Winterization Check List

[motomario]

Hello everyone, I am new to this forum. But not at all new to the use of a mastercraft boat. I like this boat. I have it since 2008. See how the boat is stored in the frost -20C in Russia. For ventilation, plastic pipes from sewage are used.

[Coloradodude]

read post #16 - I thought it was a pretty good list

Hopefully this will answer some of your questions.

http://www.mastercraft.com/teamtalk/showthread.php?t=57651&page=2

[LittleFuss]

Winterizing Ilmor 5.7 (2013 X14v) for the first time. New to me. I am looking for some advice, especially things like what is different from my old MCX.

Where will I find the connection to suck in the antifreeze to ballast and engine. I have looked but have not found.

Do I really not change spark plugs, distributor rotor and cap? It feels wrong not to.

What about tranny fluid?

Anything else I may not know?

[paco_06]

Yeah, I thought I was mean enough by contradicting everything he mentioned. I was gonna say thanks for reviving a two year old thread on winterization in the middle of summer! Guy's first post though, I thought it was another bu trolling when I first saw it. I was really hoping he was from Oz needing help...

[FoggyNogginz]

Looks like a thread revival from Dec 2014. No rush for snow just yet!!

[Miss Rita]

This is the EARLIEST anyone has EVER mentioned winterizing! What is wrong with you guys? (OK, don't look at my avatar picture)

[FoggyNogginz]

FoggyNogginz asked how dealers winterize the boat... The answer is that first they drain most of the the water out of the engine by removing the engine drain plugs and the hoses next to the impeller, then they reinstall the hoses and plugs. Next they use an "inboard motor flusher" (google it) which looks like a toilet bowl plunger. The flusher has a telescoping rod that wedges between the bottom of the boat (over the water intake) and the ground. Instead of attaching a garden hose to the flusher, they attach a tube coming from a 10 gallon tub (pressurized with an electric bilge pump) of antifreeze. It is important that the pump be used because the engine needs the antifreeze mix to be under pressure as the engine impeller is not capable of self-priming. They then start and run the engine until antifreeze has been coming out the exhaust pipes for a minute or so.

So, I have done all of this many times on an Indmar with a packed shaft, but my question was specifically around the dripless shaft on the newer models. Since these drain the manifolds each time, and the dealer is NOT tapping these off, I assume that they are just pulling in the antifreeze and then letting the manifolds drain back into a bucket?

[Bubbacuse77]

Are we really talking winterization in late June, you guys are depressing me.

[CheeseSteak1]

Good list. I perform the majority of the items but I'm not sure what you mean by replacing gasket with your oil change. Am I missing something? Also, the part numbers for the fuel/water separator didn't populate a part on Napa's site. I need to install one and would love a recomenation. Thanks

[paco_06]

FoggyNogginz asked how dealers winterize the boat... The answer is that first they drain most of the the water out of the engine by removing the engine drain plugs and the hoses next to the impeller, then they reinstall the hoses and plugs. Next they use an "inboard motor flusher" (google it) which looks like a toilet bowl plunger. The flusher has a telescoping rod that wedges between the bottom of the boat (over the water intake) and the ground. Instead of attaching a garden hose to the flusher, they attach a tube coming from a 10 gallon tub (pressurized with an electric bilge pump) of antifreeze. It is important that the pump be used because the engine needs the antifreeze mix to be under pressure as the engine impeller is not capable of self-priming. They then start and run the engine until antifreeze has been coming out the exhaust pipes for a minute or so.

It's called a fake a lake, and yes the raw water pump will self prime.... it has to Everytime the boat is initially cranked in the water. If anything, using a bilge pump will restrict how much it wants to pull from the bucket. The best way is to disconnect hose from inlet fitting and put the bucket in the boat. Fake a lake are notorious to fail.

[DavidS]

FoggyNogginz asked how dealers winterize the boat... The answer is that first they drain most of the the water out of the engine by removing the engine drain plugs and the hoses next to the impeller, then they reinstall the hoses and plugs. Next they use an "inboard motor flusher" (google it) which looks like a toilet bowl plunger. The flusher has a telescoping rod that wedges between the bottom of the boat (over the water intake) and the ground. Instead of attaching a garden hose to the flusher, they attach a tube coming from a 10 gallon tub (pressurized with an electric bilge pump) of antifreeze. It is important that the pump be used because the engine needs the antifreeze mix to be under pressure as the engine impeller is not capable of self-priming. They then start and run the engine until antifreeze has been coming out the exhaust pipes for a minute or so.

[mcolinb]

My boats typically get ran all winter. If it is going to sit for a while and I know it will be in freezing temperatures for an extended amount of time, I'll drain the exhaust and block and I always run Sea-Foam through it. If it is just going to freeze for a few nights I just put a drop light in the engine compartment to keep everything warm. Where I am in the South it really doesn't get that cold. Is there any harm in hardly ever draining the water out?

[mikeg205]

I bet he has a tub(trough) to recirculate the antifreeze.

[FoggyNogginz]

Now that I think about my post, this is likely a bad idea since I have the dripless seal which drains the manifolds when the boat is out of the water. This being said, I am really curious as to how the dealer winterizes this engine. Looks like I'll need some professional help with this model unless one of you has some insight into this.

Thank in advance.

[FoggyNogginz]

I've always drained all water from the engine and then added antifreeze. If I have a fresh water flush, then could it really be as easy dropping the hose into a bucket of antifreeze and letting the raw water pump suck it in?? Sure sounds tempting.

Then I could just do oil/plugs/impeller and winterize the heater & ballast.



Thoughts??