Well I'm in trouble...winterizing questions

LVChris · **Posted:** Mon Dec 29, 2014 5:44 pm

Lou, Yes ford 5.8 and yes those are the caps, but they are nestled right behind #38 the exhaust hose, and I could find no way to pull them off, short of maybe some channel locks which I thought would surely damage the caps if that would even work. You just can't get a good grip on them like a hose.

Ric, I understand that Florida weather is nice...but we have no rainstorms, no hurricanes, no BUGS, and no salt in our water...so I think all totaled Las Vegas ranks right up there for great places to boat. Out of the 4 years I have owned a boat here, I have winterized twice, and those were only precautions.

ric · **Posted:** Mon Dec 29, 2014 6:25 pm

What I mean is, with the warm water you can just wet slip it. Works just as good as winterizing for a short period of time.

powellcrazy · **Posted:** Tue Dec 30, 2014 10:28 am

LVChris wrote:

Ric, I understand that Florida weather is nice...but we have no rainstorms, no hurricanes, no BUGS, and no salt in our water...so I think all totaled Las Vegas ranks right up there for great places to boat. Out of the 4 years I have owned a boat here, I have winterized twice, and those were only precautions.

The Colorado river drainage is the best boating in the world..... :mrgreen:

IMHO

Regarding winterizing your boat, I have always believed that unless both day and night time temps are under freezing for couple days your not in real danger.
I see from your photo, that your boat is kept out in the sun, this will warm the boat during the day, reducing the risk of freezing.

BTW, up in SLC currently we are 11 deg F, wind around 30-40 mph with a wind chill of -9 deg F. These temps, a boat will freeze quickly..... but all I have done for winterizing my boats for the last 15 + years, just drain the water.... I know of many outfits/dealers that "recommend" antifreeze in block and want $$$hundreds to help us out :roll:

As already mentioned, once most of the water is out and there is room for expansion, damage cant occur.

LVChris · **Posted:** Tue Dec 30, 2014 12:51 pm

Powellcrazy, I completely agree. I only drained, and left things disconnected to leave plenty of room for expansion. I probably didn't need to worry but I now have peace of mind knowing that I will have no problems through this holiday week of cold. I will say this though on Sunday even though it was 50 degrees out and the sun was shining, my cabin shower hose felt very stiff and cold...it was starting to freeze so Very glad I took care of her.

LouC · **Posted:** Tue Dec 30, 2014 1:50 pm

Ahh guys.....I saw a Boat US Insurance article, that listed the most frequent location for freeze claims, and it wasn't the frigid north, it was California, a climate similar to yours. Eight hrs at 28 degrees fresh water can do it. You're counting that the forecast is 100% accurate in your exact location. You can learn how to do it yourself, get an approved engine heater, install full closed cooling, or buy an outboard. But dreaming that it will never happen doesn't cut it.

rpengr · **Posted:** Tue Dec 30, 2014 4:55 pm

LouC wrote:

Ahh guys.....I saw a Boat US Insurance article, that listed the most frequent location for freeze claims, and it wasn't the frigid north, it was California, a climate similar to yours. Eight hrs at 28 degrees fresh water can do it. You're counting that the forecast is 100% accurate in your exact location. You can learn how to do it yourself, get an approved engine heater, install full closed cooling, or buy an outboard. But dreaming that it will never happen doesn't cut it.

Yes, and I have heard that Florida and Georgia are also leaders in insurance claims for freeze damage.

TX H210SS · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 1488

Next time will be much easier and faster since the head scratching will not be included. Lesson one is that its hard to do with cold hands and running nose.

Bliss36 · **Posted:** Thu Jan 01, 2015 5:04 pm

LVChris wrote:

Lou,

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

Tried to remove the hose at the water pump

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

LouC wrote:

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!

Chris,
I use one of those pick tools LouC is talking about to get those stubborn hoses off and it makes removing them a piece of cake!
http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-80380-Hose- ... NAWN0YNRZ1
Push the tip of the pick between the hose and the fitting, circle around the lip while pulling down on the hose and it usually pops right off. It's all about breaking the seal /bond between the hose and fitting. The best part is if done properly it won't damage the hose like using a screwdriver can. Looks like one with more of an L shape would work better on your engine with all those brackets in the way.

TX H210SS · **Joined:** Thu May 27, 2010 9:10 am **Posts:** 1488

Freeze headed to lower Texas so it was my turn to winterize today. Had the kiddo helping so got it done in little over 30 mins.

Ran on muffs til thermostat cycled to flush then hit the fogging oil and shut her down. Dumped water in manifolds...block...and all lower hoses and then pulled safety ignition clamp and spun motor to evacuate more water from impeller and water pump. Only had two gallons of AF so divided by dumping in block, each manifold and steering cooler hose to mix with any residual.

Has fresh oil so will change in spring with impeller. Fuel was already treated and has cycled thru system since I treat at every fuel up.

Prefer to fill with AF, but will add later since I can do that inside. All may be overkill since we may hit high 20s for short periods during nights and boat is covered and inside.

www.iFourWinns.com

Well I'm in trouble...winterizing questions

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