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how to winterize a 8.1L Crusader ho 425hp inboard engine

Marc Marino

New member
trying to get a jump on things here....my mechanic is out of service...and would like to winterize my 41 1991 silverton myself this year....detail is important ...I do oil changes but never did winterized the motors.
 
what you need to do will depend upon where you are located. Start with your engine owner's manual. You can also search "winterize" on this forum...many excellent posts with time saving tips.
 
Ditto Mark. Every application has it's differences, and the last thing you want to do is miss something not touched on here. Here's my take; there are so many posts at the beginning of the season that eventually turn out to be cracked blocks and manifolds. I suspect mostly due to improper wintering. If you have to ask how to do it (no offence here), then it's probably something you shouldn't attemp just yet. You may consider (I've done this for several) hiring someone to winterize and show you as he's doing it. This way, there's a better chance that everything will be covered and that you're better prepared for next year....take notes and pics. You really have to wiegh the cost of hiring someone versus the cost of possibility replacing an engine.
 
I live in downstate New York. I watched and helped someone do it twice before on another boat I had. I read and followed many posts. On my FWC twin 454 1991 carb'ed engines, I use a 5 gal bucket full of 5 gals pink antifreeze and remove hoses from sea strainers and suck up the pink stuff. I join the hose to a longer hose to reach the bucket. During the last 2 gals I spray fogger into the carb. I have my son at the exhaust looking for "pink" to be seen exiting. He is verifying the white smoke too. Its hard to see the smoke on windy days. You have to be able to sleep at night all winter.
 
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When I did mine for the 1st time a couple of years ago with my wife (she watches the exhaust), it somehow came up in the dead of winter that one side was "a little more pink than the other". Great feeling for the next 3 months.

Now when she says it's "bright pink", I let it run for another 30 seconds :)

Bob
 
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