www.iFourWinns.com

I'm only covering here the steps that protect against damage to the mechanical parts of the boat from freezing.
(changing oil and other fluids etc is not part of this topic)
So I just finished winterizing my H180.
What I did:
Lowered the outdrive and made sure all holes were clear (using a paperclip)
(about half a cup of water poured out when drive was lowered)
Left the outdrive lowered for the winter
Used the single point draining system (two hoses that lower to the bilge) to empty the engine block
(about a gallon and a half poured out), (connected the hoses back after)
Opened the thermostat housing, removed the thermostat and poured about a gallon and a half of antifreeze to it until it came out of the thermostat housing
Replaced the thermostat and closed the housing
Wiped all water from the bilge and the ski locker
Disconnected the battery and took it home with me for the winter
Covered the boat with a heavy duty tarp (don't have a cover yet) (left the snap in canvas cover with the supports in there under the tarp)

Will the above keep the engine and outdrive safe from damage due to freezing?
Thanks for any helpful comments

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GalacticWaterman
Boat: Four Winns H180 2006 3.0L Mercruiser 135 hp with Alpha I Gen. 2
Tow Vehicle: Honda Ridgeline

I'm not familiar with Merc's one point system but as a general procedure, you need to:
Drain the engine block & poke drain holes (you seem to have that covered)
Disconnect bottom end of the big hose from the thermo housing to the water pump (this holds a lot of water, not sure if you got that, but draining the block does not always let all the water out of that hose and the front water pump)
Drain the exhaust manifold & poke drain (don't know if you got that done)
Disconnect the raw water intake hose from the thermo housing and point it down in the bilge to drain and then back fill it with -100 no tox antifreeze till it runs out the water intakes of the drive (again not sure if the one point drain does that)
Put the drive down so that the water pump area drains (you did do that)

I would not put a tarp over your cockpit and bow covers because you will get mildew on them since the tarp will not let the moisture evaporate. Its better to remove the covers for the winter and use a winter storage cover. Tarps are OK if they can be left open bow and stern to allow for air circulation.

When I do mine I drain everything manually poke all drains, drain the water intake hose, then I fill the engine by disconnecting the big hose from the thermo housing to the front water pump at the thermo end and fill the engine with -100 no tox AF till I see it at the thermo housing then re-connect the hose. Manifolds, after draining I also fill them with the same AF till it runs out the exhaust. Same with the raw water intake hose, fill with AF till it runs out the water intakes of the drive. The AF filling is optional, getting all the water out of the engine, manifold and front water pump/hose and raw water intake hose is critical. As is putting the drive all the way down so it drains too.

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

One thing additional I do is pull the kill switch cord while the large water pump hose and two impellor (VP) hoses are disconnected..and spin the engine a couple times. This shoots out water that's in the splines of the water pumps.

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http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o71 ... wqm355.jpg


08' H210SS
VP 5.7Gi

Ok, that's something I'll try next year as I've already taken the battery out.
You mean starting it but pulling the emergency kill switch cord that's by the shifter before it starts?

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GalacticWaterman
Boat: Four Winns H180 2006 3.0L Mercruiser 135 hp with Alpha I Gen. 2
Tow Vehicle: Honda Ridgeline

Yep...pull the cord and that prevents it from starting...then turn key and spin the motor for a couple rotations.

Basically my winterizing includes
1. Fill tank and add pink stabil...hook up water and let run til up to temp...spray stabil fogging oil into intake
2. Shut it down...keep drive down for draining..then pull all plugs and those 3 hoses.
3. Pull ignition safety cord and spin motor a few times.
4. Replace plugs...raise drive til parked and lower again...then shut down bttry
5.vinyl treatment...add a couple drier stay soft sheets in engine compartment, skilocker and on deck...then cover and done

That's all with a fesh impeller, oil and filters.

Next time out I hook up to water muffs, pull safety cord and spin a few times.....this primes the water and impeller pumps and helps lift oil into motor before firing it up. ,maybe overkill but makes me feel better.

I don't add AF like some others do...but I'm in the south and it doesn't get that cold here, plus I figure my motor is inside enclosure inside boat that is covered that is inside barn...if it gets real cold the heater gets fired up.

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http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o71 ... wqm355.jpg


08' H210SS
VP 5.7Gi

Great winterizing procedure. But anti-freeze other job besides preventing freezing is to prohibit corrosion. As soon as air hits damp/wet metal, corrosion (rust) starts. I would add it just to prevent that. The -50 pink stuff is only $3.99 a gal. Just a tip, not trying to get in your Wheaties...

_________________

1996 205 Sundowner DLX
5.0FL Volvo SX Cobra
Tow Veh: 2012 Nissan Frontier Pro-4X

Hmmmmm....didn't thunk of that...guess its simple enough to add. Do you buy new Therm housing gaskets...that would require some searching here unless standard auto would fit.. is the Therm housing gasket same as standard Chevy 5.7? Just pull thermostat and dump it in right.

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http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o71 ... wqm355.jpg


08' H210SS
VP 5.7Gi

That's the only reason why I use it. I use the -100 because it stays liquid to a much lower temp than the others. The pink -50 does not have corrosion inhibitors, the -60 and -100 do. I put a gallon of the -60 in the freezer and at zero it slushed up but does not expand. The -100 stays liquid all the way down to -60 or so and if some water did not drain it takes care of that.

Rust = iron oxide (Fe O2). It is the oxygen in the water that causes iron to rust. You have to keep the o2 away from the iron and then you reduce rust. This is why we spray trailer springs and fittings with Corrosion X ect to reduce rust.

I have 2 Thermo housings for my old '88. The old one was 14 years old when I took it off, I've been using the newer one for 11 years. That one had AF in the engine each year. Even though the AF did not cover the entire Thermo housing it has no flaking rust like the original one. So I do think filling your engine with -100 (expensive yes but the best) will extend the life of it. Mines 25 years old, it was originally from the Mid West but has been here about 15 years or so, 11 years (at least maybe more) of salt water use. I think it's worth it.



No need to pull the Thermo. All you do is drain the engine from the drain plugs. Then rod them out.
Next disconnect the big hose at the bottom end, that holds a lot of water. Now re-connect that big hose at the bottom and disconnect it at the top. Put a funnel in the hose and pour in AF till it comes out the drains a bit. Then put gasket sealer on the plugs and re install. Now keep filling thru the hose till you see AF appear in the neck of the Thermo housing. Re connect that hose you're done.

This method I got from the OMC owners and shop manuals I have for my '88 Cobra.

The next engine for sure will have at least a half system closed cooling. Also I'd like to find a way to adapt the Merc dry joint exhaust manifolds to my OMC Y pipe. That would eliminate another problem area in inboard engine design (the gasket between the manifold and riser). My '88 has the one piece manifold/riser units but they are no longer made.

Closed cooling makes winterizing easier because the engine at least already has AF in it, as it was designed by GM to have. And if you have a full system then the manifolds have AF in them too. So with that set up you'd just have to drain the impeller lines. exhaust risers and the heat exchanger raw water side. Or if you fabbed up a winterizing tank with a pressurized feed (using a bilge pump and tight fitting muffs) you could theoretically use the suck the AF up the drive method as long as the muffs fit VERY tight and you can pressurize the flow (not just gravity feed).

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

I pull my t-stat housing each time, gaskets are cheap and I buy 3 every year. Yes, automotive ones work on my engine (5.0 Ford), may vary for your 5.7 tho. I also pull my raw water pump every winter and store it inside with outdrive and battery.


Not to argue with ya Lou, but I am (almost) positive the stuff I buy says corrosion inhibitor on the label. I'll look tonight and make sure. Oxygen fer sure is the enemy here when it comes to metal rusting, be it O2 in the water, or in the air, so putting something in the engine is better that leaving it empty.

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1996 205 Sundowner DLX
5.0FL Volvo SX Cobra
Tow Veh: 2012 Nissan Frontier Pro-4X

You might actually be right, I looked in my WM catalog and all three have corrosion inhibitors, since they can all be used in engine systems, but if you get RV antifreeze, it is usually used for water systems only.
The -100 is the most expensive, almost 3x as much as the -50 but I didn't feel comfortable with something that would slush up at zero inside the engine. It is sold for that purpose and I'm sure many people use it with no problems.
The other thing you can do, is to buy the Sierra brand no tox antifreeze (that you can actually use in cooling systems year round) and just mix it up with water to whatever level of protection you want. You need a Sierra propolyene glycol antifreeze tester though because the ones for ethylene glycol won't work on the PG stuff. I have tested the WM -100 with the antifreeze tester for PG and it does protect all the way down to -60 or so like it says on the label.

I think buying the Sierra stuff and mixing it with water to give a freeze temp of -30 is more than adequate and cheaper than the pre mixed WM stuff at $15 a gallon unless its on sale. I have always gotten it on sale.

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

I use this in every boat I winterize. Corrosion protection, plus none of them have pump failures due to sitting dry all winter.

http://www.kleenflo.com/cooling-system-treatment.html

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07 Azure AZ200,
Previous boat,
95 278 Vista,
And a lot of others.

Ontario, Canada

Interesting...
The next time I replace the thermostat, I'll take pix of the two thermostat housings (by then the 'newer' one will have been used for about the same time as the OE one) so you can see the difference.
My mechanics have said that they see less rust through problems when engines+manifolds are filled with PG antifreeze for storage.

Even Mercury says in their maintenance literature to use AF for corrosion protection in storage.

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

I will grab some this weekend and fill her up and add that step from now on...thanks for input and not intended to take away from original poster, but I continue to learn. One more question and I will leave it alone...how muh does it hold? I assume a gallon will do.

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http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o71 ... wqm355.jpg


08' H210SS
VP 5.7Gi

Thanks everyone for replies and all the good info.
Couple notes.
It's probably helpful for newbies like me to keep the discussion as specific to the OP's engine as possible.
There are most likely some differences between the 3.0L and 5.7L engines.
For example the one I have has the single point draining system (just houses attached to drains at the bottom side of the engine) but I didn't notice any other draining plugs etc.
I didn't have time to find and check the water pump on my engine but am planning to do it in Spring.
The thermostat housing does have a gasket which I had to scrape off.
Since I didn't have a replacement one, I didn't put one back in.
I assume it'll be ok without it for the Winter if the boat is not used.
Someone please remind me in Spring (March here) to install one before going out on the water
Actually I plan to clean and sand down a bit the rust inside the thermostat housing since it's looking a bit rough on the inside and might impede flow.

Thanks again

_________________
GalacticWaterman
Boat: Four Winns H180 2006 3.0L Mercruiser 135 hp with Alpha I Gen. 2
Tow Vehicle: Honda Ridgeline

Nope more like 5 at least, my V6 holds about 2-2.5 gallons, each manifold holds a little less than a gallon, then about a pint for the raw water intake hose.

_________________
88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II