Winterization question

[Alaboat]

I have a 4.3 GL and need a little help. I thought I had it all figured out from looking at all the posts and pictures on this topic but I'm a little stumped. After changing oil, filter, fuel filter, outdrive gear oil, I fogged the engine with fogging oil per instructions. I then removed the port and starboard exhaust manifold and block plugs (4) and ran wire up in holes to make sure all water was out and removed all hoses from water pump and let them drain. I've heard there is also an intake manifold plug but can't find it. I have the 12 bolt intake manifold. There are two plugs on the front of the engine but don't think this is the one I'm looking for. Also, how do you drain water from the power steering cooler. I drained the water from the hose going from water pump to the cooler, is that all there is to it?

 

[Lou C]

There is a plug (has a square head) on the front edge of the intake on the left side. If the P/S cooler is on the rear of the engine like on many OMCs there is a drain plug but it can be very hard to reach. What I do is put the drive down so it's level. Disconnect that raw water intake hose (you already pointed it down in the bilge to drain, right?) then hold it up and stick a funnel in it. Then get some marine antifreeze and film that hose till you have antifreeze coming out the water intakes on the out drive. This pushes any water left in the hose and cooler out. I use -100 Marine AF and I also fill the engine and msnifolds after manually draining.

 

[Leo87]

There is a plug (has a square head) on the front edge of the intake on the left side. If the P/S cooler is on the rear of the engine like on many OMCs there is a drain plug but it can be very hard to reach. What I do is put the drive down so it's level. Disconnect that raw water intake hose (you already pointed it down in the bilge to drain, right?) then hold it up and stick a funnel in it. Then get some marine antifreeze and film that hose till you have antifreeze coming out the water intakes on the out drive. This pushes any water left in the hose and cooler out. I use -100 Marine AF and I also fill the engine and msnifolds after manually draining.

Lou, do you remove the thermostat before you fill the engine block with antifreeze?

 

[Scott Danforth]

No need to fill motor with AF. Air does not freeze. However if you do feel you need it. You need to use PG AF.

PS cooler should be plumbed in the raw water line. If you drained the raw water line, the cooler will have been drained. I usually use air pressure to clear the line back to the leg pickup.

 

[Alaboat]

There is a plug (has a square head) on the front edge of the intake on the left side. If the P/S cooler is on the rear of the engine like on many OMCs there is a drain plug but it can be very hard to reach. What I do is put the drive down so it's level. Disconnect that raw water intake hose (you already pointed it down in the bilge to drain, right?) then hold it up and stick a funnel in it. Then get some marine antifreeze and film that hose till you have antifreeze coming out the water intakes on the out drive. This pushes any water left in the hose and cooler out. I use -100 Marine AF and I also fill the engine and msnifolds after manually draining.

Looked again on the front of intake manifold and no drain plug. Could it be that since I had a reman and new intake manifold put in this summer, its not the same design as original? Also, since I drained the water rubber hose going from water pump to PS cooler, is that all I need to do for the cooler?

 

[Lou C]

Lou, do you remove the thermostat before you fill the engine block with antifreeze?

No it is not necessary to remove the stat, if you first drain from the bottom end of that big hose, re-connect the bottom end and then disconnect the top end at the thermo housing, you can fill from the top end of that hose, it will fill the block, heads and the intake manifold and will spurt out the neck of the thermo housing. Then just re-connect that end of the hose. For the raw water intake hose, I like to first point it down in the bilge to drain it and then put a funnel in it and fill it with -100 marine AF till it runs out the drive water intakes. That will push out any water in the P/S cooler. The coolers do have drains but they are in such a bad spot on the rear of the engine that you might drop the plug trying to remove, or re install it. I removed it the first few times I did it and then started doing it the way I described here and it works fine and is much easier. About the intake manifold, the early non Vortec V6s like mine do not have a drain plug, but I have seen pictures of later models that did.
About the drain plug on the intake, I re-checked some sources and it looks like that did not show up till 96-97 so that's why you didn't see one on yours.

 

[Alaboat]

Thanks for the info on the intake drain plug. Also, there are 2 drain plugs (1" on top and 3/4" on right side) of the water pump assembly. Do these need to be pulled?

 

[Lou C]

Nope disconnecting the bottom end of the big hose drains that area...

 

[Leo87]

Great info. Thank you Lou!

Scott, I realize air doesn't freeze but I like using AF to delay the rusting that goes on inside the manifolds by getting rid of the oxygen I use -100 with corrosion inhibitors in it. Appreciate your help too..

 

[cberger]

After many hours reading posts I too took to winterizing my volvo-penta 4.3 gl 432acpmda, I also could not find the manifold drain plug. I was satisfied it did not exist on mine & more confident now after reading this post. There is a 1/4 sq drain plug setting verticle in my intake. I was/am considering filling this w/af since I can't fully drain.

 

[Mnoverboard]

I can't remember which years had the drain on the intake manifold. Mine is a 2000 and the square drain plug is located on front of intake manifold behind one of the hoses of the water pump. I had to disconnect it from the thermostat in order to see/access it. As for the PS cooler, most are mounted on an angle so gravity drains em. I fill the water pump intake hose with AF, cup my hand around it and give it a good blow. AF should shoot out the outdrive intake. Cheers

 

[cberger]

Alaboat-does ur manifold have the sq drain sitting verticle, in the area where the manual indicates the drain would be on the front.....kinda behind ps pump/hose. That ur boat is a 95, mine a 94 i'm thinking it might. Since we can't drain the manifold, wondered about funneling some af dwn that hole. Caution from anybody?

 

[Lou C]

If you first drain the water from the engine via the drain plugs on each side and disconnect the bottom end of the big hose at the circulating pump that will take care of most of the water. Then re install the drain plugs, and re connect the bottom end of that hose. Next disconnect the top end of that hose at the Thermo housing. Now take a funnel and stick it in the top end of that hose. Fill the hose with -100 marine antifreeze till it spurts out the thermo neck then re connect that hose. This will fill the circ pump, block, heads and water passage in the intake manifold with AF. No need to remove the thermostat. This way will get the water out and the -100 AF with corrosion inhibitors will protect the engine from both freezing and corrosion.
Been doing it this way over ten years and it's the best way to winterize.

 

[cberger]

Good info. Thx

 

[Alaboat]

Alaboat-does ur manifold have the sq drain sitting verticle, in the area where the manual indicates the drain would be on the front.....kinda behind ps pump/hose. That ur boat is a 95, mine a 94 i'm thinking it might. Since we can't drain the manifold, wondered about funneling some af dwn that hole. Caution from anybody?

cberger, if you are asking about intake manifold, mine does not have a drain plug at all. As Lou C stated in an earlier post in this thread, it looks like the intake manifold drain plug didn't show up until 96-97.