Summerizing seems expensive

[JimS123]

Re: Summerizing seems expensive

There is no reason to leave hoses off, especially if they used antifreeze. But you should at least look at the engine and make sure all the drain plugs are in too.

Yes, no reason to leave them off....unless he didn't finish the job.

If anti-freeze was added, likely hoses had to be removed to feed it in.

That was my problem....and the last time I let a dealer winterize for me. One hose was put back on but not tightened. First time out in the Spring the hose popped off and the boat sank. The dealer refused to pay for the damage because I didn't pay him again to "Summerize" it.

Just check all the hose clamps to be sure everything is on tight. 50 bucks for a service manual is money well spent.

 

[Alwhite00]

Re: Summerizing seems expensive

Yes. If you can change your own car oil, you can change your boat oil.

Be careful about some of the youtube videos that explain winterization. Some of them advocate winterization kits that suck antifreeze from a bucket into the muffs. There is much controversy about this method since there's no way of knowing whether the thermostat is open or closed and the antifreeze might not be making it into the block using this method (and might simply be coming back out in the exhaust). The better, safer method (and the method explained in the manual) is to drain the block and exhaust manifold. There's other things involving winterization (like changing the drive oil) and pulling the drive to inspect the driveshaft, ujoints, and bellows...but, you could do that too. It's not hard. Post back in the fall and you'll get lots of help.

I pull my thermostat every fall and do the bucket / antifreeze method and I think it works great. (I also change my oil in the fall) In the spring I put a new t-stat & gasket in it, Button er up & fire that sucker up, Good to go.

LK

 

[Don S]

Re: Summerizing seems expensive

Yes, no reason to leave them off....unless he didn't finish the job.

If anti-freeze was added, likely hoses had to be removed to feed it in.

That was my problem....and the last time I let a dealer winterize for me. One hose was put back on but not tightened. First time out in the Spring the hose popped off and the boat sank. The dealer refused to pay for the damage because I didn't pay him again to "Summerize" it.

Just check all the hose clamps to be sure everything is on tight. 50 bucks for a service manual is money well spent.

Look at it from a different prospective.
1. Since you didn't take it back to the dealer, then you are responsible for making sure clamps are tight and the boat is ready for the water. There is no way for the dealer to winterize the boat, then check for leaks. Think about it.

2. How could you let your boat sink? No auto bilge pump, if not why not? You couldn't tell the boat was getting heavy until it sank???

3. Don't you guys ever open your engine hatch and look?? You are in the water, not a car on a dry freeway. You have to think on occasion.

4. Service manuals aren't going to tell you every move to make, or tell you to look in your bilge now and then, or if the boat feels heavy to open the hatch and look.

5. Dealers like to leave plugs out and hoses off so they know they were removed and you (the customer) can see it was done. Called cover your butt.

 

[jeep2001]

Re: Summerizing seems expensive

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to check all the hoses. I hope to be putting the boat in next week. It seems to me that the dealer is making a quick buck on this summerizing for the money they charge.
jeep2001

 

[JimS123]

Re: Summerizing seems expensive

Look at it from a different prospective.
1. Since you didn't take it back to the dealer, then you are responsible for making sure clamps are tight and the boat is ready for the water. There is no way for the dealer to winterize the boat, then check for leaks. Think about it.

2. How could you let your boat sink? No auto bilge pump, if not why not? You couldn't tell the boat was getting heavy until it sank???

3. Don't you guys ever open your engine hatch and look?? You are in the water, not a car on a dry freeway. You have to think on occasion.

4. Service manuals aren't going to tell you every move to make, or tell you to look in your bilge now and then, or if the boat feels heavy to open the hatch and look.

5. Dealers like to leave plugs out and hoses off so they know they were removed and you (the customer) can see it was done. Called cover your butt.

Just to clarify....

It was a jetski. It was run on the hose in the driveway while observing the engine and bilge. The hoses were manually and visually checked, and all seemed OK. In hindsight, a screwdriver should have been put to each hose clamp, and each hose manually yanked at.

Yes, there is an automatic bilge pump, but its a siphon arrangement and the flow rate isn't real high. When the hose blew off it immediately started a full flow of cooling water into the hull. In the middle of the river a half mile from the dock, it only took a minute for the hull to reach capacity.

 

[kendamn]

Re: Summerizing seems expensive

They need to "Get the antifreeze out"?
This is a joke right?
Put boat in water.
Start engine.
Drive away.

I love how Dealers come up with things like Summerizing.
I can't believe people actully go for it.