4.3 mercruiser winterising for short periods...

[Ian MacAulay]

SORRY if its been been covered before but after much searching if not found the answers I'm looking for.


My 4.3 has open cooling system and i use it every few weeks so i need to winterise in a manor that i can just start and run when i like.
last weekend i just removed the 5 blue plugs and drained down the engine and the coolest hoses and risers... now do i need to do anything to the leg or does that not hold water also what else should i do to protect my engine over the couple off weeks its not in use but subject to freezing temperatures???


Thanks


Ian

 

[spannerman]

If the boat is on the water any water in the leg finds its own level when the engine is turned off, i.e. the exhaust will be at the same level as the water line and depending on drive Alpha or Bravo the water in the intake hose will probably slowly run back out so everything should stabilise at the boats waterline.
If its on land then all the water in the leg and exhaust will drain out, have you thought about an engine room heater to save all the draining and mopping up?
I'd spray all the electrical connectors with WD40 or similar to prevent corrosion over the damp months. And make sure the battery gets charged if the boat is idle for a long time.

 

[Ian MacAulay]

Thanks mate..

the boat is kept on a trailer and i use a can of AC90 to displace any water off the block and all connectors after each use


Thanks

Ian

 

[spannerman]

An easy way to protect the engine is run it on muffs to rinse the saltwater out, then make up a length of hose from the muffs to a funnel which you tie up on the back of the boat, then with an assistant run the engine while tipping a bucket of 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water into the funnel, you will see it exiting from the bypass ports on the lower corners of the transom shield and from the centre of the prop, then you know the cooling system is filled with antifreeze.

 

[spannerman]

An easy way to protect the engine is run it on muffs for 5 mins to rinse the saltwater out, then make up a length of hose from the muffs to a funnel which you tie up on the back of the boat, then with an assistant run the engine while tipping a bucket of 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water into the funnel, you will see it exiting from the bypass ports on the lower corners of the transom shield and from the centre of the prop, then you know the cooling system is filled with antifreeze.

Steve

 

[spannerman]

An easy way to protect the engine is run it on muffs for 5 mins to rinse the saltwater out, then make up a length of hose from the muffs to a funnel which you tie up on the back of the boat, then with an assistant run the engine while tipping a bucket of 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water into the funnel, when you see it exiting from the bypass ports on the lower corners of the transom shield and from the centre of the prop, you know the cooling system is filled with antifreeze, so stop the engine.

Steve

 

[spannerman]

The website is positively glacial today so sorry this post has appeared 3 times! as the response is soooo slow you don't know if the keytrokes have been accepted.

 

[lynall]

Good tip is a real think blanket over the engine when standing stops the condensation forming which will in turn lead to rust.