My engine is a 2001 5.0 EFI with an Alpha1.
For most of last week, the highs in Virginia were around 46 and the lows were around 23, so my boat was exposed to light winds and freezing temps for about 9-14 hours per day for 5 straight nights. I'm guessing that was cold enough to partially freeze the water in the block but not cold enough to freeze it solid.
I picked Saturday to pump antifreeze, the coldest day of the month so far at 38.
Here is what I did:
I'm not feeling real good about this because I barely used 1.1 gallons of anti-freeze and probably more than half of that came out through the exhaust. I doubt whether even a half-gallon stayed inside the engine block. Incidentally, the sterndrive was in the trailer position the whole time.
Here are my questions:
For most of last week, the highs in Virginia were around 46 and the lows were around 23, so my boat was exposed to light winds and freezing temps for about 9-14 hours per day for 5 straight nights. I'm guessing that was cold enough to partially freeze the water in the block but not cold enough to freeze it solid.
I picked Saturday to pump antifreeze, the coldest day of the month so far at 38.
Here is what I did:
- set up a plastic tank with 2 gallons of pink -50 marine anti-freeze
- connected ear-muffs and turned on the water
- started the engine, revved to 1000 RPM, and watched the temp gauge
- it took nearly 15 minutes to get up to 170, then it stopped rising.
- after a few minutes it fell to 165, then back to 170, then fell to 165 again, then back to 170
- I assumed the thermostat was now fully open, so I shut off the water and opened the anti-freeze valve
- after a whole bunch of pink fluid spilled into the driveway, I fogged the throttle body and shut off the engine
- I noticed that I still had almost a gallon of pink stuff left in the plastic tank
I'm not feeling real good about this because I barely used 1.1 gallons of anti-freeze and probably more than half of that came out through the exhaust. I doubt whether even a half-gallon stayed inside the engine block. Incidentally, the sterndrive was in the trailer position the whole time.
Here are my questions:
- How much fluid (anti-freeze) should my engine be able to hold?
- What did I do wrong, if anything?
- Could I have a bad thermostat?
- We're expecting a mild winter in Virginia. Do I need to repeat this process?