Winterizing engine

[firemangr82b1]

I have a GM Vortec 5.7 litre 340 hp 2005 (22ir) engine and i am winterizing it. The manual says you can just empty both exhaust manifold drain plugs (both sides) and the circulating pump hose and the knock sensor and drain all h2o completly, i also drained the water from the engine transmission cooler, a total of 10 drain ports. I wondered if I need to fill the engine back up with winterizer or can I just leave the plugs out during winter and be ok?
Also, how much winterizer does it takeif I put it into the engine? I was told I could just poor the winterizer into the raw water intake hose and crank the engine over until it spit out the back of the exhaust ports and that would distribute the winterizer where it needed to go. Anyone have any advice or recommendations? My boat will also be stored indoors in a non heated storage unit......Thanks L

[chpthril]

winterizing
Here is a post I did about winterizing. I have used winterizer in my past boats because the plugs were so hard to get to. With my Tige, I just plan to drain the water. The only thing I left off my list was to change the fuel/water sep.

[Domsz06]

I just empty all the water I can, and then I put winterizer in the thermostat area and it goes where it needs to go. Give the boat a good cleaning, wax job and then put two space heaters that circulate air around the engine when it gets close to freezing and then put a cover on. I have been out at my boat when it's been 20 degrees and I had to take my jacket off under the cover it was nice and warm.

[TRD]

What do you guys do about the water in the impeller area? If you put antifreeze in through the thermostat area will it go through that area?

Thanks
Dale

[Domsz06]

I drain everything out I can get with removing the four blue plugs, then put the antifreeze back it. Yes the anit freeze gets into the impeller area.

[Moki]

The way I understand most dealers do it is just run the engine with a fake lake until the thermostat opens up and then hook it up to the antifreeze. Wait for the exhaust to turn pink. If you have a shower, turn on the shower until it is pink. Is this correct Lee? I don't understand the point of draining the water first, if you are going to run antifreeze in it.

My last boat (not a tige) I simply had to drain two plugs on the block and take two rubber caps off of the manifold and unhook the hose to the water pump and drain it. I could do it in 10 minutes. Now with a shower, heater, and transmission cooler, more things to winterize and more plugs. So I took it to the dealer and they ran antifreeze in it. I will do it myself next year.

[lee]

Originally posted by Moki
The way I understand most dealers do it is just run the engine with a fake lake until the thermostat opens up and then hook it up to the antifreeze. Wait for the exhaust to turn pink. If you have a shower, turn on the shower until it is pink. Is this correct Lee? I don't understand the point of draining the water first, if you are going to run antifreeze in it.

If you are going to use the pink antifreeze, the bottle says not to dilute and you will have protection to -50*.

[switchme]

Winterize

I have decided to not winterize this year as my boat is stored in my heated garage & it really never gets cold enough to worry about. I'm looking to do some general mainteance however. I'll change the oil, stablize the fuel, change fuel filter. I already replaced the impellor. Anything else I should do other than general lube, grease?

[Moki]

Sounds like you got it pretty well covered. The only other suggestion I can think of is to hook your battery up to a trickle charger or charge it occasionally. Check your transmission oil as well.

[Stitchy]

Not quite winterized yet....

Thanks to all for setting up this website and posting great info. Temperatures at night here dip near the 25-30F range, but it still climbs to 70F during the day. I'm still wakeboarding, but opening the engine block drains (2) after each use. For the freezing temps I'm throwing a trouble light in the engine compartment, electric blanket on top of the compartment and a space heater under the boat cover. Is this enough or am I missing anything else that could potentially freeze in between uses?

[Moki]

Thanks to all for setting up this website and posting great info. Temperatures at night here dip near the 25-30F range, but it still climbs to 70F during the day. I'm still wakeboarding, but opening the engine block drains (2) after each use. For the freezing temps I'm throwing a trouble light in the engine compartment, electric blanket on top of the compartment and a space heater under the boat cover. Is this enough or am I missing anything else that could potentially freeze in between uses?

Typically, you are not going to have block freezing problems unless the temperature dips below freezing for a few days. If you are draining the blocks after each us and your other plugs after each use, you should be fine. With the blanket and space heater, you are extra protected. Do you have a heater or a shower? In my other boat with no shower or heater, I could drain all the plugs in 10 minutes and that's all I did to winterize where the temps got down in the teens for several days in a row and never have had problems.

[Stitchy]

Winterizing the boat

Thanks Moki. I do not have a shower or a heater on the boat. I have found a total of 4 plugs to drain (2 on each side located on the lower and upper portion of the engine). Hopefully I won't be shelling out $$$ for a cracked block anytime soon and still be able to enjoy some wakeboarding......

[race fan]

You also might want to pull the hose off of the lower part of the water pump

[Domsz06]

mine has a drain for that hose, his may as well.

[lee]

Thanks Moki. I do not have a shower or a heater on the boat. I have found a total of 4 plugs to drain (2 on each side located on the lower and upper portion of the engine). Hopefully I won't be shelling out $$$ for a cracked block anytime soon and still be able to enjoy some wakeboarding......

What engine do you have?