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How do you like to winterize you stern drive boats Mercruser. Lots of ideas what is the best. ?????

I call my dealer and say hey winterize my boat. They charge me 110 bucks and I have cheap insurance that my boat will be fine come March when I go to fire it up. And if it isn't well then they get to fix it. And I even have a closed cooled motor.

Me too.

Drain the engine block and exhaust manifolds, then run it on the pink stuff. its the only guarantee. those switch over kits where you run it on water first and then switch it over to antifreeze can be risky

Lockey14s wrote: Tue Oct 29, 2019 3:22 pm Drain the engine block and exhaust manifolds, then run it on the pink stuff. its the only guarantee. those switch over kits where you run it on water first and then switch it over to antifreeze can be risky

Do you need a pressurized supply, or will the engine draw enough through the foot to circulate the antifreeze?
I've seen a video where the antifreeze was being pumped through a set of muffs...
I'll probably just pay the man after I decided how much other work to give him.

Dealer has my boat now. Like TG said, cheap insurance policy.

Motex2011 wrote: Tue Oct 29, 2019 5:50 pm Dealer has my boat now. Like TG said, cheap insurance policy.

X3.
Or hey just leave the water in it and buy a new engine in the spring

I always say if you have to ask then bring it to the dealer or will be cheaper in the end!
Dog theirs probably 5 threads on this in here just from this year.

Mike in SC wrote: Tue Oct 29, 2019 5:42 pm

Lockey14s wrote: Tue Oct 29, 2019 3:22 pm Drain the engine block and exhaust manifolds, then run it on the pink stuff. its the only guarantee. those switch over kits where you run it on water first and then switch it over to antifreeze can be risky

Do you need a pressurized supply, or will the engine draw enough through the foot to circulate the antifreeze?
I've seen a video where the antifreeze was being pumped through a set of muffs...
I'll probably just pay the man after I decided how much other work to give him.

you do need to pressurize it, either with a small electric pump or gravity fed. I use the gravity feed jug and put it up on the top of the transom and hook up the muffs. after i drain the block and manifolds of water i suck in 4 gallons of -50 pink antifreeze. stabilize the fuel and disconnect the battery. thats the major stuff i do to make it ready for winter.

I can understand why people have marinas do it, but i dont want to rely on them. I like doing things on my own and when i want to do it. my two boats are at my house and i can do it at any moment. its more of a hassle to hook the boats up and bring them somewhere rather than just do it in my driveway. oh and i only pay 40 bucks instead of 250+

Lockey14s wrote: Wed Oct 30, 2019 8:04 am

Mike in SC wrote: Tue Oct 29, 2019 5:42 pm

Lockey14s wrote: Tue Oct 29, 2019 3:22 pm Drain the engine block and exhaust manifolds, then run it on the pink stuff. its the only guarantee. those switch over kits where you run it on water first and then switch it over to antifreeze can be risky

Do you need a pressurized supply, or will the engine draw enough through the foot to circulate the antifreeze?
I've seen a video where the antifreeze was being pumped through a set of muffs...
I'll probably just pay the man after I decided how much other work to give him.

you do need to pressurize it, either with a small electric pump or gravity fed. I use the gravity feed jug and put it up on the top of the transom and hook up the muffs. after i drain the block and manifolds of water i suck in 4 gallons of -50 pink antifreeze. stabilize the fuel and disconnect the battery. thats the major stuff i do to make it ready for winter.

I can understand why people have marinas do it, but i dont want to rely on them. I like doing things on my own and when i want to do it. my two boats are at my house and i can do it at any moment. its more of a hassle to hook the boats up and bring them somewhere rather than just do it in my driveway. oh and i only pay 40 bucks instead of 250+

+1

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Another CChat winterizing discussion...here.


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I put the boat out in the driveway and have a mobile marine service do it . Cost me $150 to winterize. At that price I don't plan on doing it myself.

Lockey14s wrote: Wed Oct 30, 2019 8:04 am

Mike in SC wrote: Tue Oct 29, 2019 5:42 pm

Lockey14s wrote: Tue Oct 29, 2019 3:22 pm Drain the engine block and exhaust manifolds, then run it on the pink stuff. its the only guarantee. those switch over kits where you run it on water first and then switch it over to antifreeze can be risky

Do you need a pressurized supply, or will the engine draw enough through the foot to circulate the antifreeze?
I've seen a video where the antifreeze was being pumped through a set of muffs...
I'll probably just pay the man after I decided how much other work to give him.

you do need to pressurize it, either with a small electric pump or gravity fed. I use the gravity feed jug and put it up on the top of the transom and hook up the muffs. after i drain the block and manifolds of water i suck in 4 gallons of -50 pink antifreeze. stabilize the fuel and disconnect the battery. thats the major stuff i do to make it ready for winter.

I can understand why people have marinas do it, but i dont want to rely on them. I like doing things on my own and when i want to do it. my two boats are at my house and i can do it at any moment. its more of a hassle to hook the boats up and bring them somewhere rather than just do it in my driveway. oh and i only pay 40 bucks instead of 250+

yep every situation is different. I just make a phone call and the marina my boat is at hops in a golf cart and its winterized. Best 110 bucks I spend on the boat all season.

I prefer to do it myself so I know it's done right. Even if the dealer fixes a botched job in the spring you're still losing a good chunk of boating time waiting on them to fix whatever issues they caused. Just my .02, but I prefer doing most maintenance myself as nobody will be as careful with your stuff as you will be.

tgrace98 wrote: Wed Oct 30, 2019 10:21 am

Lockey14s wrote: Wed Oct 30, 2019 8:04 am

Mike in SC wrote: Tue Oct 29, 2019 5:42 pm

Do you need a pressurized supply, or will the engine draw enough through the foot to circulate the antifreeze?
I've seen a video where the antifreeze was being pumped through a set of muffs...
I'll probably just pay the man after I decided how much other work to give him.

you do need to pressurize it, either with a small electric pump or gravity fed. I use the gravity feed jug and put it up on the top of the transom and hook up the muffs. after i drain the block and manifolds of water i suck in 4 gallons of -50 pink antifreeze. stabilize the fuel and disconnect the battery. thats the major stuff i do to make it ready for winter.

I can understand why people have marinas do it, but i dont want to rely on them. I like doing things on my own and when i want to do it. my two boats are at my house and i can do it at any moment. its more of a hassle to hook the boats up and bring them somewhere rather than just do it in my driveway. oh and i only pay 40 bucks instead of 250+

yep every situation is different. I just make a phone call and the marina my boat is at hops in a golf cart and its winterized. Best 110 bucks I spend on the boat all season.

tgrace, definitely the best way to go for you.

AsLan7 wrote: Wed Oct 30, 2019 8:08 am

Lockey14s wrote: Wed Oct 30, 2019 8:04 am

Mike in SC wrote: Tue Oct 29, 2019 5:42 pm

Do you need a pressurized supply, or will the engine draw enough through the foot to circulate the antifreeze?
I've seen a video where the antifreeze was being pumped through a set of muffs...
I'll probably just pay the man after I decided how much other work to give him.

you do need to pressurize it, either with a small electric pump or gravity fed. I use the gravity feed jug and put it up on the top of the transom and hook up the muffs. after i drain the block and manifolds of water i suck in 4 gallons of -50 pink antifreeze. stabilize the fuel and disconnect the battery. thats the major stuff i do to make it ready for winter.

I can understand why people have marinas do it, but i dont want to rely on them. I like doing things on my own and when i want to do it. my two boats are at my house and i can do it at any moment. its more of a hassle to hook the boats up and bring them somewhere rather than just do it in my driveway. oh and i only pay 40 bucks instead of 250+

+1

.,


.


.
Another CChat winterizing discussion...here.


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So he drained the water out, ran it again on water with the gas can mix, and then ran on antifreeze? that doesnt make sense to me.

Lockey14s wrote: Wed Oct 30, 2019 11:11 am

AsLan7 wrote: Wed Oct 30, 2019 8:08 am

Lockey14s wrote: Wed Oct 30, 2019 8:04 am

you do need to pressurize it, either with a small electric pump or gravity fed. I use the gravity feed jug and put it up on the top of the transom and hook up the muffs. after i drain the block and manifolds of water i suck in 4 gallons of -50 pink antifreeze. stabilize the fuel and disconnect the battery. thats the major stuff i do to make it ready for winter.

I can understand why people have marinas do it, but i dont want to rely on them. I like doing things on my own and when i want to do it. my two boats are at my house and i can do it at any moment. its more of a hassle to hook the boats up and bring them somewhere rather than just do it in my driveway. oh and i only pay 40 bucks instead of 250+

+1

.,


.


.
Another CChat winterizing discussion...here.


.

So he drained the water out, ran it again on water with the gas can mix, and then ran on antifreeze? that doesnt make sense to me.

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Ya, I think that was an edit/splice to cover thermostat procedures.
Bottom line, as a last step before draining the block and adding antifreeze, make sure your engine is warm enough (normally around 160 degrees on the temp gauge according to my Merc manual) so that the thermostat is open. Then drain the block. (BTW, this is all that is necessary to protect against freeze damage according to my Merc manual.)

As an extra precaution though, I also add the antifreeze mix he mentioned in the video thru the muffs. This will allow the antifreeze solution to circulate around the entire block as your last step and is another safe-guard against freezing......that and I also have a $20 rider on my insurance policy for freeze damage.



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