Well I'm in trouble...winterizing questions

LVChris · **Posted:** Sun Dec 28, 2014 2:57 am

So a surprise cold wave is hitting the desert here in Las Vegas...we had one last year for about a week and I called my mechanic he came out and winterized my baby. When I found out we were going to dip below freezing for the first time in 380 days I called him this year and no response. Now I see it's over a week long overnight freeze...with possible snow...wth!

So a quick question, understand this isn't Chicago Freeze, just overnights below 32. So I am going to drain my fresh water tank, and the pump. But what do I do to get the water out of the engine? I know last year he disconnected several hoses (I know because I re-attached them back in February..next time I will take pictures)

Any place I can get basic winterizing info? Sorry for my lack of knowledge in this area, doesn't usually happen here.

Thanks in advance,

alex8q4 · **Posted:** Sun Dec 28, 2014 8:12 am

Here is a good link for you to follow.

http://www.crowleymarine.com/support/te ... edure.html

taz42169 · **Posted:** Sun Dec 28, 2014 8:24 am

Without knowing your engine, you should be able to locate the block and manifold drain plugs. I'd also disconnect all the hoses by your sea pump to drain. At least you'll have drained a majority of the water. Since you guys don't typically get "hard freezes" as often as us northerns get, I'd run marine antifreeze through your fresh water system. It'll be diluted with the remaining water, but it should provide some protection and a peace of mind. Do you have air conditioning? If so, I back-flush marine antifreeze thru my hull discharge until I see the antifreeze flow out the intake.

That should get you started....good luck

alex8q4 · **Posted:** Sun Dec 28, 2014 8:54 am

I just took a look at your 14 day forecast and I see 2 nights that will dip just below freezing.

Just to give you an idea of what to expect, a puddle of water on your driveway might freeze, but a bottle of water left in your vehicle will not freeze. Also, ice that does form at these temps does not have much strength, thus damage shouldn't occure.

I suggest you drain your systems as you planned, just know you are not in trouble.

Winter Sux · **Posted:** Sun Dec 28, 2014 9:08 am

I agree with Alex.

We had a sudden drop in temps after I hauled out and didn't have the time to properly winterize. For the week till I could winterize her, I put a microfurnace in the engine compartment. Everything stayed nice and warm.

LouC · **Posted:** Sun Dec 28, 2014 9:23 am

You have to drain the block, exhaust manifolds and the hoses leading to and from the impeller housing on the engine. There will be a block drain on each side of the block. On the drivers side it will be beteeen the starter and the engine mount. Remove it with a small adjustable wrench and poke the hole with a long thin screwdriver because rust flakes may stop it from draining. On the other side it will be in the same place. After you drained it from the plugs you remove the lower end of the big hose that goes from the thermo housing to the front water pump, this holds a lot of water. The exhaust manifolds may have plugs as the engine does or rubber plugs that you remove. Make sure you poke all drains and that water comes out. Next you mark and disconnect the hose coming from the transom mount at the impeller housing. Then mark and disconnect the hose that goes from the impeller housing to the thermo housing at the impeller housing. The reason why you mark them is so that you don't connect them to wrong fittings on the impeller. I like to then put the drive down so it drains and then take the hose that goes from the transom mount to the impeller and point it down in the bilge to make sure it drained. Then I hold it up and fill it with -100 marine antifreeze to push out any water that may be in the power steering cooler and the transom mount. You should see AF come out the water intakes on the out drive.
I put a bit of gasket sealer on the threads of all metal drain plugs and reinstall them. I also put a little marine grease on the hose necks and reinstall the hoses. This is to keep them from rusting in place and makes it easier to remove them next year.

NiagaraChillin · **Posted:** Sun Dec 28, 2014 10:10 am

alex8q4 wrote:

I just took a look at your 14 day forecast and I see 2 nights that will dip just below freezing.

Just to give you an idea of what to expect, a puddle of water on your driveway might freeze, but a bottle of water left in your vehicle will not freeze. Also, ice that does form at these temps does not have much strength, thus damage shouldn't occure.

I suggest you drain your systems as you planned, just know you are not in trouble.

Yep. No need to get in a panic over a slight, 2 day freeze. Just drain it, and you should be fine.

LouC wrote:

There will be a block drain on each side of the block. On the drivers side it will be beteeen the starter and the engine mount. Remove it with a small adjustable wrench and poke the hole with a long thin screwdriver because rust flakes may stop it from draining. On the other side it will be in the same place.

On the Ford blocks (at least my 5.0 is) the drivers side plug is more towards the front of the block and the pass side plug is towards the rear of the block, almost diagonal from each other.

LVChris · **Posted:** Sun Dec 28, 2014 12:14 pm

Thanks for all the info, especially LouC (that's the kind of directions I need, step-by step) heading out there in a few to give her a go myself.

LouC · **Posted:** Sun Dec 28, 2014 1:20 pm

Any questions post back. Keep in mind that water only can do damage if there is no room for it to expand when it freezes...so the main thing is get as much of the water as you can out. Yes it may only dip below freezing for a few nights, for a few hrs but that's only a prediction, where you are it can be colder. Since we live 300 ft from salt water its alway about 3-4 degrees warmer in winter here than 5 miles inland.

fi.na.tine · **Posted:** Sun Dec 28, 2014 1:55 pm

It's not hard - and definitely not the $125 dollars the mechanic here wanted to charge. Did mine this year without problems.

LVChris · **Posted:** Mon Dec 29, 2014 4:05 am

Thanks again LouC, I bit the bullet and decided to winterize our boat myself today (last call to a shop here was around $150).

Only really had two problems..

Couldn't get the hose off of the water pump so I had to disconnect it at the thermostat housing (above) Then I had trouble getting the plugs off the manifolds had to call a guy I know and he tried, no luck so we disconnected the hoses at the front of the manifolds.

After emptying the 17 gallon freshwater tank, and the hot water tank I ended up with a bit of water in the bilge, so I drove her a couple of laps around the storage lot with everything disconnected and got most of the water drained.

Being in Vegas and my expectation of a very short cold spell, just left everything disconnected and will reconnect it all when the weather turns back.

So she's all tucked in for a short winters nap...

Thanks again.

LouC · **Posted:** Mon Dec 29, 2014 9:39 am

You did good! Did the engine drains come out easy?
What you might do when you have time is get a hair dryer or heat gun and carefully warm up the lower end of that hose from the thermo housing to the water pump neck and try to get it off. Then put a bit of marine grease on the cast iron necks of the tstat housing and the water pump so it comes off easy the next time. They make pics to pry off stuck water hoses, auto parts stores have em. I bet the hoses have never been removed! The manifolds, did they have the rubber plug or a brass one? You can drain them just as well from the hoses as you did. Were you able to get the hoses off the impeller housing?
Here we have to always winterize by November so over the years I developed a way of making it easier. OMC gasket sealer (Permatex Aviation Sealer) on the threads of any metal plugs and a bit of OMC triple guard grease on the cast iron hose necks to keep the hoses from seizing up on the thermo housing and the water pump. I also fill the engine, manifolds and raw water hose from the transom with -100 Marine antifreeze. Keeps the engine from rusting on the inside during storage.

LVChris · **Posted:** Mon Dec 29, 2014 12:38 pm

Lou,

I was very surprised, the plugs in the engine block came out very easy.

I will try to get that hose off when I put her back together in the spring when it's not so cold out.

The manifolds have rubber plugs with hose clamps? I thought this was odd, but I have no experience with this.

Got the hoses off the impeller housing with no problems.

Here are some pics, I think that cover everything.

I started with the freshwater system, I had recently filled it full (17 gallons) because I thought we were looking at a very mild winter (I was wrong)

rear shower - removed shower head and put overboard

Cabin shower and sink on draining into sink

Opened drain and petcock on water heater

once all the water was out, I disconnected the lines to the sink.

and both sides of the pump (overkill?)

When all the water was pumped out I blew air through all the lines to get the last of the water out...this resulted in me spraying water in my face from the cold line as I blew through the shower..quite funny for the guy watching me.

On to the engine, both block plugs removed

Tried to remove the hose at the water pump

Had to disconnect at the thermo housing

Both the impeller hoses, marked one just in case.

then had problems getting the last two hoses off and phoned a friend to help.

the port side hose to the manifold

and finally the starboard side (had to disconnect a plugwire to get this one off)

Learned quite a bit doing this myself, and found some maintenance items I need to address (all the belts need replaced)

I posted this photo essay to help me remember how to put the whole thing back together in the spring, and maybe it will help someone else who does this for the first time.

Thanks again to the forum, couldn't have done it without you

ric · **Posted:** Mon Dec 29, 2014 2:33 pm

Sometimes the air temp dips below freezing here in FL. I just throw the boat in the slip, since the water temps are in the upper 60s. Winterization complete

LouC · **Posted:** Mon Dec 29, 2014 4:56 pm

Good job and nice pix. Ford 5.8 engine?
Some Volvos used the rubber caps on the bottom of the manifold, some use the same metal plugs as the engine block.
Now you can do it yourself!!!
No need to pay for this work and as you found out, you will find other things that need fixing too before they leave you stranded.

OK here is a schematic for you. Its from the OMC catalog, the OMC version of the Volvo you have (don't have the patience to navigate Volvo's arcane numbering system and parts catalog). Look at part # 22, thats the cap. But removing the hose works just the same way.

http://www.crowleymarine.com/johnson-ev ... /56696.cfm

www.iFourWinns.com

Well I'm in trouble...winterizing questions

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