Time to Winterize my twin 4,3 Lx / # of Drain Plugs & Locations

[HPLou]

1989 Merc 4.3 LX S/N OC534197
1898 Merc 4.3 LX S/N OC454332

I have always winterized my engines using the Winterize Kit full of Antifreeze + Muffs.
I have read several Threads about not using that Kit but to drain all the water from the engine from the Drain Plugs.

This year I want to do it the right way, The safe way by removing each Drain Plugs.

My Questions;
They are 1989 Engines. I have never removed the drain plugs. I don't think they are Blue Plastic Plugs (never saw Blue Plugs on the engine).

Will I have Lots of problem removing those drain plugs (Rush, Freeze) ?
If not a problem, Should I replace the plugs with New Plastic Ones ?
Were are those Drain Plugs Located and How many to remove?
Once Drained, Should I leave the Block empty, no antifreeze added ?
Thank your for your help.

 

[roffey]

My 4.3 is a newer motor, 2014. it has 5 blue plugs. Unfortunately when I winterized it the first year I had to do a little checking around as the owners manual was completely useless as it gave numerous sets including closed cooling. These gurus here will be able to tell you what is the best approach as I suspect there are no blue plugs to remove and you will be pulling water hoses over plugs.

 

[Old Ironmaker]

You Tube has many videos for exactly what you ask. I would go there and look around. It has helped me immensely for many mechanical and electrical things on my boat that I had zero clue about. Seeing it done rather than reading about it is a huge difference and help. I would suggest getting the Seloc Manual for your Mercs if you don't have one already. iboats sells them I believe.

 

[roffey]

You tube and this forum was exactly what I did. I would get some direction from the members here and then go to you tube, out to the garage and back to the forum, lol. As is mentioned earlier, there are numerous setups. Some winterizing just involve unscrewing one plug and draining.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Your drain plugs should be brass.

The blue ones suck ( don't allow cleaning of sediment) and I recommend changing them to the brass ones

Once you get the old plugs out, pick in the hole with a wire or screw to get the sediment out. If you haven't drained for a while, you will get a lot of sediment.

Once the block and manifolds (both sides) have been drained, drain the big hose from the water pump

Some oil coolers may need to be drained

Now if your block is winterized.

If you want to add antifreeze, use a funnel and add at the thermostat housing

 

[HPLou]

Thank you ALL for the answers.
I do have the Seloc & Merc Manual but it is so general and hard to understand.
You are right, I need to go on YouTube, find & watch videos.
How many drain plugs should I expect to unscrew?
Can I buy them at a local Auto Part Store?

 

[Pete_a]

Scott gave you good answer. I do mine just like that. I bought marine antifreeze, the cheap walmart rv stuff will slush up in my climate so i got next step better some purple stuff. It maybe takes 3 to 4 gal. I even dump bit down intake hose until it comes out drive.

Mine is 88, but two wing type plugs, one on each manifold and two on block one per side. They can be hard to reach, i use a socket that fits them or pliars. Very important to use a wire piece to clean drain holes out. I disconnect water pump hose on low side to drain. Now replace plugs and reconnect any hoses. Remove t stat and pour in antifreeze. I also pull manifold hoses off t stat housing and use funnel to fill manifolds. Lastly you can drain power steering cooler on intake hose. I never get much water from that but dump coolant into that and through drive.

Be sure to pickle or fog engine. Pull plugs squirt some oil in or fog through carb, latter is very smokey. Tape a bag around air intake to keep moisture out and tape over fuel vent. Full tank of gas, i used mercury fuel stabilizer. Some will have various opions on ethanol based stabilizers.

Keep drive full down and change fluid in drive incase of water. Check trim resevoir for any water and address that. I pull my prop and put bag over lower unit. Good time to send prop into shop for rebalance.

Ok guys did i miss anything ah typing this sucks makes me think ill be doing mine soon. Im thinking of pulling my fuel line from pump and running a gallon of ethanol free gas through. Get the junk fuel out of fuel pump and out of carb. My worry is carb and i dont agree in drying it out or running it dry. Im tempted to grab some of the qrt sized premix fuel from a box store meant for lawn equipment, its ethanol free , easy to find, and any oil in it wont hurt anything. I like the next step better antifreeze as if it mixes with a bit of water less worries. Its overkill for sure, but come spring its a pain but i try my best to catch what i drain out. I maybe lost half a gallon or so. You can reuse it for many yrs. My concern and reason of antifreeze use is corrosion having just air inside and no liquid. It is expensive stuff though. One tip, if your bilge is clean come spring why not drain motor into bilge and catch into a bucket from drain? I may do that as itd be so much easier. Good luck sorry to be long winded. I also agree the kits are risky if youre not draining first. Just pull t stat and put a new gasket on.

 

[Pete_a]

Ha and i take my winterizing seiously here in ny and knock on wood no problems. I even boat in november when freezes at night. I just pull drains on motor after going out, takes a few min but prolongs my season

 

[Starcraft5834]

After you have removed your brass plugs from block and manifold how ever many there are on your egine..drain it, put plugs back in..if you don't, threads can corrode and rust making reinstall a hastle.. purchase of taps and thread chasers can be avoided by simply putting plugs back in when empty.. "air don't freeze", antifreeze is uncessary.. the drips of water still in block harm nothing, as long as the tiny bit has room to expand, your good. Blocks Crack from those that forget to drain..

 

[Pete_a]

After you have removed your brass plugs from block and manifold how ever many there are on your egine..drain it, put plugs back in..if you don't, threads can corrode and rust making reinstall a hastle.. purchase of taps and thread chasers can be avoided by simply putting plugs back in when empty.. "air don't freeze", antifreeze is uncessary.. the drips of water still in block harm nothing, as long as the tiny bit has room to expand, your good. Blocks Crack from those that forget to drain..

I feel corrosion is a factor without antifreeze in place, antifreeze is a corrosion inhibitor. You can't eliminate corrosion but can reduce the effects. If you can afford initial investment and reuse it yrly i think it is just added piece of mind and cheap insurance. I recall a member using air to blow through block now due to some water being caught in a passage way damaging a block he thought was good.

I take no chances with my baby. Just get the good stuff, i think mine is neg 100 as neg 50 will slush and etc way before neg 50

 

[roffey]

Thank you ALL for the answers.
I do have the Seloc & Merc Manual but it is so general and hard to understand.
You are right, I need to go on YouTube, find & watch videos.
How many drain plugs should I expect to unscrew?
Can I buy them at a local Auto Part Store?

you sound like I did the first time I winterized my motor. My motor has 5 drain plugs yours may have less. I'm not sure where you can buy the plugs. That where I differ, plastic wont corrode (brass wont either) just remember to take the wire and poke around in the hole (no comment here, giggling as I write this).

 

[Pete_a]

you sound like I did the first time I winterized my motor. My motor has 5 drain plugs yours may have less. I'm not sure where you can buy the plugs. That where I differ, plastic wont corrode (brass wont either) just remember to take the wire and poke around in the hole (no comment here, giggling as I write this).

Haha, you dirty bird. 4 plugs boss on mine, hardest ones are on block and i think rhs is towards front and lhs towards rear or vice versa. Get a light and mirror, my motor is 88 so prob same. Its a real pain to see the one block drain. Also they are wing shaped, snug them by hand maybe slight oomph with pliars if youre worried but nothing crazy just snug.

The 5th plug could be bottom of water pump and mine is square. I get no change in water coming out compared to just pulling lower hose off pump. I also use the stronger purple juice so i dont fret if a lil water remains in pump.

Agree with roffey, dont stress just do it. The block and manifold are the expensive parts. Afterwards youll be like why would i pay a marina to do this haha, and thats why i dont mind the 80 bucks i invested in antifreeze and im pretty cheap or ah thrifty.

 

[Starcraft5834]

I feel corrosion is a factor without antifreeze in place, antifreeze is a corrosion inhibitor. You can't eliminate corrosion but can reduce the effects. If you can afford initial investment and reuse it yrly i think it is just added piece of mind and cheap insurance. I recall a member using air to blow through block now due to some water being caught in a passage way damaging a block he thought was good.

I take no chances with my baby. Just get the good stuff, i think mine is neg 100 as neg 50 will slush and etc way before neg 50

All good, antifreeze is "mental health insurance", bout it... I took to Bondo's recommendation... "air don't freeze", two winters ago, months of jan/Feb most days averaged below zero...round here...fired right up in spring....I did pink one year, then I too saw the light...unnecessary.. cast iron block empty sleeps nicely, happy boating

 

[Bondo]

How many drain plugs should I expect to unscrew?
Can I buy them at a local Auto Part Store?

Ayuh,.... IF it's All original,.... there'll be 2, 1/4" pipe plugs in the block, one port side, just ahead of the oil filter boss, the other on the other side, just ahead of the starter,...
Just above, upside down in the manifolds, there'll be a pipe plug in each side, probably 1/4" pipe, or possibly 1/8" pipe thread,....
Those can be all bought at yer local hardware store,...

Also pull the Big hose off the circulatin' water pump, it hides nearly a pint of water,...
the tin backin' plate on the pump sometimes saves 'em in a freeze up,...

The P/S cooler is under the portside front motor mount, 'n needs to be drained,...
It Might have a pipe plug,.... or not,...
If not, remove either Big hose off it, 'n it'll drain,...

The blue plugs on later motors, 'n manifolds are Great,........... at 1st,....
Given abit of time, 'n the wings break off,...
Sucks gettin' 'em out after that,....
Replacements probably from right here at iboats megamall, or at yer local Merc dealers,...

The small fleet of barges I maintain are stored Dry, includin' My barges,....

The corrosion might factor in, the the Brine, but in Sweetwater, manifolds stored dry will last for many, Many Decades,....
In Blocks, it's not even a factor,....

 

[H20Rat]

Given abit of time, 'n the wings break off,...
Sucks gettin' 'em out after that,....
Replacements probably from right here at iboats megamall, or at yer local Merc dealers,...

An easy-out threaded in by using a small vice grip as a handle works extremely well for removing them!

 

[HPLou]

Thank you Bondo
It is exactly the infos I was hopping to get so I can Securely Winterize my engines.
So once the Brass Drain Plugs removed, I need to install NEW Brass Drain Plugs or Blue Plastic Plugs. Either one is good.
I'm I correct

 

[JoLin]

So once the Brass Drain Plugs removed, I need to install NEW Brass Drain Plugs or Blue Plastic Plugs. Either one is good.
I'm I correct

No, you do not need to buy new ones unless they're damaged, or you want to swap from plastic to brass (or vice versa).

While I agree that it's best to drain the PS cooler, it's a pain and physically impossible for me to do any longer. Instead, I disconnect that hose at the water pump and pour 1/2 gallon of AF through it. The AF will run out the bottom of the outdrive. If you have an air compressor, you could blow the water out first, then treat whatever might be left in the cooler and hose with AF.

My .02

 

[Scott Danforth]

As JoLin mentioned, no need to buy new if your current plugs are good, just reuse them

 

[Pete_a]

No, you do not need to buy new ones unless they're damaged, or you want to swap from plastic to brass (or vice versa).

While I agree that it's best to drain the PS cooler, it's a pain and physically impossible for me to do any longer. Instead, I disconnect that hose at the water pump and pour 1/2 gallon of AF through it. The AF will run out the bottom of the outdrive. If you have an air compressor, you could blow the water out first, then treat whatever might be left in the cooler and hose with AF.

My .02

Yep, a pain to reach and i never get much out of it. Could also plug a shop vac in reversed so it blows, get more volume and less pressure of air. And if you have brass plugs good for life long as you dont round them over.

Have you even found yer drains boss or are you lookin at videos? Get out there with a light and mirror and report back. ☺i dont think plasric was used until newer 90s models. Also mine are all brass wing nut style in brass bungs. No worries of threads rusting on mine. Now yer makin me mighty ill matey talkin bout freeze up.

 

[Starcraft5834]

threads wont rust as long as you put them back in after draining, leave em out.... the receiving threads will most certainly corrode and rust...