Teach me to Winterize

[tjrowbot]

I have read what seems like all of the winterization threads on the forum. I would like to learn, by watching, the winterizing process on my predator motor (TBI). The boat is currently in MI, 5 minutes from Indiana & 15 minutes from Ohio. Obviously I will travel to learn. I will buy all of the supplies and beer for your time. Anybody want to help a fellow MC owner?

[jj91]

Hopefully someone close to you will take you up on your offer, but check out the thread below if you haven't already. It's the same engine you have. A lot of people use a bucket method so I attached another link which has some different bucket setups people have used. Also you should still be able to find the manual for your boat which will provide more advice. There is always a debate on whether to dry block or fill with antifreeze. To each their own, both methods work if done right.

I'm still holding out hope that we'll still have a couple warm days left before I have to bite the bullet, but highs in the low 60s this weekend in MN

https://teamtalk.mastercraft.com//showthread.php?t=77604

https://teamtalk.mastercraft.com//showthread.php?t=44490

[paintpollz]

I have read what seems like all of the winterization threads on the forum. I would like to learn, by watching, the winterizing process on my predator motor (TBI). The boat is currently in MI, 5 minutes from Indiana & 15 minutes from Ohio. Obviously I will travel to learn. I will buy all of the supplies and beer for your time. Anybody want to help a fellow MC owner?

tj, you can be confident in using the link above as a guide to the winterization process and be able to tackle this on your own, even if it's your first time. It is not a difficult process whatsoever. The main thing is getting the water out of your engine and any accessories (like showers/heaters/pitot tubes). There are only a few spots to disconnect and you will see a lot of water come out of your engine. Bueno!

The safe method for your first time is to remove by using the guide above and then suck up 5 gallons or so of RV thru the engine while it's running. Piece of cake. After the first year I didn't use the RV coolant, I stored it dry (in NH where the winters are cold like where you are). No problems.

There are lot of other items you can tackle like changing engine/transmission oil, fogging cylinders, greasing cables, removing batteries and putting them on a maintainer, doing a deep clean of both the inside and outside, adding dryer sheets to keep the mice out, yada yada yada. I do basically all of that. My first time took a few hours, now I can do everything in like 30-45 minutes (not including waxing the outside of the boat).

If it's your first season with the boat and trailer, it's never a bad idea to take it into the trailer shop and have them rebuild the bearing assemblies.

[dvsone79]

You don’t HAVE to run it to winterize. It helps drain the oil faster when the engine is warm, and if you’re running antifreeze then that’s one way to circulate it. But you can drain oil using the drain tube and an oil pump. As for the block, you can just drain it, or pour antifreeze downstream of the t-stat. I used to do antifreeze. These days I just drain.

IMO, the only things absolutely necessary to do is change oil/filter/impeller, and drain the block (or run antifreeze through it). Many of us (myself included) do extra things, like clean/wax, change trans fluid (I do this every other year), top off gas and add some fuel stabilizer, etc.

Just find the oil drain tube near the oil pan, and poke it out the transom drain plug hole, and use that to drain. With the oil drained, go ahead and change out the filter. Use NAPA Gold 1060 oil filter (your manual may say another one, but the 1060 is better). Then fill with 15w40 Shell Rotella oil (5-6 quarts is usually what the 5.7 takes, IIRC). Find the drain valve on the starboard side of the engine (the port side if yours is a direct drive), unscrew the threaded valve to drain. The knock sensor on the opposite side is how you drain from that side. Just unscrew the knock sensor and water will drain. Turn engine over a few times with kill switch pulled out to blow out some remaining pockets of water. Then replace plugs and drain water from your bilge with the bilge pump and/or drain plug. Next, pull the impeller and zip tie a new impeller (Johnson 09-812B-1 impeller kit) to the steering wheel so you remember to put the new one in when you summerize it next spring. And finally, tow it to a gas station (preferably one with ethanol free gas), top off the gas tank, and treat it with Stabil Marine fuel stabilizer. Done.

[tjrowbot]

Thank you for the links. Sounds like I am half way there since I do the oil, filter, deoxidize, wash, wax, and change the ATF. I appreciate the good vibes!

[igormaster]

antifreeze or no antifreeze

Speaking of antifreeze dilemma it is definitely environmentally friendlier not use one on open cooling systems and cheaper of course on materials and equipment. The good thing about filling the block with antifreeze is that good expensive one really stemms off rust that inevitably comes up inside from condensation. There is definitely no harm in skipping the antifreeze part and just draining all the nooks and crannies out of that predator and any accessories that use fresh water. Especially heater and shower pumps love to trapp water and brake open in cold.

[waterlogged882]

Pink marine AF is $2.99 / gallon. Five gallons will fill a 5.8L engine. Done deal. Don't skip or skrimp.

$0.02

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[jawest79]

I’m following this thread bc this year I’m a first time DIY winterize my Prostar.

So I think I’ll add AF to mine bc we are expecting another Polar Vortex this winter. What I don’t understand about winterizing is why some people add AF then drain it out and leave the plugs off. What’s the point?


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[mike koen]

Dry blocking after A/Freeze just insures any water trapped in cavities are diluted and protected from freezing.

[JohnnyB]

I have read what seems like all of the winterization threads on the forum. I would like to learn, by watching, the winterizing process on my predator motor (TBI). The boat is currently in MI, 5 minutes from Indiana & 15 minutes from Ohio. Obviously I will travel to learn. I will buy all of the supplies and beer for your time. Anybody want to help a fellow MC owner?

Here is a set of videos I did for my nephew to show him how to change oil, trans and winterize...

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/r6lj029emqdojyz/AABNiN2x7_bPbaTwViZaqbala?dl=0

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[CantRepeat]

Move to Florida, plug in battery charger. Done.

[jawest79]

If I drain all the water, then hook up the bucket to suck up the anti-freeze. Will it do any damage to the engine when I start it bc there is a short period period where there is no water or anti-freeze inside the engine?


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[bcd]

No

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[fglenn]

move to Cali and ski it once a week and no battery charger required

[tjrowbot]

As great as it sounds using the boat all year...

Thank you much for the videos!