10 steps to Winterizing your boat (PCM Excalibur 330hp) (2005 Nautique 210TE)

[05team210]

I have a 2005 Nautique 210TE with the PCM Excalibur 330hp motor. My motor is a fresh water boat only, so it is a raw-water cooling system.

After consulting with my local Nautique repair facility and from doing my own winterization today, I have created a simple list to share with the rest of the community. No express or implied warranties, shall you decide to use this list. I also encourage you to familiarize yourself with the PCM manual and when in doubt, consult your local Nautique dealership/repair facility.


Tools required:
5/8” Deep Socket (for loosening belt tensioner)
9/16” Deep Socket
7/16” Short Socket
7/8” Wrench or Deep Socket (for removal of Knock Sensor)
1-1/16” Socket (for removal of Manifold plug)
7/32” Allen Head (for removal of impeller)
11mm wrench (for removal V-drive drain plug)

Steps for Winterization:
1. Connect a fake-a-lake to the raw water pickup (make sure boat is drawing in water)
2. Add fuel stabilizer to fuel tank
3. Run boat up to operating temperature (approx. 5-10minutes)
4. Remove engine cover (9/16” socket)
5. (Optional) Change Oil (typically you want the boat to sit with fresh oil)
6. Remove ballast port and starboard engine side covers (Phillips screw driver, 7/16” small socket with small extention)
7. Pull all 7 drain plugs (reinstall once water is completely drained and use sealant or Teflon tape)
A. Port Side:
i. Raw Water circulation pipe (red u-shaped pipe located near exhaust muffler) (9/16”socket)
ii. Knock sensor (located on the lower side of block) (7/8” wrench or deep socket)
iii. Manifold drain plug (located on back of manifold) (1-1/16” socket)
B. Starboard:
i. Lower block drain plug (located in the middle of the lower side of block) (9/16” socket)
ii. Transmission cooler drain plug (located on the bottom of the transmission cooler) (7/16” socket)
iii. Manifold drain plug (located on back of manifold) (1-1/16” socket)
C. V-Drive:
i. V-drive water drain plug (remove middle cushion and middle ice chest and it is located on the top port side of the v-drive) (11mm small wrench)
8. Remove drive belt (5/8” socket for tensioner)
9. (Optional) Remove impeller (located on starboard side and is behind the closest pulley) (7/32” Allen head, 10mm small socket)
10. Fog the cylinders
A. Remove spark plugs
i. (2005) Nautique 210 AC Delco 12607234, PTR4G-15, V91J, 41-993 (if you ever want to change these) I picked a set up from my local autozone for half the cost of what it is at the dealership
B. Spray fogging oil into each spark plug hole (approx. 2oz. per cylinder)
C. Reinstall spark plugs

[Quinner]

Nice job on the list, there are a couple things that I do in addition to what is noted:
Drain the water from the Fuel Control Cell
Disconnect the Pitot Pickup lines from the Faria Gateway box to ensure all the water is drained
After 10 b. rotate motor by hand a few rotations to spread fogging oil
Change Trans Fluid (direct drive, V may be different?)
(Optional) pour in or run through antifreeze

[05team210]

Quinner:
I know where the gateway box is located, but ca you explain a little further, "disconnect the pitot pickup lines from the faria gateway box to ensure all the water is drained."
Also, this may be a dumb question (i am not in front of the boat), but how do you suggest rotating the motor by hand? As I can remember the crank pulley does not have a crank bolt, but rather it has the 4 allen bolts.

Thanks for your additional suggestions... I think this will help me out, as well as the rest of the community.

[KenG]

Quinner:
I know where the gateway box is located, but ca you explain a little further, "disconnect the pitot pickup lines from the faria gateway box to ensure all the water is drained."
Also, this may be a dumb question (i am not in front of the boat), but how do you suggest rotating the motor by hand? As I can remember the crank pulley does not have a crank bolt, but rather it has the 4 allen bolts.

Thanks for your additional suggestions... I think this will help me out, as well as the rest of the community.

With the spark plugs removed you can rotate the crank shaft by hand. Use a pair of mechanics gloves to protect your hands.

[east tx skier]

Here is a list I worked up a few years back. Yours is definitely more manageable and concise. Mine includes a few items of winter maintenance though. I need to add draining the FCC to it though.

http://tylerskiclub.com/winterization.html

[Quinner]

The Gateway Box on my 206 is in the Trunk behind a plastic cover, there are a couple screws/bolts that hold it in place, once loose you can access/see the underside, there are (2) rubber hoses from the Pitots to the underside of the GW Box, pull them off the GW Box and use low pressure air to blow any residual water clear/out of the hoses, replace hoses & re-install GW. Have heard from one dealer it's not a bad idea to Store GW Box indoors during layup, this would require removing all the electrical connectors as well.

Purpose for this is any water that may remain in the pick-up lines can freeze and back up onto the circuit board within the Gateway Box. My understanding is they "should" self drain however that was not the case on my first winter layup, fortunately my dealer did repair under warranty.

Re: rotating motor, you may be able to crank by hand as suggested or on my motor the center of the crank has a large bolt which can be used to rotate the engine with a socket wrench.

One other item you could add would be lubing the rudder via the Zerk fitting, which on my 206 is in the trunk adjacent to the GW Box, just a pump or 2 with a grease gun.

[05team210]

Thanks. I will work on those other items this weekend.

[mf01]

Does it get cold enough in Sacramento that you need to do all of that?

Here's my winterizing list:
1. Put stabil in the tank and run the boat
2. Run the boat once a month

I keep my boat in an insulated attached garage. I used to drain the block.

[05team210]

Just keep up, i guess. It does get in the high 20's and low 30's in the winter. Better to be safe.

[jc]

The Gateway Box on my 206 is in the Trunk behind a plastic cover, there are a couple screws/bolts that hold it in place, once loose you can access/see the underside, there are (2) rubber hoses from the Pitots to the underside of the GW Box, pull them off the GW Box and use low pressure air to blow any residual water clear/out of the hoses, replace hoses & re-install GW. Have heard from one dealer it's not a bad idea to Store GW Box indoors during layup, this would require removing all the electrical connectors as well.

Purpose for this is any water that may remain in the pick-up lines can freeze and back up onto the circuit board within the Gateway Box. My understanding is they "should" self drain however that was not the case on my first winter layup, fortunately my dealer did repair under warranty.

Re: rotating motor, you may be able to crank by hand as suggested or on my motor the center of the crank has a large bolt which can be used to rotate the engine with a socket wrench.

One other item you could add would be lubing the rudder via the Zerk fitting, which on my 206 is in the trunk adjacent to the GW Box, just a pump or 2 with a grease gun.

You can also pull the safety tether and crank it over, no spark.

[05team210]

That is way easier. Thanks for the suggestion.