters. Pink RV anti-freeze isn't the only kind available. There are some that are rated down to -100 F and should be used if the temperature goes extremely low."

"Thanks, Jim.

Believe it

"Thanks, Jim.

Believe it or not, the normally smart folks who publish the Boat-US newletter suggested a 50 % dilution of Pink Stuff, thinking it was the same as ethylene gycol! I sent them an e-mail on the subject, but they never retracted their error--I'll bet they feared generating lawsuits up the whazoo from people who took their advice.

Jeff"

"Guys:

My reference to di

"Guys:

My reference to diluting antifreeze was not based on the Pink Stuff which HAS BEEN lacking in anticorrosion additives and is generally used for waste water antifreeze in RVs and boats with raw sewage plumbing and and potable water sources. I have a 1987 4.3L that needs the anticorrosive additives due to the amount of rust & scale that comes out of it when prepping for storage.

Many boaters use Pink Stuff in boat engines whereby one should follow your advice concerning NOT diluting it. I just researched PEAK RV and Marine Antifreeze. It has on its label burst-proof protection to -50°F is guranteed if used full strength and is PINK.

My apologies for the error of not naming the brand (marine grade, not RV approved, blue in color). I should have clarified my advice on the type of antifreeze that I was referencing which is similar to automotive antifreeze and will freeze if not diluted per the instructions on the container.

Now that I have researched the PINK STUFF today such as the aforementioned PEAK brand, I'll be switching this next month to the improved PINK PEAK universal antifreeze.

Thanks for the tip. I guess I was still in the DARK AGES on the improvements made to RV/Marine antifreeze making it suitable for anticorrosion protection for engines. Mea Culpa! Guy"

"OK I am ready to wintrize .Si

"OK I am ready to wintrize .Since I cant get to the drain plugs on the blocks, this is what I am thinking ... Pulling the outdrives,I made a connector to go right into the inlet hose that leads to the raw water pump. Ill run the engines to operating temp with water then Ill run the pink AF through until it comes out the exhaust. The only thing, I'm wondering if I should pull the thermastats first incase they close.?"

"Raymond: Can you get to the

"Raymond: Can you get to the petcocks on the exhaust manifolds and drain them? Buy 12 gallons of RV/Marine antifreeze. They now have it rated @ -50 or -100 deg. F. Get the -100 deg. if available.

If you are going to change the engine oil and filter, run one engine at a time on water and ear muffs for 10 - 15 mins. to get it warmed up.

Open what petcocks you can--leave them open; close them when you see antifreeze coming out of them. Place a large container by the O/D to put under it and catch the excess antifreeze when it starts to come out.

Now remove the the lower hose attached to the front engine circulating pump and lower it to drain any water. At the thermostat housing, remove the small hoses that cool the exhaust mans. and the large hose from the water circ. pump. You can change the thermostat in the housing if you want to for insurance--use the OE type only; aftermarket T'stats can be less reliable. Removing the built up scale in the housing takes some work. Get a Dremel so you can grind away the scale and rust and polish the T'stat base on the inside of the housing; you'll see what I am talking about when you try to remove the old T'stat. Use a little NEVER SIEZE on the bolt threads when you reassemble it.

Start with the engine circ. pump lower water inlet hose, pour 1/2 gal. into it and reconnect it.

Next, since the block has water in it, pour at least 3 + 1/2 gallons of antifreeze into the large hose removed from the T'stat housing--that should push out some of the water as the antif. enters the block; when you are done pouring, jump out and capture a cup of the antifreeze coming out the exhaust as the flow slows down for freeze point testing; use an auto type antifreeze 5 ball tester and check the freeze point of what you captured; you want to see at least 4 of 5 balls floating at the top. If not, pour in another gallon and retest another sample; reattach the hose when satisfied.

Now pour 1/2 gal. of antif. into each small hose at the T'stat housing and reattach the hoses.

Change your engine oil and filter and grease the zerk fittings on the rack and pinion and engine coupler shaft back of the engine. Change the fuel filters.

Since you are pulling the O/Ds, service them per the manual. Repeat the procedure for the other engine. Recycle the captured antifreeze and engine and O/D oils. Guy"

"thanks Guy, Yes I can get to

"thanks Guy, Yes I can get to the exhaust manifolds to drain them but there is no petcock there ,just the hose connected to an elbow with a clamp.The oil and filters have been changed already.These motors are real tight(twin big blocks) and it very difficult to get to the lower half of the motors.I thought if I removed the thermostats and started the motors with pure pink AF going through them that it would circulate through the motors cooling system and when it came out the exhaust pink it would be ok???? Does the antifreeze tester work on pink AF-50"

"Raymond:
You can remove th

"Raymond:
You can remove the T'stat from the housing but it isn't necessary: remember what I said about removing them after they have been in a long time? Run a 5 gal. bucket of A/freeze via a short hose to the muffs if you want to do it that way. There is a jug and hose kit just for doing it that way--just use enough A/freeze to ensure it gets enough of it in the cooling system; TEST a sample coming out the exhaust. The A/freeze tester will work. Go to the website below and see the kit and how it works.

http://www.wholesalemarine.com/servlet/the-271/Winterization-Kit-Starbrite-35001 /Detail

For me, I would try to get at least one of the petcocks opened on each block. Remove them from the block and probe the hole with a length of a coat hanger to loosen the gunk and rust--water should squirt out of the petcock hole if it's not clogged; which all of them clog. Get a long armed slim teenager that can worm his way to the petcocks--remember to tell him: lefty loosy and righty tighty when he removes them. I will use a box end 1/2inch wrench to stick over one end of the petcock "T" and use it like a lever.

You don't have to remove the T'stats to get A/freeze into the block. By pouring it through the water circ. pump hose that you disconnect from the T'stat housing, A/freeze goes right into the block."