Boat Winterization

[train07]

I have a '74 runabout with a 4 cylinder overhead cam 120/140 Mercruiser inboard/outboard engine. I’m thinking I’ve got to draw antifreeze into the engine thru the intake ports on the lower end…..or what?. What’s the correct procedure for winterizing a boat? She won't be in heated storage.
Thanks.

[Xover]

if it was a "real" boat (pure inboard), i could take you by the hand and lead you step by step - sorry

[crashnburn'd]

I have a '74 runabout with a 4 cylinder overhead cam 120/140 Mercruiser inboard/outboard engine. I’m thinking I’ve got to draw antifreeze into the engine thru the intake ports on the lower end…..or what?. What’s the correct procedure for winterizing a boat? She won't be in heated storage.
Thanks.

Here's what you need to do at a minimum, imho.

1st, go to a boat dealer and buy the following:

Ear Muffs - So you can run you boat using a garden hose. If you don't know how to use these, I suggest you take your boat somewhere and have it winterized

Couple gallons of antifreeze - Don't buy something from NAPA, tell them you're winterizing a boat and they'll give you some stuff that is enviro friendly. Usually it looks like or is pink windshild washer fluid.

Fogging Oil - This is what keeps your cylinders/valves/etc from corroding

2nd, go home, hook water to your boat, start it and let it warm up. Take the flame arrester off the top of your carberator open the throttle a little and begin to spray fogging oil in. You should go through around a can. If possible, spray enough that it kills your motor.

3rd, there are drain plugs located on the bottom of the exhaust manifold and on the side of the engine block. After you've drained the water out, dump the anti freeze into the motor with the drain plugs open until it pushes all the water out (you'll see blue or pink start coming out). You can either drain the antifreeze or leave it. I suggest leaving it because it will keep down corrosion inside your motor (especially if you run in salt water).

DO NOT try to put antifreeze into the lower end... I have no idea where you got that information, but it's dead wrong.

4th, drain your oil from the lower unit and refill it. Again, if you don't know how to do this, take it to a dealer and they'll do it in 5 minutes.. Make sure you fill from the BOTTOM and not the top. This makes sure that any water that got in gets out and doesn't freeze in the winter. If there is water or the oil is really milky looking, you probably need to have your propshaft seals replaced.

You should be good here... I suggest you change your engine oil too, but that's not as necesary in the fall. Definately have it done in the spring.

[Mechmaster]

Before I had Malibus, I did these several times on my I/Os.

First, look here:

http://www.dougrussell.com/partscata...972&index=1559

These are the exploded schematics for your engine/sterndrive combination.

What crashnburn'd said is correct. I'd like to add some things, if I could:

Be sure you stabilize your fuel to prevent varnish buildup in your carb jets and tank. Filling the tank with fuel before you lay up reduces the condensation which will form inside the tank.

Also, disconnect your battery. Store with the lower unit tilted down to reduce strain on bellows. Remove prop and grease prop shaft. Pull all cushions back inside the boat and be sure that adequate ventilation is present under your boat cover (this will reduce condensation issues).

[Snow Dog]

...dump the anti freeze into the motor with the drain plugs open until it pushes all the water out (you'll see blue or pink start coming out). You can either drain the antifreeze or leave it.

But keep in mind that automotive anti-freeze is TASTY and TOXIC to animals. So don't leave puddles of it lying around.


You could do what my friend did with his I/O V8 -- just park it and get drunk for the winter. In the spring replace the intake and exhaust manifolds because they're cracked.

[Mechmaster]

But keep in mind that automotive anti-freeze is TASTY and TOXIC to animals. So don't leave puddles of it lying around.

Yup, be sure to use the non-toxic RV antifreeze for this step. No use killing all the neighbour's pets.

[crashnburn'd]

Yup, be sure to use the non-toxic RV antifreeze for this step. No use killing all the neighbour's pets.

I mentioned that above, but you're correct. Most boat dealerships will be able to sell you this (at least the one I worked at could).

[train07]

Simply frkn amazing....thanks guys.

[Mechmaster]

Here's some other links that were helpful to me the first time I winterized a boat:

PDF of the procedure:
http://www.boatfix.com/how/winterize.pdf

An excellent forum for all your questions:

http://www.boated.com/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=21

Good luck.

[warthog]

Most of all...


HAVE FUN

You will know why people pay to have the dealer do it when you are done, especially come next season if you don't do it right.

No- those links are good. Just follow their advice.
Or move to Florida, and never worry about that shit again. I just uncovered my Whaler, fishing gettin good here, finally. Red Tide was a bitch this year.

edit- Go hereContinuous Wave with any questions. It is a Boston Whaler site, but they will help anyone out. If you think this site has some smart fuckers on it, they are unreal. There are charts on there that guage the rpms of each size and type of prop blade tested individually on most of the outboards manufactured today. They also have price charts on just about everything Whaler related. An incredible resource for anyone involved in boating, whether it be inboard, i/o, or outboard.

[warthog]

Pull all cushions back inside the boat and be sure that adequate ventilation is present under your boat cover (this will reduce condensation issues).

Kitty liter and moth balls too. liter absorbs the excess moisture, and moth balls keep the critters out.