2002 SAN GT40 Winterization -- Drain Plug Locations

[SoldTheBayliner]

Not sure where the vdrive oil drain plug is as I use a Moeller suction pump to pull the old oil out through the opening for the dipstick.

OK just confirming location. I have a suction pump too... sounds easier than draining all that oil into the bilge. Thanks again.

[hyparks]

The oil drain is below the red square.
Done all mine today thanks to the poster for starting this thread and thanks to all who replied.
All my water is now drained. I have changed my oils and just need to fill with anti freeze.
Is there another way to fill it up with antifreeze other than the bucket trick?
Don't really want to re fit my raw water pump to then fill with anti freeze and then remove the pump again to remove the impellar.
Thanks

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[jmo]

Is there another way to fill it up with antifreeze other than the bucket trick?
Don't really want to re fit my raw water pump to then fill with anti freeze and then remove the pump again to remove the impellar.

One can fill the block by pouring into the hose that leads to the block from the thermostat, but that doesn't get the AF into the lines, transmission cooler, heater, shower, etc. What I do is disconnect the inlet and outlet hoses for the RWP pump to get the water in the lines out, reconnect and suck the AF through the system - there will only be a tiny bit of water trapped inside the RWP. After I have AF cycled through the whole system I pull the RWP apart and store the impellar separately so it's not sitting in AF all winter (The alcohol will cause the rubber to swell). Don't forget to dump the AF out of the strainer bowl as the alcohol will do a number on the bowl as well.

[SoldTheBayliner]

I'm a rookie, so take it with a grain of salt, but if you take the line that goes from the raw water pump to the block, and elevate the end of it so that it's higher than the thermostat, you should be able to fill just about everything just by pouring AF into that high point. It won't circulate through the heater/shower, but it should fill all the other lines. For the transmission cooler, you can just pour some into the line...since it's already disconnected where you removed the pump.

[jmo]

I actually manually fill the block with via the hose feeding it (you need by bypass the thermostat since the engine is cold) to ensure its filled, and then fill up the rest of the system by pulling it out of the bucket. For me, outside of the block I worry most about the heater as the core is very susceptible to freezing and cracking - many have experienced "hot water at their feet" in the Spring which is from the heater core cracking.

Either way (just filling the block or priming the whole system) you don't want to leave the impellar stored in the RWP over the winter as if its dry the fins will set, and if there is AF in there it will swell. So IMHO you really want to pull the RWP. Doing so is cheap insurance as it gives you a chance to inspect the impellar at the start & end of each season.

Whether to fill with AF at all is a commonly debated topic, some Nautique dealers just drain the block and leave the plugs out and have been doing it that way for years. The important part is getting the water out, the AF (again IMHO) is extra insurance.

[SoldTheBayliner]

^^ I never filled my last boat with AF in the winter. I just left the plugs out and never had an issue. I read on here that there are 'nooks and crannies' in the engine on the nautique that may not get drained just by pulling all the plugs, and that AF is the only insurance against a freezing pocket of water. I don't know if I buy that or not, it doesn't really make sense that the plugs wouldn't let it all out. The manual says that the AF will help with seals/gaskets not drying out and shrinking... that makes some sense to me. My last boat didn't have a heater... the heater core cracking makes total sense...that's a fragile little part.

The AF protecting against corrosion is a climate thing, I think. I live in an extremely dry climate. Rust/corrosion is not a concern. I have never fogged my cylinders for this same reason. The winter is just not a long enough period for anything to happen in there in this climate. If there was such a thing as humidity here, I'd consider it.

[hyparks]

Thanks guys.
When I pulled all the plugs I too wondered if all the water would come out. There was quite a lot to be fair but on the transmission cooler I pulled one of the hoses and a lot more came out.
I then pulled both hoses attached to the v-drive and a lot more water came out the hoses.
I think you would be safe with some water in as what you have drained has now provided extra space for any expansion from freezing.
I would still like to get the Af in though.
Does anyone know how much Af it should all take? I have no shower or heater ( heater was already frost damaged by last owner - new heater install in progress )

Thanks

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[jmo]

I cycle about 5 gallons through, I buy 6 but usually don't use the last gallon.

[ejnautique]

Thanks everyone, this is very helpful. Appreciate you taking the time!

[youngunz]

Hey everyone,
I took one last look over the engine and v-drive unit to make sure everything was drained/fogged along with AF for the winter but I did come across a "bike-like" tire valve on top of the fuel filter canister and I was just wondering what it does? Sorry I don't have a picture!!!
'youngunz

[AirTool]

...but I did come across a "bike-like" tire valve on top of the fuel filter canister and I was just wondering what it does? Sorry I don't have a picture!!!
'youngunz

It is probably for attaching a test gauge to test the fuel pump pressure.

[youngunz]

It is probably for attaching a test gauge to test the fuel pump pressure.

Is there any need to worry about its significance for winterizing purposes??

[jmo]

For FCC, the most imPortant thing to do is Put gas stabilizer in the tank during your last few uses of boat so you have stabled gas throughout the EFI system. Technically there is a drain plug on the bottom of the FCC to dump out the fuel in the bowl and any water the FCC has separated out (that's the job of the FCC), but everytime I have emptied it's all just gas in there, most likely because the ethanol in fuel has absorbed what little water there is.

From a "freeze" perspective I don't worry about the FCC since it's mostly gas in there which won't freeze.

JMO

Hence I only drain the FCC when I change the filter.

[SoldTheBayliner]

OK tag-along V drive question... I looked at mine, and it does have a plug on both sides... it's a mirror image looking at both sides of the V-drive unit...there's a larger square oil drain plug on BOTH sides also, down below the water drain plugs. My theory is that they drain the same cavity, and you can just pull whichever one is downhill in your application. I'm assuming that 99% of the time that's the one facing the rear of the boat. On mine that's the brass plug...the one on the front is steel, painted black along with the rest of the unit, and doesn't look like it's been touched since it was installed. My wrench scratched the paint up, and it became obvious that no one had ever pulled it before. I could barely get it to move, and when I realized that it was steel and probably had some surface rust going on the threads, I quit trying. I pulled the brass one and a hose and I'm calling it drained. Am I safe?

[jmo]

Yes - you should be fine, as I mentioned earlier most of the water comes out the back plug anyways, and if you cycled AF through the whole system your definitely all set. How cold does it get where you are in CA?