cooling water ice caught in time 3.0L mercury

[starcentral]

I did most of my winterization in October which was non-ethanol gas with fuel stabilizer, changing oil + filter, and fogging engine until stalling. One thing I did not remember to do was drain the cooling water from the engine. The boat has been stored inside a large non-heated garage, and low temperatures were mostly 0 C degrees but there were some minus days in there. Worried, yesterday I went back to cottage to inspect the hoses and cooling water situation.

First thing I did was I pulled the blue exhaust manifold and block drain tubes and was happy to see water coming out. Then I opened up the 3 other tubes around the water cooling pump to take a look.

That's when I saw a bit of ice already start forming. I poured some hot water down to melt the ice quickly, let that water drain, then once satisfied most of the water was clear, filled it up with the anti-freeze and hopefully now have truly finished my winterization process.

 

[achris]

Good catch....

 

[QBhoy]

Hate to be pessimistic...are you sure this wasn’t ice melting from a more solid form previously ? Hopefully not. If not, nice one getting to it on time.

 

[d-reed]

Unfortunately, you will not know if there is any damage until you fire it up come warm weather. This is the number one reason so many boat engines are replaced. I drain mine and fill it with coolant and then drain it all out and leave the system empty for the winter. Never an issue.

 

[Lou C]

When I have to do a partial winterization, I do the drain first since it is the most important part. This year I had to do that (drained it in Oct due to cold temps) and had already changed the oil so a few weeks after I drained it, I fogged it thru the cyls and then just filled the engine up with my batch of -26* PG Sierra antifreeze. Always do the drain first, the other stuff is not critical and can wait.

 

[starcentral]

Unfortunately, you will not know if there is any damage until you fire it up come warm weather. This is the number one reason so many boat engines are replaced. I drain mine and fill it with coolant and then drain it all out and leave the system empty for the winter. Never an issue.

I'm definitely crossing my fingers. Won't know until spring. I just know we didn't have a lot of minus days between the first time I did the oil on Oct 16, and Nov 12th so I am hopeful. On the 12th the drain hoses drained water instantly and fast flowing, if it was frozen solid at one point no way it thawed out to drain like that when temps stayed around 0c.

 

[Jcris]

I'm definitely no expert but had this thought. When I winterize I always run the motor on muffs and get the motor up to temp before I remove all the drain plugs. Then I remove the large hose on the thermostat housing and leave it off. Next day everything is nice and dry and I reinstall that hose and plugs. I don't use antifreeze. Good idea or?

 

[starcentral]

I'm definitely no expert but had this thought. When I winterize I always run the motor on muffs and get the motor up to temp before I remove all the drain plugs. Then I remove the large hose on the thermostat housing and leave it off. Next day everything is nice and dry and I reinstall that hose and plugs. I don't use antifreeze. Good idea or?

I think you'll still have water in the block, so the idea of the antifreeze is to displace the water that is in there. also if you leave things dry then you get corrosion and rust, so I like the idea of keeping liquid in there to prevent that.

Next year i won't take the water hose off, because now I have to clean it real good to make sure it seals properly with the pump. I'll just connect antifreeze with hose to ear muffs and run it until pink comes out etc.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I think you'll still have water in the block, so the idea of the antifreeze is to displace the water that is in there. also if you leave things dry then you get corrosion and rust, so I like the idea of keeping liquid in there to prevent that.

Next year i won't take the water hose off, because now I have to clean it real good to make sure it seals properly with the pump. I'll just connect antifreeze with hose to ear muffs and run it until pink comes out etc.

nope, there would be no water in the block, not enough to worry about

you will take the hose off next year, as that is part of the draining process

your thought of connecting it to AF via the muffs and running it until it comes out the exhaust will get you a busted block come spring time.

follow the manual. drain everything 9via plugs, hoses, etc.), then if AF makes you warm and fuzzy add it to the t-stat housing with a funnel.

 

[Lou C]

this is about the easiest ever engine to winterize, 2 drain plugs and the big pump hose and raw water intake hose. drain em all and you are really done. Can back fill with AF if you want.

 

[midnightrider1818]

What I do is drain block PROBE HOLES on risers and manifolds. Pull thermostat so I dont have to worry about that. I soak it in some oil to keep it coated. Fire up on muffs and suck antifreeze through with muffs. Then drain block again and run sump to suck up antifreeze through there. Fog motor and I'm done make sure I fog good. This year I'm not gonna use muffs though because it's hard for these beasts to even run 3 sec with no water. And I'll have them parts taken care of now. I'll just fill hose with antifreeze after draining block

 

[starcentral]

After the snow melt in Hunstville, Ontario flooded the river I'm on by 7 feet, now I'm fixing the damage caused to our land dock anchors and rebuilding a dock I lost --- so yet to launch the boat and see if I busted my block yet.

Will update the post either way once I find out.

 

[H20Rat]

Fire it up on the hose and let it run 10 minutes. If you don't see water spraying in the bilge and your oil doesn't look like chocolate milk, you are good to go.

 

[starcentral]

Well thankfully no water spraying out anywhere.

 

[jimmbo]

Does the Oil look like Baileys Irish Creme?

 

[starcentral]

Does the Oil look like Baileys Irish Creme?

No, the oil did not look like baileys Irish creme.

In my second year after this incident and everything running good. Hope others can learn from my story, READ THE MANUAL and DRAIN your DRAIN HOSES !!

 

[tank1949]

No, the oil did not look like baileys Irish creme.

In my second year after this incident and everything running good. Hope others can learn from my story, READ THE MANUAL and DRAIN your DRAIN HOSES !!

In the future, if you can find them and have 110 AC access, just connect a couple of light bulbs in your bilge. I put a couple on a timer, but I don't live in artic like weather and I started motors monthly. .

 

[achris]

In the future, if you can find them and have 110 AC access, just connect a couple of light bulbs in your bilge. I put a couple on a timer, but I don't live in artic like weather and I started motors monthly. .

TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE idea!

If you lose power, and that's not uncommon during winter especially, you'll lose the engine very quickly...

Just don't do that...

Chris....

 

[tank1949]

TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE idea!

If you lose power, and that's not uncommon during winter especially, you'll lose the engine very quickly...

Just don't do that...

Chris....

"I don't live in artic weather..." Not where we lived and my boat is monitored daily. We get below freezing 3-5 times a year. Just an option that many in North Florida use. We seldom winterize like up north.

 

[GSPLures]

"I don't live in artic weather..." Not where we lived and my boat is monitored daily. We get below freezing 3-5 times a year. Just an option that many in North Florida use. We seldom winterize like up north.

Another issue if you use incandescent light bulbs to produce heat and have a fuel leak it can cause a huge fire. Alot of auto shops are lost that way which is why everyone I have worked at will only allow led lights to be used around cars