I know this has been covered but now it is worrying me.  I winterized my engine last weekend...I know sad day!!!  My process was running the engine with water to get it to operating temp.  I than ran 5 gallons of straight -100 antifreeze (I think it was pink).  I am now wondering if I should have drained the block of  water before I ran the antifreeze thru.  Last year, I believe I did the same process except I than drained the antifreeze out of the block before storage. ( I think I read the draining of the antifreeze from the forum).  Anyone have any thoughts...meaning, am I good, should I re-do it?  Thanks for your help.. (1998 268cr)

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Dean Owens
1998 268cr "Better When Wet"

An engine with undilouted antifreeze is best. Run the engine to operating temperature, open the petcocks, drain the water while the engine is still hot. The heat of the engine will turn the remaining pools of water into steam which will dissipate. Close the petcocks, start the engine and fill it with antifreeze while the thermostat is still open.

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Bill Cook
Saratoga Springs, NY
Charleston Lake, On
'08 200LS 5.0L

I assume you used the earmuffs on the intake when you ran the antifreeze through.  I am not sure why you ran the engine to get it to operating temp -- that's great for changing oil, but doesn't matter when sucking antifreeze through the cooling system.  Anyway, 5 gallons is good - I usually need almost 4 before I see the pink solution in the outtake. 

Dean, lots of guys do it just how you did and have had no issues. Myself, I'm like Bill and drain the block before sucking in the pink stuff. I'm thinking, especially since you used the better -100 stuff, that you're fine.

You could drain a bit from one of the block drains into a cup and take a reading of it to know for sure...although I'm not sure if the regular testers will work with the "rv" stuff....

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"Toy Story"

Y2K 266BR
454 Mag B-3

My winterizing steps are per Mercruiser. The idea of running until operating temperature is to open the thermostat that controls the flow of water through the engine. The second reason is to heat the engine block so that it will dissipate the remaining pools of water by heating the water to steam.

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Bill Cook
Saratoga Springs, NY
Charleston Lake, On
'08 200LS 5.0L

I winterized yesterday.  Decided to do it the old fashioned way.  Drained the engine (5.0 MPI), then popped off the thermostat housing and poured in Prestone 50:50.  A slow but sure method - I think.  Anyone know of any reason this wouldn't work with a modern engine?

Also took out the sparkplugs to fog the motor.  Question - why did it take 22-24 ft/lbs to loosen the plugs when MerCruiser recommends that they be installed at 15 ft/lbs?    Do they "bake" in?

When using the muffs, is there enough sucking power to pull the antifreeze out of the bucket with-out it running dry? What is the correct process here?

 

Thanks,

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Keith Germano
2008 210LS

"Nassen Sie Traum"

Keith, I replied to your other post on this but also, have the bucket elevated so it has gravity flow.  No problem then.

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O'
"Little Mascara 3"
2003 266BR,496 MAG w/Bravo III

Being in Houston I think it is sufficient enough just to drain the raw water out and not use antifreeze.  But, I will probably do it anyways because I am anal like that.

 I have the 5.0L MPI that has a knob that I turn and all the water drains out.  There is also a plug right next to the thermostat housing that you are supposed to pull that will allow the water to drain properly.  Is dumping antifreeze in that hole the same as having it suck up through the muffs?

 If you use muffs, you just take a water hose (a very short one) and attach one end to the muffs and the other end you put in a bucket full of antifreeze?  Does it really work?

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2008 Crownline 210 LS
5.0 Merc. MPI
Picked it up 7/24/08!

Nathan Shipley:

Being in Houston I think it is sufficient enough just to drain the raw water out and not use antifreeze.  But, I will probably do it anyways because I am anal like that.

 

I’m storing underground so temps aren’t an issue either. However, the pink stuff has anti-corrosion properties in it and for the little cost & time… I’m taking the extra step as pre-caution.

 

 

 

Nathan Shipley:

 If you use muffs, you just take a water hose (a very short one) and attach one end to the muffs and the other end you put in a bucket full of antifreeze?  Does it really work?

 

This might help :  http://www.teamcrownline.com/forums/55592/ShowThread.aspx#55592 And, Yes!

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(Link'd)