www.iFourWinns.com

dumb ass! i know should have done more research, relied on a buddy who's being doing it himself for years. no need to beat me up anymore on winterizing already learned my lesson and don't even know the outcome yet. first time in 3 seasons i tried to do it myself to save some $.

so i get the shrink wrap off i did myself, all good there. toss the batteries in hook her up to the hose lift the lid and fire it up. temps not going down it's beeping, usually takes a bit on her for that to stop on start ups sometimes. go look in the back and lots of water coming out of the block on the starboard side. shit shit shit! turn it off feel around. i can feel that behind the motor mount the freeze block is gone, which i still can't find it anywhere in the boat.

so i call the dealer, says yup just did that this week on a boat. 50/50 chance now. gotta get a new plug in it, fire it up and let it get to running temp to see if the block is still leaking from a crack. if not good on that one. then check oil to see if milky or raising in fluid thus having an internal leak. all makes sense.

now the issue. freeze plug directly BEHIND motor mount. i can barley get 1 finger in there. dealer said they hook that side of the motor to a hoist. take out the motor mount then hammer in a new one. he said they could do this for around $175-$200.

i can tell either way getting that plug in (if having to be hammered in) would be a pain in the ass! worth that money to me to have a shop do it and see if any other problems are there. unless there are any tricks to this? heard of people freezing them before then going in easy? i honestly don't feel i'd be THAT luck...lol

in Denver Colorado for whatever it's worth.

well.... i guess.... wish me luck??? try a plug myself? just take it in? don't tell the wife yet (it is her boat after all)? haha.

thanks all!

please don't bash me to hard, I've beat myself up pretty hard already tonight....

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2006 Nissan Titan SE 6" Lift
2000 Four Winns 190 Horizon 5.0GL

I can sympathize.... Some around here will remember my fiasco two seasons ago when I froze the oil cooler. I mananged to dump all the oil in the motor out into the lake and sucked the block full of water. Diagnosis of this would have happened if I had run it on the muffs first.

I repaired the oil cooler myself and did 4 or 5 oil changes in the next 30 days! Access to the area was real hard; I had to lay in the port storage area so I could reach and even then it took my 2 hours to remove and atleast that to re-install the cooler.

I would pay the $ and have the shop re-install the plug and test the motor while it's there. Money well spent in my opinion. Just make sure you witness the fault if they tell you the block is cracked

Oh yeah here's some other bad news....More than likely your insurance won't cover the bad block because you did the job yourself.

I'm hoping for the best for you...Good luck and keep us posted.

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Marc, Kathlin & Nathalie


'89 Chaparral Laser 32

'93 Vista 245, 5.8L w/ King Cobra

Former Boats
'01 H260, 7.4 VP Duoprop
'98 H200, 5.0 GL w/VP SX drive

Freezing the plug to install it easier..... It does help a small amount but it is VERY small (I use to laugh at my dad for doing that (heating 1 part while freezing the other-mainly hoses-to help "slip" fit" easier). "Heat expands cold contracts" he use to say.

Anyway, since it is a test, any auto parts store sells freeze plugs (or stoppers if you will) that slip in, and you tighten a bolt to expand them (no hammering them in). These are a cheep part and it may be an easier diy than hammering one in tight quarters. I personally would NOT rely on these styles plugs as a permanent "fix", but to install and use for troubleshooting it might be an easy way out for you.

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'90 Horizon 220 5.8

Sorry to hear that...I'd also try the rubber expansion plug since you can then run the engine on the water hose for a while and then check for water in the oil...which is what would be a clear sign of a problem...

Let me guess...your buddy used one of those quick n easy winterizing kits that lets you suck antifreeze up the drive which then {Supposedly} gets into the block and heads? Well here's what happens...you winterize on a cool fall day...it's running on the wate hose...the water is cold...cold water running through a cold engine with no load on it..and the thermostat barely opens if at all...The exhaust manifolds will be full of AF but the block and heads will still have mostly water unless the thermo fully opens...which you will not know...unless...you feel the part of the thermo housing between the top and the part where the big hose connects to it...when this section gets hot it's a sign that hot water is exiting the block.
I tried this method once and then tested what was in the block and manifolds...manifolds pure AF...block....something that looked like dirty water...so I drained and backfilled with AF...done it that way ever since...drain...everything....including the P/S cooler...then put water proof grease on the threads of the drain plugs...pour AF in till I see it push out water from block drains and manifolds...then replace plugs and fill block through big hose on the front till it comes out the thermo neck...fill manifolds till it runs out...and fill raw water intake hose till it runs out drive water intakes...
THAT...is the ONLY way to use AF in a raw water cooled sterndrive...those kits ONLY work with engines that are closed cooled and you can drain and fill em easily enough anyway. I took that silly tank...put a live well pump on it....and made it into a flusher for my trailer brakes...

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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 feel your pain and sorry to hear about this. Last year I didn't winterize my boat at all and had to replace my exhaust manifolds that cost me 2 grand. Good luck and let us know what you decide to do with it and how it works out.

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2008 H200SS
4.3 merc
2008 Chevy 2500

If they're only asking $200 for the job I'd say go for it.

If you had access to something that would allow safely lifting the motor then maybe consider DIY. But otherwise if things go wrong a heavy engine can cause serious problems if it gets loose (fiberglass and flesh get destroyed very easily).

I've replaced freeze plugs on cars before. The trick of freezing them does help a little, but only when chilled in a VERY cold freezer for several days. What's really key is having exactly the right sized tool to press the plug into place. The most typical hack is to use a ratchet socket. But it does take some finesse to be sure to hit the plug squarely and evenly the whole way into the block.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

Just saw we have a freeze warning for tonight...went out and drained the block+mainfolds and poured some AF down the raw water intake hose to push water out of the impeller housing...imagine doing this...on May 9th...no more I/Os for me...only OBs from now on....self draining...

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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

Or just pick up a BoatSafe or similar brand engine room heater. All winter mine kept the engine room above 42F.

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

Or don't panic. Temps would have to be in the 20's for an extended amount of time for water to freeze in your block.

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2010 H190 4.3VP
Tow Vehicle:
2007 F150
Previous boats:
2009 H180 3.0VP
1996 Horizon QX 3.0VP

The heater is a good idea...but I'm just done with I/Os...fresh water they are fine but here in salt...well...trying to scrape out all the barnacles out of the pivot housing is getting old...and knowing that...by August I get do it all over again...

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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

what do you guys think of the rubber expansion plugs? I'm debating on tossing one of those in for 10 bucks or less to see if i have a crack or not. then if not go on and take it in to get a "real" brass plug put back in her. seems some people use the expansions for a permanent fix.

but then i guess either way I'd eventually be putting in the real deal so maybe i just answered my own question

http://www.asrcorporation.com/motorcycles/images/03CR250/PressTest/FreezePlug.JPG

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2006 Nissan Titan SE 6" Lift
2000 Four Winns 190 Horizon 5.0GL

I'd use it for testing purposes only...you wouldn't want one of those to pop out on you one day and have it flood the bilge with water and maybe overheat the engine...

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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

If you have an alarm and are careful about watching your gauges, you might be able to get away with that... I'd definitely carry a spare... and if does pop out, the engine will overheat, and you will have to wait quite a while before you could put the spare in place... it probably won't hurt your engine if you stop it right away...
I once had a boat (with no alarm) overheat for several minutes, start smoking like crazy, and still work just fine for several years until I sold it (obviously I corrected the overheat condition)...

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2007 FW Horizon 200 5.0GXi/SX-A

just put her in the shop yesterday. they quoted me 153 for the new plug installed and then running it for 20-30 minutes to see if i have any internal or external leaks.

the service guys seem pretty good and helped me figure out a couple other small issues as well.

now it's just a matter of crossing my fingers till i get the call.

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2006 Nissan Titan SE 6" Lift
2000 Four Winns 190 Horizon 5.0GL

Nooooooooooooooooooooooo!

I had a rebuilt engine in a car 30 odd years ago. Only after the expensive crank regrind, new shells, pistons etc did I notice there was an external crack between 2 core plugs. I got the cast iron welded; not cheap at the time.

Merrily tootling along at 3000 rpm and 60 mph, running the engine in, a massive bang, loads of steam and smoke and a very sorry engine ( and bank balance)! If a core plug pops out whilst the engine is running at speed, overheating is almost instantaneous (and fatal).

Graham