www.iFourWinns.com

I am getting ready to winterize the boat. Do I need to use a certain type of muff on the outdrive?
Do I need to get the muff from a VP dealer or can I go to West Marine and pick one up from them?

Thanks,

Scott

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2004 268 Vista "Satisfy My Sol"

I use the muffs I used on my Sea Ray that had a Mercruiser Alpha One Gen II outdrive. When putting it on though I do have to go on the prop side of the outdrive, and be sure not to engage the props or there goes my flushing adapter and garden hose too. I also have a freshwater flush fitting on my engine, that I can hook the garden hose up to directly (its in the engine compartment), and run the engine with that.

What 5.7 do you have in your boat? A 5.7Gi?

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

firecadet613 -- yes, i have 5.7Gi...

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2004 268 Vista "Satisfy My Sol"

Then you should have the freshwater flush fitting on the left side of your engine, it has a blue cap to it that you unscrew and hook a garden hose up to. Turn on the water, then you can run your engine, or pick up the muff adapter at WM.

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

So I should be able to use the fresh water flush fitting when I want to circulate the anti-freeze through the engine, for winterization?

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2004 268 Vista "Satisfy My Sol"

Correct. Personally I just warmed the engine up, changed the oil and filter, and then drained the engine block and exhaust risers by removing the four bronze plugs, and removing the two bottom hoses on the recirculating water pump. I put everything back together, then removed the big hose off the thermostat housing and pour in antifreeze via that hose.

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

Quick question... I am almost done winterizing the boat. I used the fresh water flush adapter, like firecadet613 said. I warmed up the engine to about 135 degrees. It took about 15 minutes. I then used the West Marine AntiFreeze kit and the water flush adapter on the engine. I used about 4 gallons of pink. I am assuming it circulated through the engine. It was coming out of the muffler on the outdrive. I then poured about a gallon of pink in the waste water tank and about two gallons in the fresh water tank... since I did not get a by-pass kit for the heater I just ran it through the heater as well. I went to the sink and ran the water (hot and cold) until pink came out. I did the same with the sink in the head. I also poured some left over pink in the head itself....

Now for the questions... I wanted to, at the very least, drain the water out of the AC... but can't find the A/C. I have a 268 Vista 2006. I looked everywhere for it. Is not below, I checked fore and aft. It doesn't seem to be in the engine compartment.... Any idea's?

Also I drained the oil using a West Marine hand pump and was only able to get 3 gallons out of the engine. Shouldn't I at least get 4 maybe 5?

Thanks in advance,

Scott

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2004 268 Vista "Satisfy My Sol"

Your A/C system should be in the cabinet at the starboard side of the mid-cabin, behind the wood doors. I think all 248, 258, 268 & 278 Vistas are like this.

We don't have A/C, so I have not researched this, but I believe you will have a seacock in the bottom of the hull, in the engine compartment, for the A/C water inlet. i would assume that you would pull the hose from the seacock and pour the anti-freeze through the hose, until it's running out of the through-hull exit.

By the way, you can check the manuals at:

http://www.fourwinns.net/

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Gordon Arnold
New Hampshire

2003 268 Vista ..................................................................Prior: 97 245 Sundowner

I did find the A/C after looking in the manual, once again... If the A/C breaks in the boat it will be nothing but fans from then on... I can't believe they were able to shove an A/C unit into such a tight space. Anyway... when I went to the A/C strainer (engine compartment) and empty that and cleaned it out, I just shoved the Anti-freeze kit hose down the A/C water inlet hose and turned on the A/C... waited for the pink to come out (only a few seconds) and shut down the A/C. I think I am almost done. Next year should be easier and simpler.

Scott

p.s. Still trying to figure out where the lower gear unit screw is... The manual shows it right by the props.... but i can't see it. I will figure it out this weekend.... Time to go Vote.

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2004 268 Vista "Satisfy My Sol"

On the DP, you have to remove the props to get to the lower fluid plug.

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Gordon Arnold
New Hampshire

2003 268 Vista ..................................................................Prior: 97 245 Sundowner

Scott, if you have a Volvo Penta Duo prop the fill/drain in the lower unit is behing the front prop. You need to remove both prop, the rear is held in by a 30mm nut. However, the front prop requires a special driver/socket to remove.

I winterized my a/c by opening the seacock then usng a small garden fountain pump I pumped the antifreeze trough the outlet until it flowed out the inlet under the boat. It took a cople of minutes to do this.

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“Growing Older, But Not Up”
[

2008 Four Winns V248
2004 Stingray 220CS

I used about 4 gallons of pink. I am assuming it circulated through the engine. It was coming out of the muffler on the outdrive. I
Thanks in advance,

Scott[/quote]
I have cautioned against this method of winterizing raw water cooled inboards before, if you don't know for sure if the thermostat was open (and at a temp of 135 degrees, it most likely was NOT, it's rated opening temp is 160) then you got AF through the manifolds, and probably, a very weak AF/water mix in the engine. The reason for this is because when the thermo is closed, the water in the block does not flow out, it merely re-circulates through the block until the 'stat opens. I learned this first hand the very first year I did mine, I tried that WM winterizing kit but I also I checked the block drains and found that there was mostly just dirty water in the block. So I drained and backfilled with -100 no tox AF and have done so every year. One year I had some repair work done to the boat, and had the shop do the spring start up and make ready. Well this is interesting, even though they ran the engine on the muffs long enough to check out the drive and shifting adjustments, when I checked the block drains, the AF I put in the previous fall, was still in there! so I would not under any cicrumstances, winterize a raw water cooled motor that way. Take a sample from each block drain, put it in the freezer and see what happens, it could SAVE your 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

Thanks to everyone for the information. I thought it was a little quick from the time I turned on the engine to the time the pink flowed out, which was instantaneous. I just didn't feel like it flowed through the whole engine, it was like I had a direct connection to the outdrive. I also looked at the manual numerous times for the drain plugs. Either I need to learn yoga or maybe get my daughter in the engine compartment to find the drain plugs.

Also, thanks for the information on the drain for the lower gear unit. Again, the manual was a little vague. This being the first year with this engine I am a little nervous, but it is nice to have such a great forum of knowledgeable people.

Just one more question... When I used the fresh water flush out the water didn't just come out of the muffler and the water intake, it appeared to be coming out of the of the outdrive right next to the stern... Is this normal? Please say yes.

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2004 268 Vista "Satisfy My Sol"

Yes ....

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Gordon Arnold
New Hampshire

2003 268 Vista ..................................................................Prior: 97 245 Sundowner

You need to get the water out of the engine, NOW, or if you get temps of 30 or less for more than a few hrs, you could crack the block/heads!!
The drains are where they are on any small block Chevy. On the right side as you face the front of the engine, the drain is usually right in line with the second to last spark plug, just above where the block and the oil pan meet, it will probably be a little in front of the oil dipstick tube. On the left side, it's right in front of the starter. Remove the plugs and stick a small screwdriver in the drain to make sure it's not clogged with rust. The manifolds can have a similar drain, or even a rubber cap that you remove. You need to pull off the big hose on the front of the engine that goes from the thermo housing to the water pump. That one holds a lot of water. Finally, there is a raw water hose that is either mounted to the crank pulley or on a bracket on the engine, (left side usually) you need to remove the hoses on it to drain them too. I like to pour AF into the engine though the big hose after reattaching it to the water pump, till af comes out the thermo housing. I also fill the manifolds till AF comes out the exhaust. If you can't do this, right away, get it to a mechanic.

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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