wintering correct craft 2002

[Michto]

Hello, after emptying is it mandatory to add antifreeze or you can leave it like that all winter

Can we use universal car antifreeze
thank you

[windsurfnut]

There are a few schools of thought on ths.
1. Draining entirely may open the opportunity for corrosion. However, with it completely empty there is no liquid to freeze, so no freeze damage.
2. Filling with antifreeze can reduce or eliminate opportunity for corrosion. However, it now has a liquid in there that COULD potentially freeze.

I use to do method 2. Until I left a couple antifreeze bottles on my porch for a winter and watched them freeze solid. Its said that frozen, they don't expand like water, but what I experienced as a solid frozen block with minimal expansion. I stopped using that method after seeing this.

I now drain, then flush out manifolds, water pump, block etc with antifreeze then drain again. I leave the drains out or hoses off, then trailer to storage. The final trailering seems to help shake out any last water/antifreeze that may have got trapped, and the open drains/hoses let it make its way out.

Lastly, use RV/Plumbing antifreeze for either method as the automotive antifreeze is toxic.

[Michto]

an antifreeze rinse followed by a drain seems to be a good method to protect against freezing and corrosion.

[Fast351]

I follow windsurfnuts method #2. It gets pretty cold here in MN. Yeah, RV antifreeze turns to slush or freezes, but has no expansion. I like having things submerged to reduce internal corrosion. Not sure there is a right answer.

Don't forget to drain your trans cooler. (Almost forgot about that one thinking with just the 2 block, 2 manifold, and water U drained I was safe).