MCX winterizing

[RobertTriv]

Ok guys I know this has been talked about 1000 times and ive read everything I can but I still have a few questions so hopefully someone can review this list and answer any questions.

Boat is a 2010 X15 with a MCX 350

1. Pour in fuel stabilizer and warm engine up
2. Change engine and tranny oil
3. Drain block on both sides
4. Drain exhausts
5. Drain/Blow out heater
6. Reconnect all plugs
7. Flush the boat with RV antifreeze
Question- Where do I pour the antifreeze in when doing this?
Question- I'm writing this post without looking at the boat, where is the T stat located so I can remove it to make sure its open when doing this?
8. Fog engine at same time as pouring in antifreeze
Question- Can I fog it through the intake or do I need to do it through the spark plug holes? I have seen both mentioned but not sure which applies to the 2010 MCX
9. Fill ballast tanks with a bit of antifreeze and run pumps to get it into the lines
10. Grease steering
11. Remove batteries from boat

I'm going to be shrink wrapping the boat and storing it in the back yard as I don't have access to a shop big enough to put the boat into. I noticed during the summer water likes to sit at the corner of all the cushions and the corner of the sun pad cushions as well. Is there any reason I shouldn't remove all the cushions and bring them into the house and just leave it open inside? In my eyes that would let the boat breath a lot better and not allow moisture to sit in as many places.

Also do people leave the drain plugs out of the boat of put them back in to prevent animals from getting on?

If anybody has any pictures of the process I would love to see them to make sure I don't miss anything.

[bturner2]

There are going to be a lot of different views on this but I'll take a shot at what I do. You are free to do whatever you like and I truly don't care if it works for you. What I do has worked for me for over 20 so.....

Anything with Cats, don't fog through the intake you'll screw up your Cats. If you want to fog it'll be through the spark plug holes. I stopped doing this when I moved away from carb and throttle body boats and haven't had any issues. If you want to do it that's fine it certainly won't hurt.

Make sure you drain your trans cooler and check for any garbage in the intake side of the cooler.

I pour RV antifreeze in the heater hose then blow some through the system after I drain the clock/cooling system. That way I can hear it circulating back into the block which let me know that antifreeze has circulated through the heater core. Last thing I want to do is have to replace one because water somehow was still in the system.

On where to pour the antifreeze..... I found this varies by the boat/engine. I try to find a place high on the block which is usually by the thermostat. I'll pull the engine circulation pump hose before the thermostat on the thermostat housing to use as an indicator as to the level of antifreeze in the block. Typically you can use the top fitting on the block that feeds the heater to pour in the antifreeze. I have a piece of hose that fits the nipple that I attach then pour the antifreeze in until antifreeze comes out the thermostat fitting going to the circulation pump. At that point I know the block is full. If I have any left over antifreeze I'll pour it in the exhaust manifolds. You probably don't need to do this last step but I'll bump the engine over a few second just to circulate the antifreeze in the engine a bit. That's it at that point. I just did my boat Sunday and it took 3 gallons of antifreeze.

If you're going to shrink wrap and cushions you can remove is a plus to me especially if you have any pooling. I personally leave my drain plugs out and have recommended that to anyone who stores outside. If for some reason the cover leaks and you have you're plugs in you'll come back to a boat filled with water, mold and an ruined interior. I do know people that tape their exhaust ports to keep the critters out but I haven't done this in years. I store indoors and leave everything open but with the cover on.

[chrislandy]

As mentioned, fogging isn't really needed or desired in an injected engine.

I have 2 methods of getting the antifreeze in:
1) on water/lift - drain water from engine, take off a high point in the engine and pour in.
2) on trailer - drain water from engine, then I use a 25gal container (bin) placed behind the boat, 2 ducts from the exhaust exit in the bin, then use a long hose connected between the impeller inlet and the bin - run until hot i.e. the t-stat has opened fully and shut off - seal the top of the bin and re-use next year

[MC25]

I am fairly certain you aren’t supposed to fog a motor with catalytic converters because they ruin them? I could be wrong.

[mikeg205]

Fog thru spark plug holes only.

For antifreeze pour thru recirculation water pump hose that feeds block.

and its cheap, use fresh every year.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[sp00ky]

I am fairly certain you aren’t supposed to fog a motor with catalytic converters because they ruin them? I could be wrong.

Agreed don't fog with the etx cats at all.

[sp00ky]

Ok guys I know this has been talked about 1000 times and ive read everything I can but I still have a few questions so hopefully someone can review this list and answer any questions.

Boat is a 2010 X15 with a MCX 350

1. Pour in fuel stabilizer and warm engine up
2. Change engine and tranny oil
3. Drain block on both sides
4. Drain exhausts
5. Drain/Blow out heater
6. Reconnect all plugs
7. Flush the boat with RV antifreeze
Question- Where do I pour the antifreeze in when doing this?
Question- I'm writing this post without looking at the boat, where is the T stat located so I can remove it to make sure its open when doing this?
8. Fog engine at same time as pouring in antifreeze
Question- Can I fog it through the intake or do I need to do it through the spark plug holes? I have seen both mentioned but not sure which applies to the 2010 MCX
9. Fill ballast tanks with a bit of antifreeze and run pumps to get it into the lines
10. Grease steering
11. Remove batteries from boat

I'm going to be shrink wrapping the boat and storing it in the back yard as I don't have access to a shop big enough to put the boat into. I noticed during the summer water likes to sit at the corner of all the cushions and the corner of the sun pad cushions as well. Is there any reason I shouldn't remove all the cushions and bring them into the house and just leave it open inside? In my eyes that would let the boat breath a lot better and not allow moisture to sit in as many places.

Also do people leave the drain plugs out of the boat of put them back in to prevent animals from getting on?

If anybody has any pictures of the process I would love to see them to make sure I don't miss anything.

So you can't actually see the thermostat open because by the time you open up the housing it will have cooled off again. Just need the boat warmed up to 160

[Thrall]

No need to fog at all. Maybe if it was going to but put up for years?
The rest seems like a good plan, although I’ve never winterized with antifreeze. Just drain everything, replace all plugs/reassemble and call er good.
Ballast I run a little into each tank and back out to ensure there’s no plain water in the impeller housings or any fittings.

[jewbacca]

Is antifreeze a necessity? I see OP is in Canada, but how about for boats in further south? On my old I/O I'd just drain the block/manifolds and never worried about it.

[RobertTriv]

Thanks for all the info guys! I ended up NOT fogging the engine as you guys suggested. I drained the entire heater and blew it out then filled it with antifreeze and blew it through. I also drained the exhaust on both sides, drained the trans cooler and poured some antifreeze into there. Also drained the block on both sides. Then filled the entire block with antifreeze from the heater feed hose location at the top of the engine. I then ran some antifreeze through the water intake hose with the engine running but it wasn't up to temp to open the T stat. Does that matter that it wasn't up to temp since I filled the block up from the heater hose location at the top? Antifreeze was happily coming out of the prop area and exhausts when running.

[bturner2]

Thanks for all the info guys! I ended up NOT fogging the engine as you guys suggested. I drained the entire heater and blew it out then filled it with antifreeze and blew it through. I also drained the exhaust on both sides, drained the trans cooler and poured some antifreeze into there. Also drained the block on both sides. Then filled the entire block with antifreeze from the heater feed hose location at the top of the engine. I then ran some antifreeze through the water intake hose with the engine running but it wasn't up to temp to open the T stat. Does that matter that it wasn't up to temp since I filled the block up from the heater hose location at the top? Antifreeze was happily coming out of the prop area and exhausts when running.

IMO you're good.

[bturner2]

Is antifreeze a necessity? I see OP is in Canada, but how about for boats in further south? On my old I/O I'd just drain the block/manifolds and never worried about it.

Holy war item like "what is the best oil to run?". Some say yes, some say no. Some in Texas don't even drain the block in heated storage and got to buy new engines last year after the ice storm.

I use -100 antifreeze mostly because I live in Michigan and store in a non-heated pole barn with a cement floor. A lot of people swear by "dry blocking" and it has worked out wonderful. Whatever spins your prop is good with me.

[MIskiboat]

Don’t forget, also important if you drive a Ford or Chevy truck to store to get the antifreeze!

[mike koen]

I installed the Indmar sea strainer which has a garden hose fitting on it. First I dry block by pulling the knock sensors then reinstall.fasten a short piece of garden hose to sea strainer, shut off lake water intake , put hose in antifreeze (20 litres) start the engine . Then dry block again.when I take hoses off engine and manifolds antifreeze always runs out into the hull from every where.