Winterizing in a heated garage

[Kidder522]

Hello Everyone,

I have a question about storing the boat in a heated garage over the winter. Since it is heated, do I only have to clean it, dry it, put fuel stabilizer in it and put it to bed. The dealership disconnected some hoses last year when I bought it, but since it will not see the really cold Canadian winter outside, do have have to do all of that?

Thanks

[rdlangston13]

and if the power goes out?

[sandm]

I keep mine in an insulated garage that never drops below 55 without any kind of heat and I still winterize it. I don't want lake water sitting in the boat all winter rusting things and it's a good time to change all the fluids so you start the year fresh with clean oil/etc..
it really doesn't take that much to disconnect the few hoses and let the water drain. fogging keeps rust from building up in the cylinders...

lots of reasons to do it other than freezing..



but there will be others on here that say go ahead and leave it..

[DOCDRS]

If you are storing it in a hermetically sealed, temperate and arid controlled environment there is absolutely no reason to do anything other than keep a battery on a tender, and add stabilizer to the gas before your last run. If not , I would freshen the oil to coat all internal components with acid free oil, fog the engine to give a good coating on the rings to prevent corrosion and sticking, remove the impeller to ease tension on its veins and drain the block to free it of those oxidizing decelerated H2O particles as well.

[NCSUmoomba]

I don't think it is 100% neccessary, but it's not that difficult. I can have my engine drained in less than 5 minutes, and then I don't have to worry at all.

[Mikey]

As mentioned above,Change the oil and at the very least take the 2 drain plugs out of the block to drain the majority of the water from the block,then in case the powere goes out you still have piece of mind. Your choice!!!.

[Kidder522]

Great, thank you for the information. It is a commercially owned and operated storage building, with many boats, RV's and motor-homes that I store it in. Today, 28 degrees, and didn't even get close to the water. Hope next season comes FAST!!

[chawk610]

I know for me... even living in Texas with the boat in the garage, it will be winterized... just a really good idea to protect your investment, you know?

[moombadaze]

and if the power goes out?

what he said. better to have drained and had the building lost power than to not have drained and had the building lost power.

[rdlangston13]

so is better to change the oil at the end of the season rather than the beginning of it?

[DOCDRS]

so is better to change the oil at the end of the season rather than the beginning of it?


YES YES YES :)

Over time the oil heating up and cooling down will cause breakdown and the production of acids. These acids can cause corrosion on bearings,cranks, cams, lifters,rollers,rods the list is endless. Change the oil at the end of the season and make sure you rum the motor after the change to get a fresh new coat of virgin oil on all these surfaces ( like my sig says) :). Its like should you wash your boat at the end of the season or leave it dirty all winter long.

[Kidder522]

Since this is my first time winterizing the boat by myself, to say i am a little nervous would be an understatement. I was looking at the engine last night to find the all the areas, and I have a couple of questions. Is there an oil plug, or is it a long hose attached to the bottom of the engine with a brass cap on it? Do you just take that hose, put it through the hull plug, and let the oil drain out?

Thanks for all your help.

[deerfield]

Do you just take that hose, put it through the hull plug, and let the oil drain out?

Kidder - I hear that is one way of draining oil, but I have not tried it. Instead, for the past two seasons I have used an extractor. Run the engine to bring it up to operating temperature. Remove the cap from the brass fitting. Slide the extractor hose down the black hose so it reaches the bottom of the oil pan. Vacuum created by the extractor will draw all of the oil up and out into a reservoir. Takes fifteen minutes. No mess. If you want I will post a picture. Deerfield

[Kidder522]

If you have one that would be great.

Thanks

[james yarosz]

I live on a lake and keep my boat on a lift.When I pull it out for the winter I drive it around for about 10 minutes then head for the ramp.I pull the boat out and head home which is about 1/2 mile away.I shove the oil drain hose out the drain plug hole and pull off the brass cap.The oil drains in about 1/2 hour.I fill it with fresh oil,run it on the hose a few minutes then winterize.

[maxpower220]

You should also pull your impeller out. With it sitting in one position for 4-7 months and that housing may develop rust, you may destroy the impeller on start up. Pulling the impeller keeps it from deforming or sticking to the impeller housing. Oil should be changed at the end of the season. Oil that has been ran in an engine has contaminates (water, acids, etc). I change the oil after the engine is up to temp and the stabil has been run through the EFI of the engine. I use RV/Boat antifreeze while running it. Then I drain the oil. While that is draining, I fog the cylinders and drop the oil filter. Then I fill the oil and drain the block of water. Lastly, I pull the impeller.

Now that I live in Florida proper, I will just keep the boat on the lift all year.

[cab13367]

First year I had my boat, I ran it in the driveway for about 10 minutes then tried to drain the oil with the oil hose out the back. It trickled out super slow and after about 4 hrs, only about half the oil had made it out. Now I run the boat on the river for 10 minutes on plane (not just idling) to get the oil good and hot. I then pull it out and use an extractor and suck the oil out thru the oil drain hose right there at the boat ramp parking lot. Takes about 5 minutes to suck it all out.

[Kidder522]

Hey everyone,

Well, my first time went very well. Took it to the lake, ran it for 15 minutes, put the oil extractor down the tube, and withing 15 minutes all done. Change the filter, that was a little tough, filled it back up, and now it is done. I also put some fuel stabilizer in it while the new oil circulated. Got home and decide to do some other things.

1. disconnected the manifold coupler, drained well.
2. disconnected the J hose of the front pulley, on the bottom end, drained well.
3. took off the knock sensor, and pulled the starboard side plug out, drained well.
4. took off both hoses to the raw water intake

Now here are my questions:
1. Can't find the port side block plug. Only thing I saw was a hose connected to the lower end. Looked like the shower hose. Do I just take that off and let it drain out without taking that plug out
2. How the heck to do take the impeller out? Took the front off, but way to scared to yank it out. what do you use to take it out without damaging it.

Thanks for all the help everyone. without this forum a first timer would be lost. Thank for all the information.

[deerfield]

If you have one that would be great.

Kidder - Here you go. Although, from more recent post looks like you got 'er done. - Deerfield

[deerfield]

How the heck to do take the impeller out? Took the front off, but way to scared to yank it out. what do you use to take it out without damaging it.

Kidder - I use two paint can openers. Hook the lips behind the impeller's fins and pull the impeller forward. - Deerfild

[Kidder522]

Hey Stuart,

Do you put the paint can openers through the middle? There isn't a a lot of room between the fins, and it looked really tight. the other thing, does your engine have 2 block plugs?

[DOCDRS]

Port side drain is in same location as starboard, they may have plumbed the shower in there, un hook but you have to winterize the shower as well. Just stick that end into some rv antifreeze and run the shower, do the same for the cold should be plumbed off between impeller and thermostat. For the impeller take a needle nose vise grip between the veins after you have sprayed the impeller with silicon lube and pull and wiggle it out.....pull hard!! If your tranny cooler is before the impeller make sure you remove the intake line off it.

[Hoopskier]

Hey Stuart,

Do you put the paint can openers through the middle? There isn't a a lot of room between the fins, and it looked really tight. the other thing, does your engine have 2 block plugs?

I maybe able to help you out too, have the same boat. I believe Stuart, puts the openers between the impeller fins, and then hooks them on the back side of the impeller to pull out. I saw this video too, http://www.inboardonline.com/how-to/ Just use a pliers to pull out. I have yet to replace mine, low hrs, and previous owner did it just before purchase. You have two drains on the engine block itself, one on each side. If you have EFI, one of the plugs may actually be the knock sensor. Mine has a knock sensor on driver side, and a plain plug on passenger side. Remove both to drain the block

[Kidder522]

Hoopskier,

thanks for the awesome link. now that I see it, I can do it. Yep. Drivers side was a knock sensor. Got that one. Just unsure of the passenger side. I will take the hose off, and it should just drain out. I do have the EFI.