Winterizing Fresh Air Exhaust???

[harv]

Finishing up winterizing my boat... I added Fresh Air Exhaust this summer. The Fresh Air exhaust tubes run at an upward angle after leaving the transom. How do I get the water out of the exhaust system? I can't remove the Fresh air system without a major amount of work now and again in the spring.

Any suggestions?

[da.bell]

Find the steepest hill you can and drive it up the hill That will get the water out of there.

[jwanck11]

a powerful shop vac.

[rostap]

Actually reminds me of a question i have been meaning to ask. My FAE is at a slight upward angle but when I have someone pull the boat out I am kind of amazed at how much water comes out of the FAE. Maybe I need to put it at more of an angle? Anyone else have the same issue and is there anything to be concerned about?

[chpthril]

Finishing up winterizing my boat... I added Fresh Air Exhaust this summer. The Fresh Air exhaust tubes run at an upward angle after leaving the transom. How do I get the water out of the exhaust system? I can't remove the Fresh air system without a major amount of work now and again in the spring.

Any suggestions?

No worries IMO. Water turning to ice is not what a boat needs to fear come winter time, it's the expansion of the water/ice as it freezes. Being that the FAE is made up of open tubing, the water is not contained to a confined space. As the water freezes, and I'll bet it will in MN, the water/ice will expand normally as there is nothing for it to put pressure on.

When you did/do winterize, do you use marine/rv antifreeze? If so, do you run it through with the engine running or just pour in the top of the engine? If run through, you should have gotten some into the exhaust and it would have mixed with the remaining water in the FAE.

Now, if your still worried about the water, here is what I would do if it were me: Loosen the clamps on the exhaust flanges, take a cotter-pin puller type tool, like the one in the middle below, and slide it up between the flange and connector hose, this will allow the water to run out without actually removing or disassembling any part of the FAE.

Actually reminds me of a question i have been meaning to ask. My FAE is at a slight upward angle but when I have someone pull the boat out I am kind of amazed at how much water comes out of the FAE. Maybe I need to put it at more of an angle? Anyone else have the same issue and is there anything to be concerned about?

Not sure what your concern is - the FAE being at an upward angle (needs to be due to the TAPS plate) or water running out the exhaust when the boat is pulled (again, normal as the exhaust is cooled along with the engine and the now heated water returns to the lake through the exhaust).

[rostap]

The later, it was just more the quantity of water that comes out. Just in general even during the summer months if i'm not at a steep ramp where it can drain, is all that water sitting in the exhaust area a potential issue?

[whitlock87]

I have my FAE now for three years. I have never noticed any issue like rust or anything eating the fiberglass tubes that run next to the engine. I did notice on spring, some whit crystals that look like calcium deposits after sitting all winter. (In the spring I run the engine with a fake a lake for about 30 min before our first outing) Took them off, to check and make sure nothing was being eaten, and it was nice and clean.

[harv]

Couldn't find a hill steep enough. lol

Fresh Air Exhaust suggested that I drill a small hole in the rubber connectors.

I just loosened hose clamps and slid the rubber sleeve back enough to create a gap, then I used my mom's best turkey baster to shoot some RV antifreeze into the exhaust.

On another note: a good friend of mine still has his boat on their lift because the water went down too much to get the boat out of the lake. The boat landing was already shallow but now he has to get permission to dig a trench that will enable him to get the boat on the trailer... all the while, temps are hovering around freezing and it's snowing. Scary.

[Nobody]

Winterize? What's that? Hell, it's time for another oil change.

Ya gotta love Florida!

Lake Tarpon, Nov 11th 2009: Water Temperature - 85, Air Temperature - 90, Gatorade Temperature - 40.

[mcd]

Pour antifreeze into the exhaust manifolds until it comes out through the FAE. Any water that is left in the system will atleast be cut with antifreeze.