"New Found" winterizing method...250CID/I6

[Oshkosh1]

So...Here's what I've done to winterize my engine.

1. Drained the block/manifold
2. Removed thermostat/thermostat cover/hose to manifold
3. Used compressed air to "blow" out the following: Block(through thermostat housing), Manifold(through opening from removing the hose), and Coolant water intake(through intake hose running from transom/stern drive).
4. Used about 1/2 gallon of "red" anti-freeze and poured through block/manifold/water intake...until I "flushed" them.
5. Closed/replaced drain plugs
6. Filled block/manifold with -50 propylene glycol anti-freeze.
7. Left the thermostat/cover/hose to manifold off to account for any possible expansion(we see -20 here).
8. Changed oil/filter
9. Drained fuel system/tank
10. Gave all linkages a good coating of oil.
11. Replaced V-belt
12. Checked/tightened all hose clamps. I added a clamp to every fuel line connection(seperator, pump) just so I have "back-up"

As for the outdrive...thats been removed/split and each half is clamped to a B&D Workmate table to store for winter/replace impeller/grease u-joints. Battery is in the basement.

My reasoning for using anti-freeze is to compensate for the heating and cooling of damp fall/spring conditions and as corrosion/scaling protection.

In the spring I plan on draining the block and manifold, capturing the AF and PROPERLY disposing of it prior to getting the hull wet. I plan on checking the valve lash(already have a new rubber gasket).

Right, wrong or indifferent...that's how I did it. Took me about 2 hours total from start to finish.

Any glaring errors/omissions/advice? Thanks.

 

[ziggy]

Re: "New Found" winterizing method...250CID/I6

gee mon, looks pretty good to me.

1. right on. drained and empty of water is where it's at for sub zero weather.
2. ok
3. that's fine. i tilt mine bow high and let gravity do the work.
4. waste of anti freeze imho.
5. yep
6. yep, i used to do that. as far as i'm concerned that's a good way to go.
7. i'd put them back on. pink anti freeze is supposed to be good to -50*F. granted it starts to slush up i suppose at -20*F. part of the reason i go w/o anti freeze. slushing up worries me. though i do think shushing up is a moot point as granted it starts to freeze, but it don't expand like water.
8. yep, good to go. imho, and i use, 25w40 mercrusier oem oil. to ea. his own on that point though.
9. i go the opposite on that one. i stabill the fuel prior to lay up. use stabill on the last few outtings. then top off. reason. i have an old style metal fuel tank. my boat came out of a 15 year slumber. i had trouble with the rusty's in the fuel tank. figured it was due to no fuel in the tank + condensation. i top off with stabill . less condensation, stabill claims to fight rusty's. i use red stabil. green wasn't available a before. i use regular unleaded w/o ethanol. least that's what the pump claims.
10. yep, lub on moving parts is a winner.
11. mines gettin close. better end of season than on 4th july next season...
12. yep, tight clamps are a winner too. double clamp is ok imho. better safe than sorry.

As for the outdrive...thats been removed/split and each half is clamped to a B&D Workmate table to store for winter/replace impeller/grease u-joints. Battery is in the basement.

yep, my batt. will end up in the basement after it's gets a end of season batt. charge. my drive will end up in the basement too. i'll do the impeller R&R and lub mid winter.

In the spring I plan on draining the block and manifold, capturing the AF and PROPERLY disposing of it prior to getting the hull wet

yep.

I plan on checking the valve lash(already have a new rubber gasket).

imho, that'd be an extra to do list item. i don't do that on any scheduled basis.

Right, wrong or indifferent...that's how I did it. Took me about 2 hours total from start to finish.

looks good to me. pretty snappy time frame too.

Any glaring errors/omissions/advice?

the rest of the boat. clean and wax, trailer wheel brgs. clean and wax trailer. remove everything from boat.
lub all grease points. pivot and trim pivot points of drive. lub steering cable end. plastic bag over carb. cover fuel tank vent. lub coupler, alignment check, lub gimble brg. inspect bellows, drive shaft and shift cable, inspect water hose. 303 or whatever ya use for vinyl preservation. decon or the likes for the critters to snack on.
store bow high...

edit. fwiw. i winterize w/o anti freeze. if i'd have heard of a bunch of block and manifolds rusting from the inside out i wouldn't do that. but i've not heard of any at all. air don't freeze.

 

[achris]

Re: "New Found" winterizing method...250CID/I6

I don't see any 'fog engine with fogging oil' in there. You are so worried about rust/scale inside the cooling jacket that you are willing to leave a liquid in there (remember: Air doesn't freeze) but did nothing about protecting the heart of your engine, the piston rings and cylinder bores..... All that nice cold moist air is going to head for those clean, unprotected bores and have a nice little party all winter.....

Just saying......

 

[ziggy]

Re: "New Found" winterizing method...250CID/I6

yep, i forgot that achris. i do a compression test end season too. + then, fog + pull plugs again and introduce oil, then crank engine for a few revolutions to coat cyl. walls for anti corrosion of the cyl. walls. edit, oh, and i run stabil for at least the last tank full to be sure the stabill is introduced to the whole fuel system prior to layup.

 

[Oshkosh1]

Re: "New Found" winterizing method...250CID/I6

I don't see any 'fog engine with fogging oil' in there.

I've never fogged a motor before...a few squrts of oil in the plug hole, a couple of revs to coat is about it.

I've been laying up snowmobiles/cars/lawnmowers/snowblowers etc...for years and never had an issue with starting/running the next season, and STILL have a couple of perfect running 20+ year old engines. Should I? Don't know...I only KNOW what's worked for ME.

From all of the discussions...it seems like it a wash between the the "air don't freeze" crowd, and those that do use AF. Sounds like personal preference to me as long as all of the water is removed. I know many boat owners(some with boats worth "6 digits") who PAY good money to have AF put into their engines by marinas, shrink wrapped, and stored outside on blocks.

Different strokes I guess.

 

[Oshkosh1]

Re: "New Found" winterizing method...250CID/I6

Oh...and I don't use StaBil...I've seen the green coating it leaves in the carb bowls on snomobiles. I've used SeaFoam for years. Pour some in at the end of the season. Cleans AND stabilizes the fuel.

 

[ziggy]

Re: "New Found" winterizing method...250CID/I6

I've never fogged a motor before...a few squrts of oil in the plug hole, a couple of revs to coat is about it.

imho, that works. that's what it says to do to my engine in s/m #2. 20w though i think.???? right.

From all of the discussions...it seems like it a wash between the the "air don't freeze" crowd, and those that do use AF.

yep, though, imho it leans towards air on this board. which i agree with. opinion.

Sounds like personal preference to me as long as all of the water is removed.

agreed, and the key word is all water removed.

I know many boat owners(some with boats worth "6 digits") who PAY good money to have AF put into their engines by marinas, shrink wrapped, and stored outside on blocks.

well, if ya got a lot of bread why not go all out. get the full treatment. might as well go -100*F anti freeze too. ya get my point. other than that. i like saying air don't freeze.

Oh...and I don't use StaBil...I've seen the green coating it leaves in the carb bowls on snomobiles. I've used SeaFoam for years. Pour some in at the end of the season. Cleans AND stabilizes the fuel.

Different strokes I guess.

to ea. his own snake oil............:facepalm:

 

[Silvertip]

Re: "New Found" winterizing method...250CID/I6

The 250 I6 has hydraulic valve lifters. They require no adjustment if they were set properly before. But suit yourself. If you've not done this before, read the manual and understand exactly what you are doing.

 

[c03camson]

Re: "New Found" winterizing method...250CID/I6

When you take the outdrive off, separate lower and upper, leave sitting all winter in garage with no gear lube is there any rusting that occurs or anything that needs to be done to it or can you just let it sit?

 

[Oshkosh1]

Re: "New Found" winterizing method...250CID/I6

The 250 I6 has hydraulic valve lifters. They require no adjustment if they were set properly before. But suit yourself. If you've not done this before, read the manual and understand exactly what you are doing.

I've never done this before...however I plan on adjusting them as per the Merc factory manual...engine off method. According to the manual it should be adjusted to zero lash then 3/4 of a turn on the nut. I've "heard"(read) that that may be too tight for marine engines...so I'm going to not tempt fate and go 1/4 turn past zero. Better a little "loose" and the possibility of a little chatter than tight I suppose.

When you take the outdrive off, separate lower and upper, leave sitting all winter in garage with no gear lube is there any rusting that occurs or anything that needs to be done to it or can you just let it sit?

I see no reason to do anything other than spray a little lube on the exposed shaft. The internals should still have enough residual gear oil on them to protect from any possible internal corrosion. I would loosely cover/wrap them each with some newspaper/brown bags(the paper will draw moisture away from the metal as opposed to enclosing it in plastic which will not "breathe") to keep any possible contamination off/out of the internal surfaces. Probably not necessary...but it would make ME feel better!

I bungeed the trim arms up so they would not be just laying on the garage floor, and stuffed a rag in the bellows.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: "New Found" winterizing method...250CID/I6

I've never done this before...however I plan on adjusting them as per the Merc factory manual...engine off method. According to the manual it should be adjusted to zero lash then 3/4 of a turn on the nut. I've "heard"(read) that that may be too tight for marine engines...so I'm going to not tempt fate and go 1/4 turn past zero. Better a little "loose" and the possibility of a little chatter than tight I suppose.

And 1/4 turn may result in being TOOOOOO loose since you've not done this before, and therefore may not have the "feel" for what zero lash is. 1/2 to 3/4 turn is acceptable since those inline sixes were not exactly high reving engines. Set them correctly.

 

[Don S]

Re: "New Found" winterizing method...250CID/I6

There are 3 ways of doing things.
1. The right way
2. The wrong way
3. The way of Oshkosh1 as he determines by doing what he "Reads" on the internet. Doesn't matter if that information is right, or wrong, good or bad. Just as long as he likes it.

 

[Oshkosh1]

Re: "New Found" winterizing method...250CID/I6

And 1/4 turn may result in being TOOOOOO loose since you've not done this before, and therefore may not have the "feel" for what zero lash is. 1/2 to 3/4 turn is acceptable since those inline sixes were not exactly high reving engines. Set them correctly.

Playing "Devils advocate" here...

What I've "HEARD"(read in this forum) is that these motors should only be set AT exactly "Zero" lash...clatter is better than too tight. No turns after zero point.

What I've READ(in the manual) is to go 3/4 turn after.

So is there truly a hard "correct", for this engine or is it personal preference/feel...within an acceptable margin of error(being SOMEWHERE between zero and 3/4 turn?

Not trying to be argumentative here...just quite "detail" oriented.

And replying to Don S...So define what is "correct way" when dealing with some of these issues. I read some info by supposed "pros" on this forum which expressly contradicts what the factory manual states...basically a "this is how it's done in the "real" world by "real" mechanics under "real"(not sterile factory/brand new)conditions. Then...whilst dealing with another issue, I read to just "follow" the manual verbatim, as "they" built it, so "they" know best.

There's more than one way to skin a cat right?

 

[Bondo]

Re: "New Found" winterizing method...250CID/I6

Playing "Devils advocate" here...

What I've "HEARD"(read in this forum) is that these motors should only be set AT exactly "Zero" lash...clatter is better than too tight. No turns after zero point.

What I've READ(in the manual) is to go 3/4 turn after.

So is there truly a hard "correct", for this engine or is it personal preference/feel...within an acceptable margin of error(being SOMEWHERE between zero and 3/4 turn?

Not trying to be argumentative here...just quite "detail" oriented.

And replying to Don S...So define what is "correct way" when dealing with some of these issues. I read some info by supposed "pros" on this forum which expressly contradicts what the factory manual states...basically a "this is how it's done in the "real" world by "real" mechanics under "real"(not sterile factory/brand new)conditions. Then...whilst dealing with another issue, I read to just "follow" the manual verbatim, as "they" built it, so "they" know best.

There's more than one way to skin a cat right?

Ayuh,.... Zero lash will rattle like no tomorrow,....

The most common screw up I see adjustin' valves is, folks don't understand what Zero lash is in the 1st place....
The write-ups, 'n manuals say something 'bout turnin' the pushrod to find Zero, 'n guys wind the nuts down Tight, collapsing the lifters...

Find Zero lash, 'n tighten 'em 1/2 to 3/4 turn...
Or,...
Fire it up, 'n do 'em at idle...
It's a tad Messy, but there ain't no question of where, exactly Zero lash is...

 

[John_S]

Re: "New Found" winterizing method...250CID/I6

No hydraulic lifter gets set to zero lash.

OK, bondo beat me.

PS: I'm not liking the leaving the oil out of the drive, either. There is "probably" enough oil film, but why take the chance. I pull the whole drive with oil in it, and put it on a stand in the basement.

 

[Oshkosh1]

Re: "New Found" winterizing method...250CID/I6

Fire it up, 'n do 'em at idle...
It's a tad Messy, but there ain't no question of where, exactly Zero lash is...

The more I think about it...the more I'm leaning toward that. As you said...there will be no doubt as to what point the pushrods starts clattering. Besides...after a long cold winter, I'll be itching to get out and fiddle with things!

I may take the advice of others and get a used(cheap) valve cover and cut out the flat top to cut down on the mess though.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: "New Found" winterizing method...250CID/I6

You don't even need an old valve cover. A tab of heavy duty aluminum foil tucked over the push rod end of the rocker arm will cut down the oil splatter. Just don't take all day to adjust each rocker. And just so you know, clattering lifters means there is is way to much clearance. Pounding away on the ends of the valves, rockers, and push rods is a good way to mushroom things and cause premature wear. GM build the engine, and GM engine lifters have been set at 1/2 - 3/4 turn down since Hector was a pup. That would be 1955 when the 265 Chevy small block appeared. Actually it showed up in 1954 but that was the 1955 model year. Since GM built the engine those little buggers reved freely to over 5 grand at those settings, the 250 six banger would get along nicely and apparently Merc agrees since that's what their manual says.

 

[Oshkosh1]

Re: "New Found" winterizing method...250CID/I6

You don't even need an old valve cover. A tab of heavy duty aluminum foil tucked over the push rod end of the rocker arm will cut down the oil splatter. Just don't take all day to adjust each rocker.

Good suggestion...and thanks for the info.

Nice Champ...Flew a 7EC for a friend to the EAA a couple of years ago. Nice change of pace!

 

[littlebookworm]

Re: "New Found" winterizing method...250CID/I6

It's interesting to watch the DIYers argue with experts, such as Don and Bond-o, and the service manuals published by the engine and drive manufacurers about how to winterize engines and drives. I grew up in the auto repair business and have done my share of engines, both cars and boats, and know enough to follow the recommendations and directions of those who really know what they are talking about. The air vs. antifreeze argument is an old one (and I'm in the anti-freeze school of thought), but that's only one part of the equation. In all cases, the baseline should be the recommendations of the service manual, the official "how-to" book. If you want to do something extra, just be certain it doesn't cause more harm than good. Personally, I would not leave a drive apart, even in a basement, for any real length of time. Take it apart; replace what needs to be replaced; and put it back together. An Alpha water pump doen't take that long to replace. That way, no bolts or keys are lost and no dirt gets into places it doesn't belong. Whatever you do, stay warm, and enjoy your boat next season. Hy

 

[sextondm]

Re: "New Found" winterizing method...250CID/I6

Silvertip,
Have a question for you if you have time.
I am in the process of rebuilding the 250 I6 in my '74 Starcraft Chieftain. I have the rebuilt head torqued down on the block, and just installed the new lifters and pushrods today. I haven't personally done a lash adj. on this engine before, so first time.
Question is, Seloc manual says to tighten the nut down until the "push rod doesn't spin anymore, and then 1 turn more." If I do this, the nuts are all at different heights, as you look down the valves from the end of the engine. Shouldn't they all be at about the same height, since each cylinder has identical valves, springs etc.? I just don't want to overtighten this since I've invested the time and money
Thanks for your time!
Is that your plane in your avatar?

Dave Sexton
USCG Aviation