Help with Volvo FWD winterizing process

[NE Zack]

So this year we purchased a Volvo FWD with a 380 hp 6.2 L What are the proper winterizing procedures My previous boat had a Mercruser and I am assuming that the Volvo is much the same.

1. Drain water from heat exchanger
2. Change engine oil & filter
3. Change lower unit oil
4. Change water separator

Here is where I have questions
1. Proper way of adding antifreeze to engine (can I put 5 gal in a bucket and pump it into the motor flush system and start engine until bucket is empty)?
2. Does the outdrive hold water if so how do I drain it
3. My boat is a surf do I have to winterize water pumps for ballast tanks
4. Anything else I may be missing

[BobRae99]

I have a question too; what does your dealer charge to winterize your $150,000+ boat?

[Tuscany]

My advice?
Take it to your dealer and let them winterize it.
Your responsibility is now theirs.

[NE Zack]

Taking it to the dealer is the obvious response, however I am anal and would prefer to do the work myself so any help would be appreciated. I know about the quick drain feature and have already drained that.

Here’s a little about me,
I grew up on a lake around Mercruser my whole life helping / learning how to maintain the boat and jet ski’s was a given (boats include 4, cylinder, 6 cylinder, 350, big block 496 HO with heat exchangers) after 18 years at home I moved out and had a 6 year stent of not helping with the maintenance portion of the boat, then I bought my first boat (Larsen with a 5.0 Mercrusier). I’ve always performed all the maintenance myself and never had any problems

Basically what I’m trying to say is I have faith in my ability to perform the work but have never owned a Volvo, never owned a FWD, and never owned a boat with ballast pumps, so I am asking for any advice / quirks / tricks / etc. with these systems

[Ytmsn]

Zack we all have the regular rear facing outdrive, so that makes you the expert on one since it's your boat. If the water pick-up is the same on the lower unit, then yes, I would think you use muffs and 5 gallons. But I'd ask a tech at the dealer just to be sure.

For your ballast system, I'm going to go with past fresh water experiences with RVs. If you dont run RV antifreeze through I would think you run the risk of freeze damage.

Sooo, look to see if there is a connection between the lake water intake and the pump. Hopefully Cobalt has the foresight to install one there.

If not.... Go to a camper place like Camping World and buy a freshwater winterize kit. It'll be a brass T fitting with a shut off valve that you'll install between the water intake and the pump. The middle fitting will have a brass cap, and it'll come with another brass fitting that screws in the middle. It has a long clear hose.

During the summer the valve is open and the cap is on. To winterize, close the valve, take the center cap off, screw the fitting with a hose on, put the hose into a bucket of RV antifreeze, and turn on your pump. Pump a little to each ballast tank. And if you have a transom shower, pump some there too, until it runs out. Takes about 5 or 10 minutes and your done.

Then next spring, fill, flush, fill, flush, you're good to go.
I hope that helps!

[MnLakeBum]

I have a question too; what does your dealer charge to winterize your $150,000+ boat?

My dealer picks up my boat at the landing and charges $1,300 to winterize and store it indoors for the winter. That includes dropping it in the water hopefully sometime in April when the ice is off the lake.

[cmattj]

Maybe I’m confused..? Which is easy out here in the land of no freeze but doesn’t the new 6.2 have closed cooling? So engine is fine.

If you don’t have a easy drain system you’ll just drop the lower hoses of your impeller housing and everything will drain to safe levels. Pull the exhaust manifold plugs to check. And drain the bilge. Same with your ballast.

Sure you can flush 100 antifreeze thru muffs and keep it sealed and a lot of people like to fog the engine to reduce cylinder wall corrosion but it’s a pain and most boats sit for years anyway.

I found this video about the easy drain system.

Oh a bilge heater or 90 watt bulb in your engine area works to help freezing.
.

[Tuscany]

Taking it to the dealer is the obvious response, however I am anal and would prefer to do the work myself so any help would be appreciated. I know about the quick drain feature and have already drained that.

Here’s a little about me,
I grew up on a lake around Mercruser my whole life helping / learning how to maintain the boat and jet ski’s was a given (boats include 4, cylinder, 6 cylinder, 350, big block 496 HO with heat exchangers) after 18 years at home I moved out and had a 6 year stent of not helping with the maintenance portion of the boat, then I bought my first boat (Larsen with a 5.0 Mercrusier). I’ve always performed all the maintenance myself and never had any problems

Basically what I’m trying to say is I have faith in my ability to perform the work but have never owned a Volvo, never owned a FWD, and never owned a boat with ballast pumps, so I am asking for any advice / quirks / tricks / etc. with these systems

I get it..

Well, my dealer ran a few gallons of pink RV antifreeze into my fresh water tank and ran it through the cockpit faucet. I had my waste tank sucked out and ran a gallon of antifreeze through my toilet which is porcelain.
I would make sure all pumps run a couple gallons of antifreeze through them. I had the engine and drive fluids changed, and simply hit the EZ drain. I store inside and heated, so no risk here. Pretty simple for my boat.

[BobRae99]

OK, you want to do the work yourself. I suggest that instead of seeking generalized opinions here, you purchase a VP shop manual as well as a Cobalt shop manual for your specific boat manual. Armed with that information and a competent skill level you should be able to safely winterize your boat. I’d hazard to say that the handful of people regularly posting here (including me) would love to be helpful but lack specific knowledge and experience on the new R7 Surf systems.

[ajcampen]

NEZ, use muffs and run it through the out drive vs motor flush system.

Alternative, call volvo and ask. Reason I say that is Mercury Customer Support is amazing with answering these types of questions on draining outdrive, etc so hopefully Volvo is too.

Lube cupler.

[Big Block Power]

The ballast tanks and pumps. Make sure if you buy rv antifreeze it can be mixed with water. Some cannot be. Seeing that it isn't used for drinking I would mix up some car antifreeze to about 60 below and suck it through that system and get some in the tanks to what water is in there to mix with it. Do the easy drain system and just run some antifreeze through muffs drain again and call it good. But sure if Volvo recommends fogging mixture. Check on that. Cover the boat and put her to bed. Or call your dealer that sells surf boats and ask them what they do.

[willyswagon]

Well all I can say is.... Folks it's time to check your insurance policy to see what it states about freeze damage coverage. When we got the Cobalt, my agent called to ask if i recieved my copy of the policy. I said yes I did, what's up with the call? She asked if I took the time to read it past the pricing page.I said not yet why. She knew I've had boats forever and maintain them as my job so she wanted to point out that without a paid invoice from a certified shop, the policy does not cover freeze damage. She said one company has gone so far as to get customers to send in proof of winterization before the first freeze event.

I paid for the boys to do mine today, then I put it into their storage building.

Come on snow, it's time to break out the next toy!

Sled season is just around the corner

[Tuscany]

Well all I can say is.... Folks it's time to check your insurance policy to see what it states about freeze damage coverage.

.......and that's why I would let your dealer take care of it. If something were to freeze, it's totally on them..

[tgrace98]

Well all I can say is.... Folks it's time to check your insurance policy to see what it states about freeze damage coverage.

.......and that's why I would let your dealer take care of it. If something were to freeze, it's totally on them..

Agree 1000% I get people want to do everything themselves. And I admire that. But a cracked motor or drive due to improper winterization can be a 7,000+ dollar mistake. The harbor charges me under 200 bucks to winterize. I just call that my winter insurance policy.

[Big Block Power]

Well all I can say is.... Folks it's time to check your insurance policy to see what it states about freeze damage coverage.

.......and that's why I would let your dealer take care of it. If something were to freeze, it's totally on them..

Agree 1000% I get people want to do everything themselves. And I admire that. But a cracked motor or drive due to improper winterization can be a 7,000+ dollar mistake. The harbor charges me under 200 bucks to winterize. I just call that my winter insurance policy.

I can do this myself all day long but I 100% agree with tgrace. Cheap insurance. Mines $150.00