Winterizing questions - 2015 Z3 with base 6.2L Raptor

[Epic]

Hey! I'm winterizing a 2015 Z30 with base 6.2L Raptor and plug n play additional ballast. Wondering a couple things.
1. First did I drain everything I need to?
2. Also, how do I fill the fresh water system with antifreeze?
3. How do I add antifreeze to the ballast system?
4. Listed what I've done below. Have I missed anything?

What I have done:
1. Pulled drain plugs and impeller for fresh water system.
a. I pulled a brass plug from hose going into the heat exchanger from the water pump
b. I pulled the brass plug/node from the heat exchanger
c. I pulled the hoses that cross from the manifold apart from the Center fitting and drained
d. I pulled the brass plug/node from the front of the V-drive.
e. I removed the fresh water pump impeller. (Inspected - It is. Little hard so will replace in spring)

2. Oil change was done first.

3. Fuel stabilizer is in the tank and system.

4. Haven't fogged cylinders yet, but this looks simple.

Have I missed anything?

[KoolAid]

Since no one has responded I will throw in my

1. First did I drain everything I need to? - Sounds like it.
2. Also, how do I fill the fresh water system with antifreeze? I'm no expert on this so hopefully someone with more experience will chime in. You already pulled the impeller so to do it properly you will need to put it and the plugs back in. Pour propylene glycol (RV/Marine environmentally safe antifreeze) into the fresh water strainers' water hose port while running the engine. It will take about a gallon. Do this until you see it blowing out the exhaust port. Turn off engine. Remove the impeller and plugs.
3. How do I add antifreeze to the ballast system? Through the vent lines for the rear bags and through the empty port in the bow for the bow bags. Rear bag vent port is the second port, bow is the port towards the transom.
4. Listed what I've done below. Have I missed anything? Pull the transom plug if you did not do that already.

[freeheel4life]

Sorry for late chime in as well. Sounds like from the freshwater standpoint you have done everything you need too. you would need to re-install impeller to suck antifreeze. If you don't have a freshwater strainer then you will have to pull port side hose at vdrive and mock up something to put onto it. I have 2 that Ive made at the shop out of 1 1/4" ID hose that hookes up to a garden hose fitting. Then just run it until pink comes out exhaust. Really the Raptors don't hold much water in their freshwater and you could save yourself some climbing around and just run antifreeze for a few minutes. Typically will see just as much antifreeze going in as coming out on the Raw Water Loop.

As far as fogging you will get a bunch of answers. Some will say you should have fogged before your oil change so that fogging oil doesn't run down into pan. Some will say fuel washing isn't as prevalent in cat motors so not as much of an issue. Others say not to fog because of cats. Lots of answers out there. you have 2 plugs per hole on you engine. Indmar recommends running first and warming up engine before removing plugs. Hopefully Larry (Enginenut) will chime in as he is the guru. At least you didn't just fog the intake.

[Epic]

Hey Freeheel, thank you for the response. Can you clarify what you mean by this: "you could save yourself some climbing around and just run antifreeze for a few minutes"

[Epic]

Thanks Koolaid. I don't think there is a strainer, but Freeheel mentioned I can suck antifreeze through the hose on port side of the V-drive. Thank you for explaining the locations of the ballast ports. Appreciate it!

[robricketts]

Can anyone explain what needs to be done with the heater? This post is helpful, but I'm still unclear on the heater winterization process?

[lee]

Can anyone explain what needs to be done with the heater? This post is helpful, but I'm still unclear on the heater winterization process?

Depends on the engine.

[KoolAid]

Can anyone explain what needs to be done with the heater? This post is helpful, but I'm still unclear on the heater winterization process?

If its a 2015+, nothing. If its 2014 and below, both hoses need to be removed and the system needs to be blown out with air. I would also suggest some propylene glycol poured into the lines as well.

[freeheel4life]

Hey Freeheel, thank you for the response. Can you clarify what you mean by this: "you could save yourself some climbing around and just run antifreeze for a few minutes"

If you are going to run antifreeze through the Raptor you don't really need to drain exchanger and v drive first. With an engine that brings raw water into ENTIRE block you benefit from draining as you are ensuring zero antifreeze dilution and there is the thermostat limiting antifreeze flow until engine warms up while running on antifreeze. With the Raptor it sucks in antifreeze runs it thru trans and oil coolers, heat exchanger, manifolds, then out exhaust. No real restriction or anything to dilute it. Any water that is in the raw water loop will simply be pushed out by the antifreeze. We do around 500 boats or so a year so we are using 55gal drums, but I would guess 2 gallons introduced pre v-drive would do it. Spare yourself the concern and just run 3 or 4 gallons thru. Whole lot easier and quicker than pulling anode and plugs. If you are going to be doing your wints every year get yourself one of the and spare yourself even more headache.
https://www.indmar.com/service-products/strainer-pro/
Install it between your thru hull and v drive.
We also use a Propolyene Glycol refractometer to verify burst point. We test what's coming out of exhaust to verify no dilution. Don't really think it's necessary for at home guys from the results we see everyday, Raptor and PCM "closed cool" engines just don't hold that much water in the raw water loop

[hcooperrn]

FWIW, I just finished mine this weekend, drained the 4 plugs, put them back, added a fitting and hose to a 5 gallon bucket, and then ran the antifreeze in.

I used about 5 gallons and had pink coming out the back, ran 2 more in for good measure since I had it there. I think it used more than others because of the FAE -- when sitting level, the FAE has an upslope that has to fill with fluid before it spurts out. It does have a drain hole so I know it didn't stay full.

I didn't change the impeller -- will do that in the spring with the spark plugs. Since I drained it dry first (probably didn't need to) I didn't want to run the new impeller dry while it sucked up the antifreeze.

[Sayonara]

If you drain all the water per the manual do you have to run antifreeze? The manual doesn't mention filling with antifreeze.

[hcooperrn]

Many posts on here debating that -- I personally like the idea of the heat exchanger sitting full with the corrosion protection, though I'm sure it would take years to be an issue. I've pulled apart engines that were just drained for years, and it always took a lot of PB Blaster to due do so. Closed cooling helps that with the new blocks, just hoping to minimize (though not prevent I'm sure) long-term issues in the exchanger and manifolds.

To each their own, there are plenty of different opinions, almost as fun as the synthetic vs fossil oil debate