Winterize question

[Quinner]

You want to pour in at the TStat housing not by the strainer.

[Auburn Tiger]

One more question to clarify on this... I used the intake hose from the raw water and sucked up 8 gallons of pink stuff after draining all points but one (Cold not get the bolt off one manifold). Because it has closed cooling and raw water cooling do I still need to pour in through the thermostat? What is the point to having both systems?

2010 230 SAN w/ 409 if it helps...

[jmo]

With a cold engine ,water all drained,and plugs back in. I poured the antifreeze in the hose right after the strainer,I can only pour 3 litres and the hose over flows. Do I have to pull the thermostat to fill the engine block.
Sorry aim a newbie

I believe you mention u have a 330 Excalibur engine, I have the same engine and I pour AF into the block (after draining) by pulling off the raw water hose going to the starboard exhaust manifold and I hold it up and pour AF in that way. This gets it into the block, you can verify by loosening the drain plugs. I also pour AF into the heater line and use compressed air to ensure it's looped all the way, I leave the drain plug out on the elbow to confirm I have AF all the way through. You want to leave the impeller in initially so it doesn't drain back into the inlet, and then after your done pull the impeller, rinse and store separately.

Keep in mind mine is a DD, so your motor in a 211 is rotated 180 degrees.

[Quinner]

One more question to clarify on this... I used the intake hose from the raw water and sucked up 8 gallons of pink stuff after draining all points but one (Cold not get the bolt off one manifold). Because it has closed cooling and raw water cooling do I still need to pour in through the thermostat? What is the point to having both systems?

2010 230 SAN w/ 409 if it helps...

In a closed system you only need to drain the heat exchanger/raw cooling side and then can backfill with a/f.
What exactly did you drain?

On a closed system the Raw water side is like the air through the radiator in your car, the raw water circulated in and out helps cool the closed cooling side via the heat exchanger. The closed side includes everything circulating through the block, heads, water pump, heater if equipped, etc.

It is very important everything is drained before backfilling, you really want to fix that stuck manifold drain point. Also you do not want Pink Stuff on the closed side, if you added any there you need to drain and flush then add the recommended anti-freeze.

[Auburn Tiger]

Quinner, thanks for the help on this. This boat is new to our family, had a Chaparral previously and the winterizing process was much easier!
I drained the raw water side of the heat exchanger, one manifold (the one I could not remove looks like it has never been removed judging by the perfect paint still on the bolt/drain), Vee drive raw water drain and the in & out @ raw water pump. Only Pink stuff added was sucked through the raw water intake hose in front of strainer. Drain points via owner manual 15-8, page 73 diagram. I did not mess with the closed side.

[Quinner]

Sounds like you are OK but surprised it required 8 gallons, on my open system with heater and shower 5 gallons usually does the trick after a complete drain. Work on breaking that last drain point, PB Blaster is good or acetone/atf to help break it loose.

BTW, have a business partner who is a consultant at the Rural Studio at Auburn.

[Snowman2001]

Jmo .. Thank you for the help. I did pull all plugs to confirm a/f flowed out,then refilled the system.

[Snowman2001]

Is there a simple way of winterizing the rear ballest tanks. The fill pumps are a pita to reach, the one a can,t even touch.

[DanielC]

On some boat ballast setups, you might be able to suck all the water out of the tanks, and pumps with a wet-dry shop vacuum.
If you use this method, I would do the PITA removal stuff and comfirm you did get all the water out. It will cost less than having to do the PITA removal stuff to replace the freeze damaged pumps next spring.

[scottb7]

Quite honestly, what I do with no problem last few years is pump the tanks as empty as I can, then remove the impeller and o rings and bag them for next year. That's it. At that point I think anything in the tanks or hoses will have room to expand. It is 3 screws and a couple minutes per pump, and that way I can check the impellers.

[swatguy]

Quite honestly, what I do with no problem last few years is pump the tanks as empty as I can, then remove the impeller and o rings and bag them for next year. That's it. At that point I think anything in the tanks or hoses will have room to expand. It is 3 screws and a couple minutes per pump, and that way I can check the impellers.

I also do the same

[vision]

I drain all tanks while out of the water using ballast pumps. I then "fill" the tanks with air by running pumps for 5 seconds. This helps make sure there is air in pumps and minmal water in line. That's it. As long as you do not change the angle of the boat, water should not enter the lines. But if you move your boat from time to time post "winterizing" then using anti freeze is certainly safer.

[Auburn Tiger]

Quinner, it did not require 8 gallons, that was me being anal about it! Still could not get plug out so I pulled the hose off the front of the manifold and lowered the trailer so most of the AF drained out. Thanks again.

I graduated in '96 and don't remember much talk about the Rural Studio but I was in Building Science (Construction) and the Professor that headed it up was Architecture. I know he passed away sometime ago but they are still doing great things.

[wakeany1]

I have always done my own winterizing as it gets to be -40c where I am. first I drain all the plugs (7) then I simply pull off the heater hoses and blow the water out of them and before you reconnect i pour anti-freeze down them to make sure there is pink in the heater core. I then reconnect all the plugs and pull off the raw water hose from there I have a connector hose that goes into a large pail of anti-freeze. This ensures the line is air tight and you will suck in everything out of the pail. (fake-a-lake) This is the best way in my opinion to run the motor with out taking off more hoses than required. You can also run fresh water if needed with this system and fill the pail with a garden hose. I do the same for the tanks. pull off the tank hoses from the intake valves and turn on each pump and suck in a bit of anti freeze. Back to the heater, if you dont drain the water out of the heater lines you are not guaranteed to get enough A/F to the core as it takes a while to to the full loop. My way ensures you get A/F to the heater core. The last thing I do is take any pink out of the water strainer as it is hard on the O ring. PM me and I can call you and talk you through it if you like. This is how i have been doing it for years and it is the most affective and have never been concerened about my boat sitting in the cold weather over the winter.

[Snowman2001]

Wakeany1 thanks for the explanation. I,am confident I did it right with all of great info from everyone .