Winterizing...what a guy told me

[chris in va]

When I bought a prop today, the shop owner suggested I get the boat winterized professionally. He said the DIY kits with the antifreeze don't work fully because the engine thermostat closes back up when the valve is opened due to a temperature drop.<br /><br />Thoughts? He charges *cough cough* $200, which includes draining out ALL the water and fogging.

 

[Ralph 123]

Re: Winterizing...what a guy told me

Chris read this:<br /><br /> http://www.mercstuff.com/winterizing.htm <br /><br />Also, I fill my system with AF through the I/O becuase my engines are very hard to get to and so far no problems for me.

 

[Doug Durako]

Re: Winterizing...what a guy told me

He's making $10 a minute----not bad.<br /><br />He's charging you for the liability insurance premium he has to pay to cover any screwups.

 

[Skinsk]

Re: Winterizing...what a guy told me

His 200$ probably also includes pulling the drive and checking the alignment, and the gimball bearing. They also hopefully lube the u-joints and drive shaft splines, and drain and refil the drive with high perf gear lube. <br /><br />I know at my shop we also check trailer wheel bearings, trailer brakes lights and lube the trailer. We check all electrical systems on the boat. We change the oil, filter, water sep, fog and run anti-freeze through the motor.<br /><br />Scott..

 

[Doug Durako]

Re: Winterizing...what a guy told me

Scott---the only way I know to check a wheel bearing is to dissasemble and repack. Are you saying you do this as part of boat winterization?<br /><br />How do you "lube the trailer"? Do you mean a touch of grease on the coupler and check the brake reservoir?<br /><br />Also, if you find something wrong with the electrical system check, you start the "hourly shop rate" clock all over again, right?

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Winterizing...what a guy told me

It is not too much to pay a professional to do the job if removing the drive is included which it usually is.It is also good with respect to having a professional eyeball many other things while he is winterizing.With regard to the engine cooling when the valve is opened on the do it yourself kit.The engine temp will rise not fall.I use the kit and the valve switches from garden hose water to coolant.The garden hose water pressure gives you plenty of water to cool,when the valve is switched to coolant,it draws coolant from the kit tank and the temp climbs because the coolant is coming through at a much lower rate than the water so dont worry about the thermostat closing---it wont--to be certain i usually keep the antifreeze indoors and blend hot or warm water with it to make 50/50 mix that is not cold

 

[chris in va]

Re: Winterizing...what a guy told me

No, you guys don't understand. He wants $200 just to pump antifreeze into the engine after evacuating all the water out, then fog the motor through the carb. Thats it. No lubing.<br /><br />For $340 he'll change out my filters too...

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Winterizing...what a guy told me

You obviously feel that it is too much money so buy the kit for 39$ at west marine and do it yourself.Read a manual first so you do it correctly.I have used the kit for several years and you have to develop a system yourself on how to get the antifreeze running through the system after the motor is warmed up and fog it out just as you are running out of the antifreeze making sure that the impeller does not go dry before the motor boggs out and then changing the oil BEFORE you do all this.An extra set of eyes will help. charlie

 

[merc 140 pontoon]

Re: Winterizing...what a guy told me

> He wants $200 just to pump antifreeze into the engine...<br /><br />Sure. You can do his laundry, too. And maybe some personal favors.

 

[Lou C]

Re: Winterizing...what a guy told me

Or if you don't want to take a chance using the kit, just do it the old fashioned way, it is not that hard. You have to warm the engine on the hose, and change the oil and filter. Then make sure you know where all the drain plugs on the engine, manifolds, and p/s cooler. After you finish changing the oil, start it up again, fog the motor, and shut it off. Then remove all the drains (usually 2 in block if a v-6/8 or 1 if an inline) one on each manifold, and one on the power steering cooler. Put a small nail into each hole to make sure you loosen any rust so it can drain. Then you disconnect the hose from the waterpump at the thermo housing, each hose from each manifold at the same place, and same with the hose from the outdrive to the thermo housing. Next fill with non toxic antifreeze until some comes out of each drain. Then relpace the drain plugs, and continue filling. When all hoses are full, replace hoses on thermo housing. Make sure outdrive is all the way down, and check to see if any drain plugs need to be removed (OMC Cobra has 3). Change the outdrive oil also. <br />If you are going to do this yourself, do yourself a favor and get a factory shop manual for what you have, no need to pay over 300 to do this work. BUT you need to do it right, or else you will have freeze damage, and have to spend big bucks to fix it.

 

[Skinsk]

Re: Winterizing...what a guy told me

Trailer wheel bearings can be checked by spinning the wheel, and checking for play in the wheel. Trailer bearings seem to take a preety good beating most of the time, so when we spin the wheel we listen for any sort of noise. Rusty bearings make a lot of noise, but even a little noise usually indicates bad bearings.<br />(a little aside on this is how many trailers come to us that have just been inspected, that have bad wheel bearings, and non-functioning brakes.. We get a lot..)<br /><br />We lube the trailer by pumping grease in the bearing buddies if they have them, and oiling the winch, coupler, leaf springs, jack stand, and all the rollers (if it's a roller trailer..)<br />Also, if checking for electrical faults, if it's something simple like a burned bulb, or blown fuse, bad switch, (if it's easy to get to) we just replace it no charge. But yes if it's something major (bilge pump, blower, gauge, float switch...) we do begin with the labor rate. but hey, at least we check.<br /><br />Scott..

 

[denniz]

Re: Winterizing...what a guy told me

Sounds to me like your doing a good service for your customers skinsk. Keep up the good work.If your labor rate is $70. per hour its a good deal. Let the nickle and dimers buy a new block next year, dont worry about it, there job security

 

[kdmiller8251]

Re: Winterizing...what a guy told me

My Winterizing kit...<br /><br />

<br /><br />5 gallon can, water spigot screwed into can with epoxy on threads.. FIll and connect to muffs..<br />Instant winterizing kit!