How to Winterize Boat

[SV216 1]

Anyone here winterize thier own boat? The manual is very confusing. 1.Do people just pull blue drain plugs, 2.blow air through system, 3.run antifreeze through system. Also what is involved with draining the heater?( Just pull off hoses.)

 

I have the black scorpion 330hp. I have been thinking of pulling all 8 plugs, letting water drain out, reinstalling plugs then tieing a pail of antifreeze to the water intake and start motor. Then pulling all plugs again. Is this over kill or what?

 

Oh, and ballast system, is pulling all the hoses off the pumps and filters sufficient?

[SV216 1]

What's the best way to fake a lake on a V-drive?

[Colombian Surfer 2]

OK, here is a good one. Take it from a lesson learned the hard way. Bite the bullet and take it to the dealership or an qualified/certified mechanic that knows what they are doing and remember to get references and actually call them. Let them do the work because they know what exactly needs to be done and if they are very good, they will put everything in nice little bags and tag everything as being "WINTERIZED" Not only that they will clean your battery's for you and shrink wrap it if you want to pay that little extra. This way, in case something happens or goes wrong, they are liable. A cracked block is not cheap my friend! These boats are investments and I want someone that knows what they are doing to handle my investment so that I get the most in return year after year. Kinda sounds like an Merryl Lynch commercial.

[99 air warrior 0]

That's Giving good advice I do it for a living (winterizing) misss one plug and that part will freeze, heater core must be cleared and antifreeze installed, showerl, head sink, ballast pumps and of coarse the engine and fresh water pump and hoses. it's very simple to do your self but one mistake and you pay alot more than winterizing. and lose time on the water because ten another people done the same thing . we have about ten engines freeze a season. heater cores are tuff to get clear. heater core installed 300.00 you can winterize for less 200.00 . engines 6000.00 and up heat exchangers for trans 200.00 . it doesn't matter how much money you have its the waiting for the repair to be done that tears you up I know I will hear how easy it is, that's true but I do it every da,y and I have a limited time to ride Joe

[islander033 2]

I totally agree, getting it professionally done is cheap insurance. Especially when It gets to be 40 below where I live.

[99 air warrior 0]

I don't know why people constantly give advice and they are wrong I was just on another sight and they are talking about the same thing this guy in canada say's to pull the four plugs and pull the boat around and the water will come out. first off if you have a 80's dirrect drive you can pull the two block plugs and the two exhaust plugs but if you don't pull the hoses off of the fresh water pump and the hose off of the trans cooler you will be replacing them. merc. cruiser also has a fuel cooler with two plugs that must be removed. thats the old days, today now boats have three ballast ,shower, heater and all the drain plugs everywhere else. I no they are not easy wher the engine on the v dive is has all your personal equipment, ballast tanks ect the front of the engine is facing toward the back master craft inlet is covered by the trailer so you have to pull the inside hose to supply water unless you have a pro flush which I never hardly see. you need to get the engine to temp to change the oil, and run it long enoght to get the fuel stabilizer through the whole fuel system. you need to also un hook the shower lines and heater lines to blow out and add antfreeze. then lift the front of the boat high enough so all water will drain from the ballast tanks.then you have to pull the ballast inlet lines all three so you can run antifreeze throght the pumps. or use a fake lake on all inlets . then you maintenance the battery. after installing the engine plugs you need to pull the upper circ pump hose and add antifreeze. easy Joe

[acpilot 1]

I have the Black Scorpion 330 as well, however I have a direct drive which is much easier to work on. The Winterization is not that hard as long as you are careful. I always make myself a checklist so I don't forget anything. This is what I do:

 

1. Add the fuel stabalizer and warm up the engine for 10-15 min on the " fake-a lake"

2. Change oil and filter, and tranny fluid

3. Restart engine and run it again until up to temp and thermostat open and turn off

4. Disconnect hose from fake-a-lake and attach a hose I built to a large bucket full off Anti-freeze, and remove flame arrestor

5. Restart engine ( already hot) and when I see anti-freeze coming out tail pipe I start to fog the air intake until exhaust smokey then turn off engine before bucket is dry. (Best to get a second person to fog or watch bucket).

6. Now in Vancouver I drain the engine via all the blue plugs. (In colder climates may choose to leave A/F in engine.) My theory is that if any water is trapped in engine somewhere it is atleast A/F.

7. I know remove the heater hose and blow them out and then fill them via a funnel with R/V anti freeze.

8. The ballast tank that I have is bag type in the rear locker and I drain it as best I can. Then I undo the intake line by the engine and stick it in a bottle of R/V anti freeze and pump some into the ballast bladder and the pump it out. When pink comes out then you know that all the pumps and lines have A/F in them.

9. Remove the impeller and store in a bag.

10.Remove batteries and store them in my shop on a trickle charger.

11. Grease steering mech

12. Lube throttle and gear linkages

13. Place in acouple of chemical moisture removers.

 

Good Luck

Edited September 17, 2008 by acpilot

[99 air warrior 0]

acpilot You have a great system that everyone else could do. it's just being careful and taking your time. the direct drives are great to work on try working on the v-drives with ballst tanks on both sides. everyone still could do it . it's just everthing is pressed against the stern, hoses, fresh water pump ect. the showers are tuff you have to get the hoses off the water tee's without breaking them. like you said the heater cores are tough to get the water out especially if someone mounted it with the hose fittings on top instead of the bottom. I don't know who started this fogging of the engine it was great during carb days I do not think this is a good idea with sensors and injectors. I am an auto emission tech. They just started putting cats on the boats, say good bye to that cat if you fog the engine. sensors injector seals do not like that oil, it should not be run through that throttle body. it would be better to remove the plugs and spray each cyclinder. they are starting to use o2 sensors good bye to sensors. the auto dealership I worked at had a problem with the oil in the k&n filters. when they were over oiled. started trashing them. it affected the injector 'O" rings Joe

[acpilot 1]

99 air warrior

 

Thanks for the info about fogging. My old boat was carburated so I fogged. I didn't think about the sensors. I think I will follow your advise and spray a bit into each cylinder.

[Colombian Surfer 2]

Those are some good checklist if you do it yourself. For me, I know that I would be careful, but I still do not want to take that chance. Mostly I do not have the time or the tools to do everything myself. I, IMHO, just feel better having the dealership do it and that way I am not second guessing myself and get a huge surprise at the beginning of the season. Call me crazy, lazy or whatever, I just want peace of mind.

[Team CBK......Nate 0]

I am sure that most of you guys are qualified to DIY, but seriously, if you even have a slight doubt don't do it. Take it to a dealership and have someone who is 100% qualified do it. It's different when you just have to deal with draining the block, but when you are dealing with ballast, heater and the engine it can get tricky.

[eleventenths 0]

That's Giving good advice I do it for a living (winterizing) misss one plug and that part will freeze, heater core must be cleared and antifreeze installed, showerl, head sink, ballast pumps and of coarse the engine and fresh water pump and hoses. it's very simple to do your self but one mistake and you pay alot more than winterizing. and lose time on the water because ten another people done the same thing . we have about ten engines freeze a season. heater cores are tuff to get clear. heater core installed 300.00 you can winterize for less 200.00 . engines 6000.00 and up heat exchangers for trans 200.00 . it doesn't matter how much money you have its the waiting for the repair to be done that tears you up I know I will hear how easy it is, that's true but I do it every da,y and I have a limited time to ride Joe

 

$200 for a winterization!?! my servicing dealer is over $400 this year....

[99 air warrior 0]

I don't know why your dealer is so high their are four tech's that will come to your house for 100.00 and up. Depending on your options like ballast heater shower ect. At the shop I worked at we started at 99.00 for winteriziation heater three ballast shower for right around 200.00 . Since I responded to this topic I lost my Job for thr forst time in 35 years due to the company shutting down all their stores. you come over to my house i will do the whole job for a 100.00. except oil and filter extra take a look on craiglist Reno and Sparks Nevada you will see four people today that wil do it cheap Quality work and one is not me. the point I was making was I do not want to miss any water time due to mistakes. I seen more than you could imagine every season . If you read wake world you will see where these guy's claim they can do it their self for 30.00 at home I can't even buy the oil and filter for that. All my prices do not include oil and filter Joe

[eleventenths 0]

I have the Black Scorpion 330 as well, however I have a direct drive which is much easier to work on. The Winterization is not that hard as long as you are careful. I always make myself a checklist so I don't forget anything. This is what I do:

 

1. Add the fuel stabalizer and warm up the engine for 10-15 min on the " fake-a lake"

2. Change oil and filter, and tranny fluid

3. Restart engine and run it again until up to temp and thermostat open and turn off

4. Disconnect hose from fake-a-lake and attach a hose I built to a large bucket full off Anti-freeze, and remove flame arrestor

5. Restart engine ( already hot) and when I see anti-freeze coming out tail pipe I start to fog the air intake until exhaust smokey then turn off engine before bucket is dry. (Best to get a second person to fog or watch bucket).

6. Now in Vancouver I drain the engine via all the blue plugs. (In colder climates may choose to leave A/F in engine.) My theory is that if any water is trapped in engine somewhere it is atleast A/F.

7. I know remove the heater hose and blow them out and then fill them via a funnel with R/V anti freeze.

8. The ballast tank that I have is bag type in the rear locker and I drain it as best I can. Then I undo the intake line by the engine and stick it in a bottle of R/V anti freeze and pump some into the ballast bladder and the pump it out. When pink comes out then you know that all the pumps and lines have A/F in them.

9. Remove the impeller and store in a bag.

10.Remove batteries and store them in my shop on a trickle charger.

11. Grease steering mech

12. Lube throttle and gear linkages

13. Place in acouple of chemical moisture removers.

 

Good Luck

 

reminder on 11-there is also a zerk fitting on top of the rudder post.

I did not see you mention adding one squirt of grease to the dripless prop shaft seal (adding more than this can clog your water supply tube to the seal).

[Joe B 17]

Thanks for the post 99. I would love to help a local guy out. Kinda a long drive. Good luck

 

I'm having my dealer do it. Better peace of mind while the boat is still in warranty.

[islander033 2]

$200 for a winterization!?! my servicing dealer is over $400 this year....

 

 

$400.00+ is the same as my dealer. I had a qualified and insured marine mechanic come to my house for $170.00.

[Shawn24 0]

Thanks ACPILOT.

I just got a 2006.  I'm in a small town, nearest mercruiser dealer is around 300 miles away.  People don't always winterize their boats because they are trying to save money. sometimes they just need to do it themselves or rely on some farmer who claims he knows everything.

 

[jtryon 24]

13-year-old thread brought back to life, wow!

since it's bumped up, there's a great thread on this site called "winterized my black scorpion" with everything a scorpion owner needs to know on proper winterization.