Winterization: Tranny and Gearbox

Hi.

Here I go again, a new boat. Blew up the Baylinerownersclub.org website 4 years ago, now Here I go with MarineEngine.com!!! I am getting ready to buy a 1981 Gibson 42' twin 350 c. i. Crusaders, V-Drives.

The PO and I actually drained the system just as he had done for the past 5 years. Drained: Exhaust manifolds, engine petcocks (blocks), and RAW water impeller. No Pink Stuff! (We also did the water system and Generator with the pink stuff just so ya know)

So my Q is, what about the tranny and gearbox? Did he get lucky the last 5 years just draining the water? It got to -30F last year...

Thanks so much!!!

Capt Ron

Misterrobot said:

Hi.

Here I go again, a new boat. Blew up the Baylinerownersclub.org website 4 years ago, now Here I go with MarineEngine.com!!! I am getting ready to buy a 1981 Gibson 42' twin 350 c. i. Crusaders, V-Drives.

The PO and I actually drained the system just as he had done for the past 5 years. Drained: Exhaust manifolds, engine petcocks (blocks), and RAW water impeller. No Pink Stuff! (We also did the water system and Generator with the pink stuff just so ya know)

So my Q is, what about the tranny and gearbox? Did he get lucky the last 5 years just draining the water? It got to -30F last year...

Thanks so much!!!

Capt Ron

Click to expand...

My Gibson pretty near has the same gear, twin 350s V-drives and RAW water cooled. I drain the manifolds, the blocks and then have an adapter that fits on a fitting at the seacocks and turn the engine on and run close to 5 gallons of the "pink-stuff" through...it eventually comes out the exhaust.

I'm not sure why you would want to drain the tranny...mine just has tranny fluid in it but I do think the V-Drive has to have "pink-stuff" run through the cooling pipe or else there could be trapped water in the system. I think my procedure pretty well protects everything...including the pump and impellor.(I am running in fresh water).

I am not an advocate of draining any engine and just letting it sit for 6 months "dry" as I personally feel that it does little for all the internal seals.

Listen to Don! There's all kinds of places where water can be trapped if you don't run the Pink Stuff through. Where? You'll find out in the Spring! In addition, the Pink Stuff keeps the air out, which retards rusting all winter.

Jeff

PS: Did mine yesterday. Ran 4 gallons through both motors.

here in southeast VA chesapeake bay, I leave the boat in all the year long. no need to drain anything BUT, it can get cold so leave a 60watt light on in the bilge helps. FWC engines, riser, manifolds, standard Sendure heatexchanger.
we dont get really cold to FEB and then maybe 20's at night and daytime typically mid 30's.
The boat also is a greenhouse with all the glass windows. So if it is sunny, it warms up a lot.
possible that the large fiberglass mufflers could be an issue, but never yet and I dont think they have frozen on me before with the salt water sitting in them

What mix of GREEN antifreeze do you run in your engines? Each of mine hold 23qts. Typically I dont run 50/50 since it impedes heat transfer in the heat exchanger. This winter thinking of 1.5 gallons per motor.

Took this off the INet......Us raw water guys can not use any green antifreeze up here...it is illegal. Certainly one can use it in a FWC system and here is some info ..

looking at that chart makes me think 25% solution is good enough.
In the past I have added something called waterpump and antirust lubricant to the coolant.
Any ideas on what is good to put in there along with the glycol?

sdowney717 said:

looking at that chart makes me think 25% solution is good enough.
In the past I have added something called waterpump and antirust lubricant to the coolant.
Any ideas on what is good to put in there along with the glycol?

Click to expand...

I think you are wasting your money...if you "feel" antifreeze it feels like it is sort of a "lubricant" in itself and antifreeze has a rust inhibitor already included. I believe the bearings in a water pump are sealed so why"lubricate".


From a respected source...
Introducing 'soluble oil' into the cooling system will only make a mess and reduce cooling capacity. Antifreeze provides all the lube that a water pump seal needs. Water pump bearings are sealed units that never touch the coolant.