Winterizing

[islander033 2]

Damnit, now after I showed off... (thanks islander) I can't find one of the 5 port plugs

They are all blue right?

 

They are blue.......how was your ride?

[h20king 794]

did the same thing so i droped trailer in front pulled center drain and hosed out bilge plug came floting foreward and stoped at the tank it was to easy

[DarksideR 1,679]

yes, blue, try way way down under in the back! (little kids come in handy for this my friend)

 

No, I found that one, then dropped the friggin thing when trying to put it back and spent the next 10 mins blindly feeling around under the engine to find it!

 

Question... Is it normal to have what looked like black paint chips coming out with the water? I've been a little afraid to ask this in fear of hearing something enormously bad.

[h20king 794]

dont think you have anything to worry about it is normal to have some debri .sand anything realy the boat can suck past intake grate a cheep fix for this is to install a 65 dollar seastrainer same as used on the ballast just larger

[Joe B 17]

Question... Is it normal to have what looked like black paint chips coming out with the water? I've been a little afraid to ask this in fear of hearing something enormously bad.

 

I have them and figured out it was the carpet backing that slowely flakes off and gets washed into the bilge.

[DarksideR 1,679]

Im not sure that's it... they seem to be brittle black paint. Very thin, like paint flaking off. OH well. You guys could be right though, will see if I get more next year. Thanks for your input.

[SurfNewMexico 0]

Help... i live in southern new mexico.. 07 avy c-4 will be in insulated storage shed.. will have a couple of nights below freezing all winter... i'm wanting to do a limited winterization. we're still using boat and probably can til first weekend in december... (surfed til bunns hurt this past weekend) and going this weekend... question is if you were doing a limited winterization what all would you do????

[Foiler 1]

Help... i live in southern new mexico.. 07 avy c-4 will be in insulated storage shed.. will have a couple of nights below freezing all winter... i'm wanting to do a limited winterization. we're still using boat and probably can til first weekend in december... (surfed til bunns hurt this past weekend) and going this weekend... question is if you were doing a limited winterization what all would you do????

 

I am in the same situation as you. I have talked to a few people and you have some that use antifreeze and some that don't. The manual says to use it and that raised some concern for me but since I like to use my boat most of the year I like the ability to just drain everything for free and be able to use it again on a warm day and then just drain it again in case there is another cold night. Here is my plan:

 

Pull 8 blue plugs on 07 typhoon 330hp black scorpion engine. Pull 2 water drain plugs on the V-drive (one is on the front and the other is on the back, next to the large water inlet and outlet hose) and drain the large clear plastic strainer going to the ballast system. From what I can tell this is the most basic yet safe way to winterize. I don't have a shower or heater. I was told by one dealer that pulling the clear strainer off of the ballast was usually enough for the ballast but I will probably put the inlet hose on the ballast pump into some RV antifreeze and pump a little into each tank and then pump it out of each tank so all of the lines and pumps have antifreeze and no water and then I will just not use the ballast until next summer, we don't really use the ballast much anyways. I am quite certain this should work but if anyone has any other ideas, I would love to hear them.

[WakeDoc 471]

We are in a similar enviroment, keep in mind that it is always warmer inside and out of the elements. I have used a drop light in the past, dropped it one time and scared the shat out of me, thought what if it had broke. Last couple of years we have used an electric heating pad, the kind that cannot time out, most you find have a built in timer you cannot bypass. I drain the water in the block and pull the lower hoses off, then lay the heatin pad in the engine box. We have never had an issue with this method BUT, keep in mind that we never completely winterize like our northern friends and usually get out once a month in off season. This year I am going to try to find a small oil filled heater to replace the heating pad. When it gets cold enough to worry put the heater in the boat, snap on the cover and it sould be fine.

[Foiler 1]

This year I am going to try to find a small oil filled heater to replace the heating pad. When it gets cold enough to worry put the heater in the boat, snap on the cover and it sould be fine.

 

Man that is kinda scary to me. If you lose electricity for any reason, you are screwed but if you at least pull the block and manifold plugs at least the damage would be minimal. I don't have electric at my storage so that isn't even an option. Ohhh to have my own heated garage some day, that will be sweet!!!

[WakeDoc 471]

We hardly get below freezing, if we do it is not more than a day of two. The boat is in a barn, covered with the snap on cover and another canvas cover over that with a tarp draped over it if its freezing conditions with a heater. It is only a mile from the house so I usually go by and check on it if it is that cold.

[Smokytrail 0]

When I kept my boat in my heated garage, I always just drained the blodk when the engine was still hot (I wore Mechanix gloves). I was told that any residual water would evaporate from the engine's heat. I thought that it would be my luck that my heat would go out due to a snowstorm or something.

[SurfNewMexico 0]

Thanks guys'... all of these are great ideas... doc.. we get out a couple times a year just to cruise around also.. i think i'll pull all plugs, undo belt, pour a light mixture of af into ballasts, plug electric space heater in and place it near back of boat, cover with blankets, then tarp... like putting my girls to bed ..... lol...

[JP2 5]

Well Winter is coming and need to know how many Blue plugs on the 6.2 Engine?? I found 8 but don't want to miss any!

Thanks in advance.

[Lafork 0]

I was also wondering if anyone knew what the thread pattern was on these little blue 1/4" plugs. On a previous boat I had it had 90 deg ball valves which replaced the little blue plugs and it was so easy to open and close them when winterizing and summerizing. I went to the local automotive shop and they had no idea what thread pattern they were.

[kmoney 2]

last year i fogged the engine. after reading some threads it doesnt sound like this is necessary. i pulled each spark plug and sprayed the fogging stuff in and replaced with old beat up plugs. do i even need to pull the spark plugs if i do not fog the engine?

[kmoney 2]

any advantage to having a full tank of gas or not before storage?

[islander033 2]

any advantage to having a full tank of gas or not before storage?

 

Less room for condensation to build up is all that I can think of. Don't forget the stabilizer.

 

 

As for the fogging....I've read good and bad from both sides. Last few years I've watched my techs winterize my boat and they didn't fog or mess with the plugs.

[Colombian Surfer 2]

As for the full tank, that depends on the gas you are using according to Mercruiser. The new "gas" has a chance of separating and causing lumps to settle in the bottom. So it is ok to store with an almost empty tank and just put in Stabil. Might be BS, but what I was told.

[kmoney 2]

the gas is 10% ethanol (with stabil)