Sterndrive winterisation

[nickyg]

I have a yamaha sterndrive and want to know the best way to get some anti freeze miture in the fresh water side
Can i put some engine muffs on the leg and to a pipe in a bucket of anti freeze so it will suck it up then run the engine. This seems the easiest option.It wont damage the impellor will it?.

 

[BarryH]

As long as the muffs form an airtight seal you'll be ok. If they dont, all your do is damage the impellar as it wont pump the antifrezze mix. The best way I've found is to disconnect the raw water pipe from the drive and put it in the bucket in the engine bay. Make the mix quiet strong tho. It will then mix with any water left in the system. Drain as much water from the heat exchanger and exhaust manifold before you start.

OK, to hell with it. Unbolt it and we'll use it as an anchor!

 

[tr7v8]

To get anti freeze in the freshwater side then just top up header tank with neat antifreeze, draing some off if needed.
If you want to put antifreeze in the raw water side then either put the leg in a dustbin with the antifreeze mix and run it up or let it pump it from the bucket via a set of muffs and a hose.
Beware of the antifreeze! Just stripped the port heat exchanger & header tank off mine and its full of a blue crystaline gunk, which is the consistency of wall paper paste. Currently on the TR7 which is an all alloy engine I use Halfords premium a/f and it's mixed with water from the waterjug at home so the c^&ps filtered out.
I'll probably do the same when I finally refill the 2 red horrors!
Incidentally a lot of the guys in the US use distilled water for mixing.

Jim
----------

 

[rlw]

I have been told a few times that antifreeze softens the impeller which can cause it to fail during the next season. Best is to take the impeller out after sucking up the antifreeze.

Rob

 

[nickyg]

Thanks for the replies everyone
Why do you need to drain as much water as you can out the exchanger ?
Thanks Nick

 

[nickyg]

Re: drive winterisation

Thanks for the replies everyone
Why do you need to drain as much water as you can out the exchanger ?
Thanks Nick