Layup 101

[Sagbay32]

Do I have to put antifreeze in my block and cooling system? First time winterizing myself. Is there any way to blow out the water remaining after you open the drains on the block, manifolds, accessories? I was told that I needed to pour antifreeze in all of my water hoses.
1995 classic 18 350 mag/ Alpha/ carb

[Rootsy]

way i've done it for years since i don't have an antifreeze tank like most marinas to run my motor on while winterizing.... Get some fuel stabalizer and add the correct amount to your fuel tank. run the boat on the garden hose til it is at temp and run it for a bit to make sure it is warm so that the thermostat is open. This also makes sure that you have fuel w/ stabalizer in the lines and carb so nothing varnishes. Shut it off and drain the water from the block and exhaust manifolds (4 plugs) one on the bottom of each manifold one on each side of the block, you should get a good stream of water for a minute or so, watch out it'll be quite warm. Replace the plugs after the water has stopped draining (if nothing comes out or stops stick a small screwdriver or pick in there... rust tends to collect and clog em up) and have a 5 gallon bucket of antifreeze and hot water mixed up 50/50 (good to about -35F). Put a bilge pump with hose in the bucket and rabbit ears on the hose and put on the stern drive. start the pump and the boat motor.... get ready iwth the fogging oil and when the bucket is about empty (45 seconds or so) spray your fogging oil down the carb til she sputters good (or quits altogether)and then shut the motor off. change your oil and do whatever else you want to do... unhook and remove the battery, place it somewhere it won't freeze and set it on a block of wood or a shelf. this method hasn't failed me in a dozen years.... making sure the thermostat is open is the important part so that you get antifreeze THROUGHOUT the motor.

-ready for the cooooooold michigan winter-

Root

[BigGrizzly]

I just drain it then remove the t-stat and pour the anti freeze in. The anti freeze has rust inhibiters in it. drain all the hoes then put anti -F in the intake hose crank the engine ( not start)to put it in the water pump and its done . I do not have a water pump in the lower unit. if I did I would do the final steeo that Root does. On more detail when draining for summer do the reverse and capture the anti-freeze, don't dump it in our lakes Bio degradable or not. The new merc manual says just to drain it for thay reason and have neat but fragile pladtic pluggs in the block. The other alternative is move to south Florida. just north of Cuba

Randy

[Sagbay32]

I wanted to put hiperformance lube in my lower unit and wanted to clean out the remaining gunk in the (square) lube monitor bottle. On the bottom is a large nut with wires coming out of it. Do I remove this nut to take off the lube bottle or just throw in the hipo lube? Also how do I drain the speedometer pickup (Alpha gen II).

Thanks for all the help.

[Rootsy]

i believe the resevoir bottle will pull out of the steel bracket holder... you can turn it over and dump it. the Gen II should have Hi Perf lube in it already.. is it dark greenish blue? this stuff isn't cheap but it's worth it... the speedo pickup should be self draining. To drain the sterndrive just remove the top plug and put a bucket under the skeg and remove the bottom plug... Fill from the bottom til gear oil comes out the top hole. Replace the top plug and then quickly the bottom... if you have hi perf lube already you won't need to do anything but make sure the resevoir is up to the full level.

[Sagbay32]

Thank you for the tips. I am going to do it today. Is there an easy way to drain the power steering cooler? I am having one hell of a time getting in the port side of the engine compartment.

50 deg in Mich today. I think I will wear shorts

[doug hess]

To winterize I put a plastic mason's 2'x 3' pan (HomeDepot) under the I/O with a gallon of antifreeze and equal amount of water. That mixture is usually good to -10 degrees. Then put sump pump in the pan with short hose to rabbit ears on I/O.

Turn on pump and run engine for a few minutes. Stop the process when the water gets hot by fogging engine, dumping whatever your favorate liquid is down the carborator.

I then pull all the engine/manifold drain plugs for the winter. If a hole does not drain clean out the hole with a screwdriver or whatever.