2007 SAN 220 6.0 ZR6 winterization

[Jbousman88]

May be beating a dead horse here with this topic but does anyone have a detailed process of how they winterize the close cooling ZR6?
in guessing just drain water strainer, manifolds, vdrive and trans cool as well as heat exchanger? Also my plastic sides for the ballast are a pain to get the top piece out. Any suggestions are helpful since this is my first year with the boat and I’m new to this forum. I’m a converted Supra guy!

[Helmsmn]

There are several descriptions of winterizing this type of system in Planet Nautique. I would read as many as you can. Also read your PCM manual for locations of drain plugs, types of drain systems and water circulation direction.
Install a flush kit and never run the engine dry. First I run the boat until it is warm with garden hose attached and water flowing. I then change the oil and filter. Run the boat again until warm and fresh oil topped off. Do you have the “optional” drain kit installed? If so, remove the plug, drain the raw water, replace plug. Remove the raw water strainer, empty, clean the screen and replace. Lube the rubber ring so it doesn’t kink. Close the raw water through hull intake valve. Remove the garden hose and suck in RV type antifreeze until you see it exiting the exhaust. The first time I did this I used a five gal becket and short hose, but then I purchased a Camco self winterizing kit and it is much more efficient. I put a clean bucket under the boat where the prop shaft comes through because lots of antifreeze escapes there before it reaches the exhaust. That should winterize the raw water portion of the engine and any portion of the system cooled by raw water. Open up the raw water intake valve now so you don’t forget in the Spring. Be sure to drain ballast tanks. I pour RV antifreeze in through the drain through hull fittings then run the drains again to fill the lines. I leave the raw water impeller in since I replace it every spring anyway. Take care of your batteries. I use Battery Tenders. Or you can remove them and place them where they won’t freeze. Hope this helps.


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[Jbousman88]

Helmsmn how do I know if I have the optional drain kit?

[Helmsmn]

My PCM manual shows the different types, but it should be apparent if you look between the transom and front of engine. Down low you should see two large hoses coming together at a union and at the aft side of the union there is a brass drain plug. Remember that the front of the engine faces aft. If you don’t have the drain kit, empty as much raw water from the several locations you described in your original post. The reason for draining is so that when you suck in the RV antifreeze it won’t be diluted by the raw water already present in the system.


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[Jbousman88]

Found the drain kit. So 1. Since the block is closed cooled (but still a new to me boat) I will check the burst temperature on the antifreeze. With draining the cooling system then running antifreeze through it then it should fill all areas with no issues. With draining water before there is no water o dilute antifreeze but there are also no thermostats to open or be closed so essential it should just run all through the system and out the exhaust.

[Helmsmn]

Right. Thermostat only controls the closed cooling system, the raw water system has no stat and that is what you are treating with the RV antifreeze. Happy winterizing!


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