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Winterizing

"Hi Everyone,

I plan on f


"Hi Everyone,

I plan on filling a 5 gallon tank with anti- freeze. I'm then going to pressurize it with about 40 p.s.i.. It is an old Coca-Cola tank that was used to feed syrup to Soda Fountain machines. I'm going to connect the out- side of the tank to the Mufflers. I'm not sure about the correct terminology. I'm talking about the earmuffs that you hook a hose to. I'm then going to run the engine until the tank is empty. I'll use a bucket to catch any spillage.

Will this work? Is this all I need to do to Winterize?

By the way, I'm the new boater with the cracked block. I removed the Manifold, and the Starter. I cleaned the area with a Dremel tool. A Welder is coming over Saturday to take a look. The crack is very bad. I think that it is hopeless. I just want to patch it so that I can Winterize it.

I think that I'll be looking for a Longblock over the Winter.

Thanks for all of the input on my last post. I forgot who recommended cleaning the patched area with a Dremel. That is one awesome tool.

Thanks, Skip"
 
"Skip: I knew you would like

"Skip: I knew you would like the Dremel--it can do just about anything. I even grind down my Weimeraner's bear claws with it.

Add fuel stabilizer at a minimum rate of one ounce per two gallons of fuel to the fuel tank and then fill the tank to 90% capacity.

Get the correct oil filter and a gallon of 25W40 wt. engine oil needed to change it. Get a can of spray engine fogging oil. Get two quarts of marine non-foaming O/D oil, 80-90 wt. You will need a grease gun with marine grade lube--small cartridge type will work.

Drain the water out of the block and exhaust manifolds by removing the petcocks. Use a piece of wire to probe the drain holes to knock the sludge and rust loose. Reinstall the petcocks snug. Pull off the hose from the bottom of the engine water circulating pump (front)to drain any residual water. Reinstall snug.

You don't need to pressurize the tank; let gravity and a tank vent do the work for you. Wrap the earmuffs around the water intake and then duct tape them snuggly to the lower unit.

Start the engine and run it at idle; pump 5 to 6 strokes of grease into the zerk fitting on the top right side of the gimbal to lube the bearing while it idles and watch the level of the full strength Marine pink antifreeze in the jug.

When the antifreeze has been coming out the exhaust hub (capture it) and the tank level is down to 1/4 to 1/3, start fogging the engine by spraying into the carb opening while keeping the RPMs up only enough to keep it from stalling; maintain the antifreeze level in the can and don't let it run dry while fogging; stop the engine when smoke starts pouring out the exhaust.

Pump the engine oil out through the dipstick using a drill pump or use the drain hose if equipped. Change the oil filter and check to see if the old filter gasket came off with the filter. Wipe the mount clean and prime the new filter and lube the new gasket with clean oil then install it until the gasket makes contact--now turn the filter by hand another 3/4 turn.
Refill you engine oil to the correct level.

Grease the rest of the zerk fittings on the outdrive with several pumps on the handle. There is one zerk fitting on the coupler shaft inside the boat on the engine's rear output shaft--pump it several times. Also one fitting on the rack and pinion at the rear of the engine.

Drain the O/D by removing the lower plug on the left side of the bullet nose and the vent plug on the left side on the top of the lower leg--it's stamped VENT in the case. Install new gaskets on the plug screws; make sure there are none left on the drive from the last person. When it has drained about 20-30 minutes, use a cheap oil can pump and hose attached to the bottom drain and start pumping fresh O/D lube 80-90 wt. marine grade drive oil, non-foaming type into the drive until it starts flowing out of the vent hole. Turn the pro a few times by hand while pumping the oil. Install the vent plug snug and then you can install the lower plug.

Service the wheel bearings and remove the batteries to a dry place and keep off the floor and away from any pilot light or spark source. Top off the battery water level with distilled water to the bottom of the fill hole. Install a "battery tender" that will keep it charged thru the winter.

While you have the starter off, and if it is not a new one, consider taking it to a shop that services starters--clean, lube, install new brushes if needed and load test it.

Think that covers it. Guy"
 
"Don't forget to sound the

"Don't forget to sound the structure for wood rot. See what kind of weld job you get--it may hold a long time. Before you buy an engine and if the boat structure is solid, consider a complete drop-in engine versus having to pay the labor to transfer your old parts to the long block. Might be the same cost or close to it."
 
"Skip and Guy, There is a much

"Skip and Guy, There is a much easier, better way and safer way to introduce the antifreeze. Since you have already pulled the drain plugs, simply dump some full strength AF down each hose (6 hoses on a V engine), until you see the AF emerge from a drain plug. Now install the plug and fill the hose with AF. The block and manifolds will then fill up as well. Do the block drain(s) and manifold drain(s) this way. Now dump some AF down the raw water hose and it will push residual water out of the water intakes in the outdrive. When you see the AF emerging from the exhaust relief holes (on the transom part of the OD0, thru the prop and out of the intakes, you know you got all the water out.

PS, if you do not drain the water before using the old AF thru the muffs trick, you will likely have plain water somewhere in the block, and another freeze crack over the winter."
 
"Hi Guy and Chris,

I real


"Hi Guy and Chris,

I really appreciate the information. I wish that I had something to contribute here.

Guy, I'm going to try to remember to send some pictures of the boat including the cracked block to you.

I do plan on ripping up the floor when it comes time to putting in a new engine. I'm going to replace all of the framing just as you have. I would like to contact you when that time comes. I'm afraid of what may be under there. I would have never thought of it.

Thanks, Skip"
 
Chris:
Chris: I winterize my


Chris:
Chris: I winterize my boat the way you suggest. Skip wants to do it with muffs which is a method many people use due to its simplicity. But I agree about the possibility of some residual water left in the cooling system with that method. Guy
 
"Skip: Why wait? You have al

"Skip: Why wait? You have all winter long. Just pull out the carpet and cut the floor into 12" sections--set the saw depth to 7/16" and stay away from the strakes (edge). You can see where the wood ends on the sides of the boat. There will be a depression where the wood ends and the resin was sprayed to fill the void. The floor will come right off since it was only stapled. Is your tetanus shot up-to-date? Get it done.

Cut the foam with a SAWZALL on low speed(it will be water logged) into bread loaf size blocks and pry them out. JUST WATCH HOW DEEP YOU CUT! Cutting a little at a time is better than having the hull repaired--been there; done that--duhh! Now you can see if there is rot or only wet wood; which can be dried out over the winter and CPES treated.

If you can put it in a garage and seal it up with heavy clear plastic and put a dehumidifier in the boat with a drain hose going out the hull drain you'll dry it faster. Start the dehum. on medium-low then increase it each week until it is on high dry. Let it do its thing. REMOVE THE FUEL TANK FIRST and seal the fill and vent hoses. Running a GOOD fan on low will keep moisture from forming on the inside of the plastic and speed dehumidification.

To allow the transom and stringers to drain out any water, drill 1/4" holes (wrap the drill bit with duct tape fo a depth gauge)at the bottom of the stringers about 1" apart and paralell to the hull. Do the same for the transom at the bottom and across the middle and the top to allow air circulation and ventilation for gravity drainage.

Keep me posted. Guy"
 
cracked block! Check out lockn

cracked block! Check out locknstitch.com I did good as new. You do not need a new block!!!
 
"locknstitch any crack, anywer

"locknstitch any crack, anywere, any time even a hole you could put your hand in"
 
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