winterize with a trash pump.

[riskibusiness]

I am not trying to start a huge fight but I was reading the thread about using muffs to winterize. Let me start by saying I have a closed cooling system. I like to work by myself so I take a small sump/trash pump and put it in a 5 gallon bucket. then I put 4 gallons of marine antifreeze in the bucket. Then I attach a short hose( made it myself) between the pump and the muffs. Last I plug in the pump since the bucket is under the stern drive unit. most of the antifreeze pumps back in the bucket. When I see only antifreeze come out of the exhaust I'm done. And the pump pushes the fluid at a rate that the water pump could never do.
So that just my system and as I said before I dont want to get into a pissing match with anyone just giving people options.

 

[Don S]

Re: winterize with a trash pump.

With a closed cooling system, there is no problem using muffs. It's only a problem with the raw water cooled systems that problems arise.

 

[Bondo]

Re: winterize with a trash pump.

I am not trying to start a huge fight but I was reading the thread about using muffs to winterize. Let me start by saying I have a closed cooling system. I like to work by myself so I take a small sump/trash pump and put it in a 5 gallon bucket. then I put 4 gallons of marine antifreeze in the bucket. Then I attach a short hose( made it myself) between the pump and the muffs. Last I plug in the pump since the bucket is under the stern drive unit. most of the antifreeze pumps back in the bucket. When I see only antifreeze come out of the exhaust I'm done. And the pump pushes the fluid at a rate that the water pump could never do.
So that just my system and as I said before I dont want to get into a pissing match with anyone just giving people options.

Ayuh,.... Welcome Aboard,.... I ain't gonna argue with ya,...

I store Dry,... Air don't Freeze....

I just wanted to hi-light that very important point in the arguments that'll probably follow....



My single digit is slippin' again,.... 3 minutes...

 

[stonyloam]

Re: winterize with a trash pump.

What engine?

 

[pyrotek]

Re: winterize with a trash pump.

I saw some guy do this on Youtube with a kiddy pool. So if you agree to keep antifreeze in the block all winter (which is a topic for a different thread), it seemed like a great idea to me as you can continously run it ensuring antifreeze is all the way through the entire system.

But why is it a problem with a raw water cooling system?

 

[stonyloam]

Re: winterize with a trash pump.

But why is it a problem with a raw water cooling system?

If the thermostat remains closed (in this case it would) the antifreeze would not circulate through the engine block.

 

[riskibusiness]

Re: winterize with a trash pump.

The person I got the boat from said it was a 140 h.p. mercruiser. I am less familiar with i/o setups so I wasnt sure. But after some research I now know it is a 470...170 h.p. mercruiser. Good news is it was recently rebuilt and already has the alternator conversion. It was punched out 0.30 over so I would imagine it is slightly more than the stock 170 h.p, but I'm not sure.

 

[riskibusiness]

Re: winterize with a trash pump.

b.t.w. is it considered a bad idea to store it with antifreeze in the closed system? I have always stored my hotrod that way with no problems.

 

[Bondo]

Re: winterize with a trash pump.

b.t.w. is it considered a bad idea to store it with antifreeze in the closed system? I have always stored my hotrod that way with no problems.

Ayuh,.... So long as it's doped up enough to not freeze at the expected temps,..??

Naw, that's the way it's done.....

 

[stonyloam]

Re: winterize with a trash pump.

it is a 470...170 h.p. mercruiser. Good news is it was recently rebuilt and already has the alternator conversion. It was punched out 0.30 over so I would imagine it is slightly more than the stock 170 h.p, but I'm not sure.

That is kind of what I thought. You are going to way too much trouble and expense with the antifreeze. On a 470 all you need to do is check that the engine antifreeze is about 50/50 (yes it stays in), and pull the aft plug on the heat exchanger and you are done. If you have a power steering cooler it should be on the vertical hose going to the exhaust elbow, and should drain when the exchanger drains, you can check it once and if it drains properly you should not have to worry about in the future. That is the procedure from the manual. Pull the transom plug on the boat and let the water drain out on the ground (it is just seawater). That is it, done! Took less than 2 minutes on the ramp when I pulled my boat for the winter. Once the exchanger is drained, put the plug back in with a little NAPA (Permatex) aviation sealant and you are ready for spring, at least for freeze protection. 470s are not like the seawater cooled engines, so freeze protection is different and easier

 

[riskibusiness]

Re: winterize with a trash pump.

So do you think I'm safer to drain the heat exchanger out or just leave it alone?

 

[Pete104]

Re: winterize with a trash pump.

If you are satisfied that you have enough anti-freeze in it, leave it alone.

 

[thumpar]

Re: winterize with a trash pump.

If it is done right with antifreeze then is should be OK. The one thing I know is that air doesn't freeze and no one has has broke anything by draining. Some have damage when using antifreeze wrong though it usually is raw water cooling.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: winterize with a trash pump.

...

 

[riskibusiness]

Re: winterize with a trash pump.

Thanks all the advice. I have owned i/o engines before but never a closed system. And never a 470. I know its a mutt motor but I love it. Tons of torque and all the top end power I will need. Plus it is pretty good on fuel. So I like it, therefor I dont want to crack an exhaust manifold or something because of ignorance.

 

[stonyloam]

Re: winterize with a trash pump.

So do you think I'm safer to drain the heat exchanger out or just leave it alone?

If you are sure you have enough antifreeze in there it should be OK. If you have any doubt it would be best to drain it. The aft plug drains the seawater. One suggestion that I would make is pick up a inexpensive antifreeze tester (floating ball type) and check your engine antifreeze. It should be about 50/50. In one of your other post you spoke of a 1980 boat, so here is the manual for that vintage 470: http://www.4shared.com/document/M35B2RL4/Service_Manual_03.html

 

[riskibusiness]

Re: winterize with a trash pump.

Thanks for the service manual download. I have a hard copy of it but only 2 of 2 and couldnt find 1 of 2