Another winterizing question..

[bryancm]

I think I understand what needs to be done to properly winterize the boat and have a game plan. I have looked into getting a fake-a-lake but have a few questions.

1) I plan change the oil, put the stabil in full gas tank, hook up the fake-a-lake and run at idle for 15 mins, spraying fogger though carb.

2) Drain the water out and send anti-freeze through the fake-a-lake while running the boat.

Sound about right?

Do you need to drain the water out first, before the antifreeze, or can you just run the antifreeze through, pushing out the water?

Also, where does the water or antifreeze go? Come out of boat?

[jbort]

Others will confirm but I believe the antifreeze will run out the exhaust via normal operation as it displaces the water in the engine block.

have any factory ballast or other permanent installed bags/tanks? if so they need drained and pink antifreeze run into them to fill pumps/hoses so they don't freeze and bust apart. messy to replace later. my 2 cents.

[chpthril]

I think I understand what needs to be done to properly winterize the boat and have a game plan. I have looked into getting a fake-a-lake but have a few questions.

1) I plan change the oil, put the stabil in full gas tank, hook up the fake-a-lake and run at idle for 15 mins, spraying fogger though carb.

2) Drain the water out and send anti-freeze through the fake-a-lake while running the boat.

Sound about right?

Do you need to drain the water out first, before the antifreeze, or can you just run the antifreeze through, pushing out the water?

Also, where does the water or antifreeze go? Come out of boat?

Austin TZ, right? I wouldn't bother with the antifreeze, just drain the water. But to answer you question, yes, one would want to drain the water before introducing the pink marine/rv antifreeze for best results as it does not want to be diluted. And fogging needs to be the last time the engine runs.

[TRD]

send me you email address, I have an excel spreadsheet that may help you.

[Jason B]

Austin TZ, right? I wouldn't bother with the antifreeze, just drain the water. But to answer you question, yes, one would want to drain the water before introducing the pink marine/rv antifreeze for best results as it does not want to be diluted. And fogging needs to be the last time the engine runs.

I would agree with that, in TX, it won't get cold enough for long enough to damage our block. Skip the antifreeze. A MUCH easier solution if you require the piece of mind would be to stick a drop light with a normal incandesant bulb 60-100 watts into the engine comprtment. You would not believe how warm one single light bulb will keep that space. It's amazing. Personally, I would do that over antifreeze.

Do still run the boat on the fake a lake and change all your fluids. As Chp mentioned, DO NOT FOG until you're all done and ready to kill the motor for the very lAST time before storage.

[skindog44]

Is there actually a way to fog your engine if its fuel injected? I have a 08'22VE w/ the MP 5.7 vortec.

[Joeprunc]

I drain my block. Then pull the hoses off the thermostat housing and pour the RV Coolant down the hoses till full. That way if there is any water reminants in the bottom of the block, the coolant will mix with the water and lower the freezing temp. We don't see temps cooler than 25 F here and even that is once in a blue moon.

I also have a heater fan that I run all night every night during the winter. It draws about as much current as a 60 watt bulb.

[bryancm]

Thanks everyone. Is that the consensus? Living in Austin doesn't warrant using antifreeze? Just drain via the 6 petcocks and hoses, drain the v-drive coolant and just let it sit?

[Timmy!]

I would agree with that, in TX, it won't get cold enough for long enough to damage our block. Skip the antifreeze. A MUCH easier solution if you require the piece of mind would be to stick a drop light with a normal incandesant bulb 60-100 watts into the engine comprtment. You would not believe how warm one single light bulb will keep that space. It's amazing. Personally, I would do that over antifreeze.

The light bulb won't do you any good if your boat is shrink wrapped or you're out of town when the freezing weather hits. The only reason I put the pink stuff in my boat is the first year I had it I didn't get all of the water out of the heater core for some reason and it cracked it.

[bryancm]

Thanks all. No Anti Freeze for me then. About the fogging. I was just recently told not to fog fuel injected engines?? I have a 350 mag mpi ski and I believe the 'mpi' means multi port injection or something like that. So, is this engine 'fuel injected' and should not be fogged or should you just spray the fogger down the air intake under the air filter. That is the most carb-looking non carb ever.

[Tantrum1]

I used to work for a Tige/Malibu dealership as a mechanic and we/I never fogged any engines. Fogging a MPI is hard on the injectors they have a tendancy to plug up as the oil becomes tacky over the winter, also it generally has a habit causing it hard to start in the spring.
All that being said one trick I did use is after all that is done I used to pull out the spark plugs one at a time and spray either WD-40 or LPS1 and then reinstall the plugs. Just a little squirt. Its a water displacer so helps prevent moisture.