www.iFourWinns.com

Thanks LouC... I am on it.. The weather here in Maryland is fairly mild yet... I plan on doing it this weekend.

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2004 268 Vista "Satisfy My Sol"

Lou's cautions are EXTEMELY well founded.

If you do use muffs to feed the anti-freeze, you can:

Remove the thermostat first (reassemble without the thermostat). Use a two-way valve to "T" the anti-freeze jug into the muffs along with the hose. The valve will choose either water hose or anti-freeze jug. Run the engine initially on the hose then switch the valve to anti-freeze and run the full 5-gallons through.

OR ......

Set-up the same "T" fitting and valve assembly. Run the engine on warm/hot water (I have both hot & cold outdoor faucets), at a slightly fast idle, get the engine temp up well into the operating range. In otherwords, past the thermostat opening temp. Once it's all good and warm and the thermostat is fully open, switch the valve to flow the anti-freeze in place of the water. Reduce to normal idel speed. Run the full 5-gallons through the system. Shut the engine off just before the anti-freeze is empty (don't run it dry).

I've been doing this for at least 6 years. The first few times, I would then pull plugs and hoses to verify that anti-freeze is in all parts of the system. Always was 100%. Since then, have not bothered to pull plugs.

DISCLAIMER !!!

This is not the way Volvo (or Mercruiser) approves of engine winterizing. Perform at you own risk.

With that said, I think this year with the new boat (even though the powertrain is the same as what was in the 245 Sundowner), I will do a full 'by the book" job. .......... But not just yet ....... there's no ice on the water yet!

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Gordon Arnold
New Hampshire

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

The temps are suppose to hit 70 today... I am also sorry I pulled the boat. But next week is it is suppose to get cold and I'd rather winterize in shorts and a tee shirt than long johns and a parka.

Again, thanks for all the advice.

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2004 268 Vista "Satisfy My Sol"

Hehehe............

I've been known to have to broom the snow off the cover, to finish the winterizing ..... after having just been in the water the weekend before.

Our oldest son is up from DC, this weekend, we'll likely put in on Winni tomorrow (if it is not ugly weather).

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Gordon Arnold
New Hampshire

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

How does the vista 268 run through ice?

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2004 268 Vista "Satisfy My Sol"

Okay.. I drained the water from the manifolds and the engine block. The left side drained a lot of water out and then finally some pink. The manifold had a little water in them and a little dirt. The right side of engine block the drain plug was attached to the water heater and once I got that hose off nothing came out. So now I guess I am ready to pour the pink into the "big" hose that and I guess I need to pour some pink into the hoses that run to the manifold, correct?

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2004 268 Vista "Satisfy My Sol"