Winterizing 2013 RZ2 w 343

[bellemd]

Hi Everyone, new boat to our family and loving it!!! A bit surprised there is no info on step by step winterizing the motor, heater, trans and ballast system etc? Would anyone know where to find this information. Did all of my own winterizing on my previous Chaparral without incident.
Thanks!!

[JTs-rz2]

Winterizing!?!?! Summer just started - don't even bring up winterizing now. 😁 Tons of resources on scattered. Have to search on here. If you have other boats this will not be tough. Pcm has their manual online if you don't have one

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[bellemd]

Thanks! Yes, way too early... just thinking in advance. Thanks for taking the time!

[JohnnieMo]

If you find it let me know. I've always paid for the service but now that my shop is done I want to do it myself.

[bellemd]

Yes. Would be great if someone posted a u tube how to for the newer Tige's.

[freeheel4life]

Will gladly post pics and instructions. There's some things I need to know though.
1) Are you wanting to run antifreeze thru your block/manifolds/coolers/shower/heaters or are you just wanting to drain water and run air thru??
2)Closed cooled or not(bellemd most likely isn't closed cooled but newer Tiges are)

I'm a firm believer in antifreeze but I am also in the northwest. If you are in TX/FL it's a different story.

[bellemd]

Hello freeheel4life, would love step by step instructions for both applications. With my previous boat I didn't use antifreeze.
The RZ2 is not closed cooled.
Thanks!

[Gully]

Hi freeheel4life, I would like the winterizing info as well. Thanks Gully

[IDBoating]

If you don't want to wait, the earlier post is correct - PCM has the standard owner's manuals online and they have very detailed instructions for winterization. I too have the EX343 and the instructions are very clear. They've also been discussed numerous times on here, many existing threads on exactly that topic, do a search.

[IDBoating]

Got your PM, but I'll answer here for the benefit of others who search for this same topic.

No sense retyping what is already in print. Here is the link to your engine's owner manual:

http://pcmengines.com/wp-content/upl...L510010-13.pdf

The "Out of Season Storage" instructions start on page 56, with water flow and drain plug diagrams starting on page 62.

[BCRider]

the video is for an older VE but the process is essentially the same process.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7Egs_ac17c

Make yourself a fake a lake as shown below. Can also use the same hose or a different one (mines all braided hose) and stick it in a 5 gallon bucket full of your antifreeze. Keep adding as required until coming out the exhaust. Mine took approx 8 gallons

[IDBoating]

I'll chime in my two cents. We live in North Idaho, gets plenty cold here in the winters. I drain everything, then suck AND blow out every drain plug hole with a shop vac, and do NOT rely on antifreeze, because I've had learned engine mechanics tell me that an engine at idle does not fully pressurize the cooling system and therefore some pockets of pure water - without antifreeze - can remain. Since we're not supposed to run the engine past idle when on the trailer, I'd rather leave the cooling system as empty as possible. I do like the idea of the anticorrosion properties of the antifreeze, but the risk (and resulting repair costs!) of freezing is just too great. If the cooling system is mostly empty, any remaining water will have room to expand when it freezes without damaging anything. This is how I've winterized my EX343-CAT for eight seasons since new.

Standard disclaimer: Make your own choices, just my opinion, etc.

[JohnnieMo]

I made a video last year that could help.

https://youtu.be/4vjDp_C-jmc

[JTs-rz2]

I made a video last year that could help.

https://youtu.be/4vjDp_C-jmc

Great video! I do a couple things differently but same result.

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[IDBoating]

Two more areas to drain:

1) There is a drain plug on front bottom of the V-drive. It removes with a 1/2 inch ratchet (no socket required, the ratchet handle itself fits it).

2) Generally you'll want to remove your raw water impeller, which means removing the raw water pump. There are areas in the pump that can retain water, in addition to the risk of the impeller "taking a set" during long term storage. This also means you'll remove the serpentine belt, again not a bad idea since that will also prevent IT from taking a set. I dry and then store both the pump and the impeller indoors over the winter in ziploc bags. If you have natural gas, the residual combustion gases can degrade the rubber impeller and o-rings so this is a doubly good idea if you store them in the same airspace as a gas water heater or furnace.

My EX343 has a total of seven drain plugs to remove and drain, plus removal of the raw water pump and draining the transmission intercooler. As noted above, I then use a shopvac to first suck and then blow every fitting until no more than a light mist is coming out. Then all seven plugs go back in with a touch of thread sealant. Raw water pump and impeller go back on in the spring.