Winterising engine when staying afloat

alisdair4

alisdair4

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Joined
18 Jan 2004
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690
Location
Isle of Bute
midnightdrifter.net
For the first time, I am leaving my Rival in the water for the winter. She has a Beta 20 engine, which normally I have winterised in accordance with the manual. For laying up afloat, the manual specifies protecting the raw water circuit with antifreeze. I was planning to check on the boat (probably weekly) and run the engine for a few minutes each time, If I do this, and given that Bute is a darn sight warmer than Kiel (where we wintered for the last 3 years), this part of the process would seem to be unnecessary? What do others do?
 
I don't bother to winterise the engine when afloat. The raw water system is full of salt water and it doesn't get cold enough for that to freeze.
Also I wouldn't run the engine for 'a few minutes'- better to get it up to full temp and under load, if you're going to run it at all.
 
Our boat stays afloat all winter. I change the oil and filters, put a small tube heater in the engine bay-20W IIRC which is on all the time.

An 80 W tube heater and a dehumidifier come on 5 hours each day with a timer.

Works for me.........................
 
I haven't left my boat in commission for some years but used to run the engine in gear at 2000 rpm until fully warm or about 20mins. If you are not intending to take the boat out, it might be better to fully winterise and I wouldn't risk not putting antifreeze in if there is any risk at all. This has the advantage that you are not tied down to weekly or fortnightly visits.
 
We usually leave Ariam in the water over winter (afloat but out of commission while I do refit work) and I service the engine but don't do anything specific to winterise it. But I imagine it's a bit warmer in Southampton than in Bute :)

Agree with all the advice to either give the engine a good run or not run it at all - the most damage is done to a diesel engine during startup and cold running, so if you come down every week and start it for "a few minutes" you're hurting, not helping. I would leave it alone, not sure what running it is supposed to achieve.

Pete
 
I used to always aim to check the boat over at least alternate weekends.
I would either run the engine up to temperature, or crank it over decompressed to circulate the oil a little. Pull the engine stop to prevent too much diesel going into the bores and turn off the seacock to avoid filling the exhaust with water.
I don't think seawater freezing inside a boat is much of a risk in Portsmouth, but if it did look like getting that cold I would change my plan, unless shore powered heating was an option.
 
Hopefully seawater will not freeze, but you will need to have antifreeze in the freshwater cooling circuit. I believe that many engine manufacturers insist that antifreeze should be used at all times in a freshwater cooled engine as the corrosion inhibitors it contains help the longevity of the engine and ancillaries anyway. Other than that, keep the diesel tank topped up to minimise the air gap which promotes condensation getting into the fuel. Hope your mooring is substantial as I have always advocated running the engine in reverse on a swinging mooring to put some load on it in the hope of avoiding bore glazing.

Rob.

P.S. I wonder if anyone with a diesel water heater has rigged it for winter running so as to pre-heat the engine's cooling system? In bitter cold climates it is often done on automotive installations.
 
Last edited:
Kelpie said:
I don't bother to winterise the engine when afloat. The raw water system is full of salt water and it doesn't get cold enough for that to freeze.
Also I wouldn't run the engine for 'a few minutes'- better to get it up to full temp and under load, if you're going to run it at all.
Click to expand...

I also support the advice of not winterising the engine. Change the oil now then give it a good run, preferably in gear to put some load on it, at least once per month.

Colin www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
 
I recommend ZX1 oil additive - its well proven to reduce the wear that takes place during those first few minutes after a cold start. I've used it in everything from boat, car, lawnmower, engines and transmissions and will be adding it to my Chinese MP446 engine which is now run-in, once I have changed the oil and filter.

http://www.team-zx1.com/industry.html#marine

Such is its friction reducing properties, that a cold engine will often crank at a higher speed, which also reduces cranking time in most cases. There are many youtube demos of its properties and it has a NATO stock number so not snake oil.
Available from many Halfords.
 
ianj99 said:
I recommend ZX1 oil additive - its well proven to reduce the wear that takes place during those first few minutes after a cold start. I've used it in everything from boat, car, lawnmower, engines and transmissions and will be adding it to my Chinese MP446 engine which is now run-in, once I have changed the oil and filter.

http://www.team-zx1.com/industry.html#marine

Such is its friction reducing properties, that a cold engine will often crank at a higher speed, which also reduces cranking time in most cases. There are many youtube demos of its properties and it has a NATO stock number so not snake oil.
Available from many Halfords.
Click to expand...

Well that's certainly throwing down the gauntlet!

Let's add that to the mineral / semi-synthetic / synthetic debate but I think I'll retire gracefully at this point! :encouragement:

Richard
 
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