Air Don't Freeze Winterization

[CayugaCobalt]

I only recently discovered this philosophy of winterization. Are any of you draining out all water and putting nothing (anti freeze) back in? if so, do you leave drain pugs out or not?

 

[Scott06]

I only recently discovered this philosophy of winterization. Are any of you draining out all water and putting nothing (anti freeze) back in? if so, do you leave drain pugs out or not?

Yep, drain them and i leave the plugs out. Works fine, biggest issue you may see is corrosion on plug threads in cast iron. If you have the newer blue plastic ones this is not an issue

 

[racerone]

When you remove a drain plug you have to see water coming out !----If no water you need to poke around with a wire and remove the plug of sand / silt etc.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I only recently discovered this philosophy of winterization. Are any of you draining out all water and putting nothing (anti freeze) back in? if so, do you leave drain pugs out or not?

Draining is what the manual states is required for winterization

AF is optional

I kept the plugs and the impeller in a zip loc bag zip tied to the steering wheel when I needed to winterize

 

[Alumarine]

I don't add antifreeze and I put the plugs back in after draining.

 

[JASinIL2006]

I put the plugs back in. One year, I left them out over winter and it was harder to get the back in. It doesn’t take much rust to make those little blue plugs more difficult to put in.

 

[Grub54891]

I kept the plugs and the impeller in a zip loc bag zip tied to the steering wheel when I needed to winterize


What? I never remove the impeller in the fall. It's going to be replaced in a few years anyway, why remove it?

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... I dare say, I've Never used antifreeze to winterize,....

Air don't freeze,.....

 

[achris]

Ayuh,..... I dare say, I've Never used antifreeze to winterize,....

Air don't freeze,.....

And here, our water doesn't either (yes I know, I can't walk on it either.... Well, maybe I can)

 

[CayugaCobalt]

Ayuh,..... I dare say, I've Never used antifreeze to winterize,....

Air don't freeze,.....

Is there no hypothetical corrosion protection from having block full of AF? Or your view is an empty block corrodes less and the whole Anti-Freeze ball game is just a cash cow for the marinas scaring folks out of their $200 when the marina could pull your plugs for fraction of the cost?

 

[Grub54891]

Well, we do run the non toxic anti freeze through at our marina. Not only to make sure the motor is safe, but also to protect ourselves from buying the customer a new motor/heat exchanger, or other parts if something get's missed. My stuff at home get's nothing but drained.

 

[achris]

Is there no hypothetical corrosion protection from having block full of AF? Or your view is an empty block corrodes less and the whole Anti-Freeze ball game is just a cash cow for the marinas scaring folks out of their $200 when the marina could pull your plugs for fraction of the cost?

Yes, that's exactly what it is... Same as fuel system/injector cleaners, oil additives, rust and paint protection on new cars (if they need rust and paint protection fresh out of the factory, what does that say about the quality of materials and workmanship in that factory?)... All just snake oils, designed more to move money from your wallet to theirs than do the job they are being marketed for...

Chris.........

 

[QBhoy]

Is there no hypothetical corrosion protection from having block full of AF? Or your view is an empty block corrodes less and the whole Anti-Freeze ball game is just a cash cow for the marinas scaring folks out of their $200 when the marina could pull your plugs for fraction of the cost?

The inner block will certainly corrode less when left full of AF. No doubt about this one.

 

[Drcoffee]

Last I checked, iron still oxidizes when exposed to air and water. With each year of winterizing with no AF, you eat up a little more iron and clog your passages a little more with rust debris. To each their own, but $12 of AF seems like a small price for insurance. And yes AF freezes but it doesnt expand like water Does.

 

[QBhoy]

Last I checked, iron still oxidizes when exposed to air and water. With each year of winterizing with no AF, you eat up a little more iron and clog your passages a little more with rust debris. To each their own, but $12 of AF seems like a small price for insurance. And yes AF freezes but it doesnt expand like water Does.

Less oxygen in there, when filled with a liquid. Be it raw water in summer or AF in winter. I firmly believe that almost all corroding of blocks and manifolds is done, when in cold storage and without a liquid medium in there to reduce the oxygen and cold corrosion. Perfect conditions for it.

 

[H20Rat]

Less oxygen in there, when filled with a liquid. Be it raw water in summer or AF in winter. I firmly believe that almost all corroding of blocks and manifolds is done, when in cold storage and without a liquid medium in there to reduce the oxygen and cold corrosion. Perfect conditions for it.

Winter storage means 2 things, cold and dry air, both of which are ideal conditions to inhibit rust, not encourage it.

Previous boat was a 33 year old 4.3l when I traded it off, current is only 20 years old. Engine looks like new with all original parts yet, including manifolds.

My routine has always been the same, pull the plugs, shove a screwdriver in there to clean out, pull the thermostat housing, and dump some RV antifreeze down to flush. The plugs stay out all winter.

 

[crazy charlie]

I ALWAYS fill with AF,There is ZERO chance that I would leave dry instead of filling with AF. Rust protection on all internals is the way I see it.I changed my manifolds and risers a few years ago and put the old manifolds and risers inside my garage which is part of my home.The old manifolds and risers were in excellent condition .So good that I questioned why I changed them out.After 4 months inside in the garage ,they look like they aged more in 4 months than the entire time they were on my motor.Rust and crust in every passageway. Not a chance I would ever leave it dry after seeing that.AF is a small price to pay for internal corrosion protection.I know there are plenty members here that disagree with my method however there there is no way possible that anyone could ever change my position on this.Charlie

 

[nola mike]

Meh. If the corrosion from a salt water engine occurred more during storage after being flushed and sitting empty than from actually running warm, corrosive liquid through it, then fresh water engines would have the same corrosion as the salt engines.

 

[Scott Danforth]

And here, our water doesn't either (yes I know, I can't walk on it either.... Well, maybe I can)

I can stagger on beer

 

[Lou C]

Meh. If the corrosion from a salt water engine occurred more during storage after being flushed and sitting empty than from actually running warm, corrosive liquid through it, then fresh water engines would have the same corrosion as the salt engines.

but fresh water boaters hardly ever if at all replace exhaust manifolds while we in the salt pond change em every 5-7 years.
think of trailer leaf springs
some people do nothing, they rust like mad in no time and most of the time they are out of the water
other people spray them 2x a season with corrosion X or similar and they look much better
While I can see people thinking marinas use this as another way to make money, Mercruiser themselves recommends adding AF for corrosion protection in the seawater section of the cooling system as they put it.