Volvo Penta 380 w/ heat exchanger and NO quick drain DE-WINTERIZATION

[MoatsNHose]

I can't go hoe during the pandemic because I am a Paramedic and my wife won't let me... that's ok because I am staying at my lake cabin. I cant get anyone to de-winterize my boat and I want to ride it. ALL the YouTube videos I find all have the ez-drain thing, and I don't have that. I have looked the motor over and the only hose I find disconnected is one coming off the bottom of my sea-pump. Can anyone help me with anything else I can look for before I drop it and start it...

 

[alldodge]

Probably only need to reconnect the hose, place in water and fire it up.

That said, I don't know how yours was winterized. Some will disconnect power to the coil so it cannot be started. This is done so someone which doesn't reconnect the hose won't sink the boat or burn the motor.

Can you call the place which winterized it and ask them what you should do to get it going?

 

[MoatsNHose]

I did and they are out of business, but I don't think anything our of the ordinary was done and that sounds out of the ordinary. Most everyone else doesn't answer the phone. Any way I can tell if water is going through my sea pump before it over heats and destroys the rubber vains?

 

[alldodge]

With the boat in water there will be no indication of water coming out the prop. If your on a hose then you will see water flowing. It does take 20 to 30 seconds before block is filled on a hose and water starts coming out

 

[Bondo]

w/ heat exchanger

Ayuh,...... Welcome Aboard,...... There should be a drain plug on the exchanger to drain the raw water side,.....

Is the antifreeze side full,..??

Any chance you can post a picture of yer motor,..??

 

[Lou C]

Normally what they would have done to winterize, would have been to drain the raw water side of the cooling system (raw water side of heat exchanger, hoses to impeller, and exhaust manifolds (unless newer Volvos do a full system, older ones did not). Some places fill the raw water side with no-tox antifreeze, some don't. I would make sure all the hoses are hooked up and all the drain plugs are in, and hook up the ear muffs to the lower unit. Before turning on the water, disconnect the hose coming from the transom to the impeller housing at the housing and fill this hose with water to help the impeller prime. Re-connect the hose at the impeller housing. This is a good idea because Volvos sometimes have trouble getting the impeller to prime if the hose from the impeller to the transom mount was totally drained as it should have been. Impellers do not suck air and depending on your hose pressure, water may not make it all the way up that hose.
Then turn on the water and start the engine. After about 20-30 sec water should start coming out from under the transom mount.
I've been doing the prime the impeller thing with my Cobra (impeller is in upper gear housing of the outdrive) for years for the first start after winter storage. I put on the muffs, disconnect the raw water intake hose at the thermostat housing, fill it with water, re-connect and then turn on the water hose. This gets water to the impeller even before it sucks water up from the muffs. Prevents dry starts.

 

[MoatsNHose]

How do I reply to each of you individually... I can post a pic tomorrow, that might be helpful... Antifreeze is full.... one of two hoses is off from the bottom of the sea pump. Best I could tell the drain plug on the heat exchanger is put back in. BTW the boat is on a lift.

 

[alldodge]

My guess without pics, is your fine. Connect hose, lower into water and fire it up

 

[Scott Danforth]

How do I reply to each of you individually... I can post a pic tomorrow, that might be helpful... Antifreeze is full.... one of two hoses is off from the bottom of the sea pump. Best I could tell the drain plug on the heat exchanger is put back in. BTW the boat is on a lift.

You reply in the forums

reconnect the hose, drop it in the water and fire it up

 

[MoatsNHose]

Here are some pics... the heat exchanger looks like the plug is back in and no hoses off. The sea pump has the one line off the bottom with a plug in it (why a plug). And the cap is off a line that looks like it runs to the sea pump... close the cap, attach the hose, and fire it up?

 

[alldodge]

why a plug

A few reasons, If hose was just off someone may not notice that is was disconnected.
This will keep rodents and other things from crawling in
If boat remains in the water it keeps water from coming in.

The blue plug is your fresh water flush port

 

[MoatsNHose]

So the fresh water port... can i pour water into that to wet / lubricate my sea pump until it gets a prime and pulls lake water?

 

[alldodge]

Don't pour it in, but you can run the boat by connecting the hose to that fitting. Turn the hose, turn water on and wait for water to start coming out the drive then fire it up.

https://forums.iboats.com/forum/eng...-i-run-my-engine-without-muffs-if-it-has-this

 

[muc]

I suggest you read your owners manual. If you don’t have one, you can get one from Volvo’s website.
It appears the people that are giving you advice have never winterized a Volvo 380.
You didn’t post a model or serial number so I can only give you general advice.

That big big plug on this side of the heat exchanger near the bottom is NOT for draining the seawater. The heat exchanger is drained by loosening the the round plate on the very bottom. This plate should have been indexed with white paint because it’s important that it be put back in exactly the same place

The blue flush plug has a oring and gasket that must be there or the engine will overheat. When you screw it back on it needs to be a little tighter than hand tight. Use pliers. If you have a garden hose, connect it there and run the engine before launching the boat. You may have another of these flush plugs on the back of the boat, tucked in on the port side of the drive. Look for it.

The only reason i can think of for the white plug is that this boat was drained while it was still in the lake and then later towed to the trailer. The plug would keep the boat from sinking.

Your exhaust manifolds may need attention also, but not knowing what you have, I can’t tell you anything other then look them over for plugs or hoses that are off.

I really recommend reading your owners manual.

 

[muc]

I missed that the boat is stored on a lift. The white plug is there in case wind blew the boat off the lift. Probably don’t have to worry about the exterior flush port —— most mechanic’s don’t like to get wet.

Check all the fluid levels before before starting the engine. They will be listed in the manual. Did I mention that it would be a good idea to read it?