Another Newbie Question

[Boilers2000]

I have some maintenance to do to my 1992 Searay 200. Trim senders needs replaced, probably bellows, and a leak around the y-pipe exhaust that needs investigated. I know for the y pipe problem the engine needs to be pulled. My question is should I do all this work before I winterize or do it after I winterize. I am terrified of getting surprised by an early freeze....stupid Indiana weather! I'm also scared of doing all this work and waiting until spring to ensure I put everything together correctly. Any thoughts from those that have done this type of work before?

 

[Rick Stephens]

I think you pick your poison on timing and let the bodies lie. Personally, I'd do it when my season is winding down. You, or I, can winterize enough to keep anything from freezing in half an hour. I do that all during fall so I can fish up here in the Rockies when night's can get below freezing. I got the 'drain it all' down to a half hour or less, including warming it up. I never anti-freeze, I just get everything empty. So can you.

It would not bother me a bit to fire up on muffs and test my work, and then spend the half hour draining afterward. All part of the job.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Here is my recommendation since the drive is coming off and the motor is coming out

Drain the drive, pull the prop, then remove the drive and put on a drive stand

Drain the oil, drain the block, heads, manifolds and hoses. Then pull the motor and put on a stand. Motor is now "winterized"

Fix your stuff

come spring

Reinstall motor

Align motor

Change filter, add oil

Install drive

Go boating

 

[Boilers2000]

Thanks for the input...this is my first boat and first winterization, and I dont want to mess it up the first winter.

 

[Scott Danforth]

The two keys to winterization. Drain the water, change the oil

 

[harringtondav]

.........and never throw the loose fasteners in a coffee can. Put them right back where they came from once you have cleared your disassembly. Then there is no question where they belong when you reinstall. Left over nuts and cap screws will keep you awake at night forever.

 

[Scott Danforth]

.........and never throw the loose fasteners in a coffee can. Put them right back where they came from once you have cleared your disassembly. Then there is no question where they belong when you reinstall. Left over nuts and cap screws will keep you awake at night forever.

I use zip-lock baggies with the system written on the bag in a sharpie.....ie: mounts, intake, etc. then I throw the labeled bags with the fasteners into a box that gets stored with the motor.

 

[wellcraft-classic210]

You are correct in that its important not to miss anything on winterizing as it can result in ruined engines and exhaust manifolds.

Winterizing and proper dive maintenance are important to successful boat maintenance ( and avoidance of associated problems )

Do you know how to drain everything ? Manifolds, block , power steering cooler ?


Also important -- Bellows set every 5 years & impeller every 2 years along with any oil changes.

Good luck !

 

[Boilers2000]

I have downloaded the service manual and have identified all the drain points on the block and exhaust manifold, but I think for this first winter I'm going to let the marina service do it. I will do the impeller either end of this season or start of next season, hopefully do bellows when I pull the engine and replace trim senders and trim limit switch. Will do an oil change at the same time the marina winterized it. As long as I bring it to them before the first freeze they cover any damage.

Thanks again for all the input and great advice!

 

[Boater31]

I felt the same way you did my first winter with boat. If you have all the manuals its really hard to screw it up. Drain block and drive, poke wire when draining, drain water pump hose. The stickies will give more info on oil change etc. Save your self the money and get to know ur boat. Plus you know it was at least done, my marina the first year turns out did it the wrong way and I got lucky, when I do it I know there is no water left, can't say that when the marina does it.

 

[dlogvine]

I use zip-lock baggies with the system written on the bag in a sharpie.....ie: mounts, intake, etc. then I throw the labeled bags with the fasteners into a box that gets stored with the motor.

I bought several sectioned plastic containers at Harbour freight. It all cost me less than $15. All the fasteners fit in there perfectly and if you think you will forget where each of them go, put labels in each section. Much better than a bunch of plastic bags, which tend to deteriorate with time..

 

[Boilers2000]

What is everyone's opinion on draining the engine after running antifreeze the engine. Leave it in or drain it too?

 

[JASinIL2006]

Or you could just drain the engine of water and skip the antifreeze. In any case, I'd consider the engine draining to be critical and using antifreeze to be optional. I would not leave antifreeze in the block because unless you really know what you're doing, you could still have water in there and the diluted antifreeze could freeze and crack your block.

Air don't freeze, so I just drain my block.

 

[nola mike]

What is everyone's opinion on draining the engine after running antifreeze the engine. Leave it in or drain it too?

If you're suggesting just running AF through the engine instead of draining the water, don't do it. You can do a search for all the people with cracked blocks who use this method...

 

[Boilers2000]

I had one marine service center say they drain the engine of water, put it in a AF tank and run the engine for 15 -20 mins, but don't drain after the AF tank. Saw guy in YouTube run AF through the engine until the pink fluid exited the exhaust. Then he drained the engine and was done. Service manual is not very clear either. Best method seems to run AF through the system then the whole system, as JaSinIL said "Air Dont Freeze"

 

[JASinIL2006]

I'm not entirely sure I see the point of running AF through it first. About the only rationale I could imagine is some sort of corrosion control, but I have a hard time believing a quick wash with the pink stuff imparts much protection against corrosion. I particularly distrust any method of introducing AF that involves introducing it via the water pump. All that AF will just bypass the engine and go out the relief ports until the thermostat opens up, anyway. (That is why seeing AF come out the ports means nothing in terms of engine protection.)

Much safer to just drain the thing and dispense with the AF, in my opinion. Less expensive, too.