Another winterizing question

[dru1974]

Ok so I took my boat up to the dealership for some warranty work and a snap tarp cover...anyhow while it was there I told them to have it winterized..well I talked to the manager and asked how much the winterizing was and he said he didn't exactly know but around 400 bucks...no oil change just a winterizing..well I paid 130.00 here in medicine hat last year. To a indmar approved dealer...is there anyone in my area that has any ideas of what it should cost at "the moomba supra dealer"?????

[mmandley]

Generaly a winterization is around 200 all it is on the newer modles is changing the oil, draining the block and heater core. They generaly dont Fog any FI boats due to it causing FI issues.
If i was you and you dont want to do the oil change your self then winterize it yourself. There is some really good write ups with pics and its a really simple process. Even easier for you since your a direct drive. Pull both block plugs, let them drain. Then pull the hoses for the heater core and blow air threw them to drain the water. open the impeller housing and remove your impeller store in zip lock with some vasaline. Done.

[Mikey]

When i got my boat from Mobius a few years back ,Winterize was about 280.00 without oil change. As mentioned above its really not that hard and you can do the oil change at the same time and save even more cash. Took me aprox 2 hrs with oil change and tranny fliud. Taking my time.

[maxpower220]

All boats should be 'fogged'. While it was standard to fog the engine through the carb while running, EFI should not have that. The plugs should be pulled and each cylinder fogged. That is really the proper way it always should have been done. If you dealer (or whoever) isn't doing that, look elsewhere or do it yourself. When humidity gets on those nice shiny cylinder walls of open valved chambers, it only takes the orange stuff a few hours to set on. A little surface rust will wipe a set of rings on the first start up of the new year.

[dru1974]

I know it's easy to do but I went for a last ride Friday night and had to have it to the dealer 3hrs away the following morning at 11am they were storing it outside and it has been getting cold out and they won't have the boat ready till the end of October I thought it would be a good idea to have it winterized.. I just didn't have the time..I will be pissed if they charge me more than 300

[DOCDRS]

I would ask for a break down of exactly what they did. It may make you feel better or worse. Then , at least, you have a record of what they did and you can decide to do or not next year. I agree with Max totally...the only way to properly winterize is to fog thru the spark plug just don't blow the tube into the cylinder, and to do an oil change then run the engine so all the internals are coated with fresh virgin, non contaminated oil.

If your dealer is 3 hours away , thats 6 hours there and back , it'll take you 2 hours at most to do it all your self the first time. If they do say they checked the alignment, I would ask what exactly the tolerance was.

[mmandley]

All boats should be 'fogged'. While it was standard to fog the engine through the carb while running, EFI should not have that. The plugs should be pulled and each cylinder fogged. That is really the proper way it always should have been done. If you dealer (or whoever) isn't doing that, look elsewhere or do it yourself. When humidity gets on those nice shiny cylinder walls of open valved chambers, it only takes the orange stuff a few hours to set on. A little surface rust will wipe a set of rings on the first start up of the new year.

I can agree with you to a point.

Our Moomba dealer doesnt fogg the FI engines not because they dont want to but because they were told not to by eigher SC or Idmar. I dont recall but it became an issue and so they stoped. I dont think they care if tis done or not due to they will do what ever you ask but they stoped because people above them told them to stop.

I also understand the idea of keeping rust off the cylinder walls but i have had many cars that sat for years and fired right up with some fresh fuel and ran fine. Also i have pulled many engines apart right out of a junk yard when i was rebuilding them for a living and the only time i ever saw rusted cylinders was when there was a blown head gasket or no carb on the intake.

Not to argue at all by all means Fogg your engine if you like, i just dont do it because my dealer said its best to not do it. Now my boat stays in my garage which is heated and doesnt see excessive humidity so i also dont have to worry about that.

[Zoltar]

I had my '09 lsv winterized last year by likely the same dealer yu are going to. (Martin Equip) . I had the oil Changed, V-drive oil changed and the whole thing winterized. Cost me $400.00. Btw the heater core froze. Anyways, I winertized it myself this year,following the cab13367 sticky on winterization. The only deviation i did was to run anti-freeze thru everything before draining. I wanted to be extra cautious. Whole process took about 1 hour. Money well saved!!

[maxpower220]

Any advice I give is only based on either my experience, or what the manufacturer states to be done. Living in the S.E., we have a humidity issue, which causes rust. While living in CA, I learned about "dry air". Living in Iraq, I learned about intensive heat. Anyway, some areas of the country don't need to do things that other do. In fact, there is no need for me to winterized at all where I live.

A lot of car and boat makers stopped recommending fogging with the advent of EFI due to an issue with instruction on the cans telling people to fog a running engine. This can and has ruined mass air flow sensors and o2 sensors, plus a properly running EFI car engine will not get 'choked out' with a standard can of fogging oil.

Like has been said before, winterizing isn't hard. If you have to drive a long distance to a dealer, it probably make sense to do it yourself. However, if you miss a step and freeze an engine or something, there isn't much recourse and you can only blame yourself and the internet forums that convinced you to "do it yourself".

Good luck.

[deerfield]

A lot of car and boat makers stopped recommending fogging with the advent of EFI due to an issue with instruction on the cans telling people to fog a running engine. This can and has ruined mass air flow sensors and o2 sensors, plus a properly running EFI car engine will not get 'choked out' with a standard can of fogging oil.

I pull the spark plugs, shoot fog oil direct into each cylinder, and crank the engine a couple of turns.

[dru1974]

Thanx for all the reply's. Zoltar that gives me a good idea of what to expect... Except al that was being done is a winterizing.. Better be or I will go off..took a year and a half for them to get it booked in.

[viking]

I pull the spark plugs, shoot fog oil direct into each cylinder, and crank the engine a couple of turns.

Hey deerfield, you change your plugs as of yet?
5 seasons now and boat at about 250 hours. I'm considering it this winterization go-round!

[deerfield]

Hey deerfield, you change your plugs as of yet?
5 seasons now and boat at about 250 hours. I'm considering it this winterization go-round!

viking - Yes. I replaced them when I reached 150 hours, which was end of last season. No real good reason. Engine was running fine. Just seemed like a good idea to coincide with winterization. Last weekend changed the oil and filter. Yesterday scrubbed the carpet and washed the boat and trailer. This afternoon or tomorrow will drain the engine, cooling lines, and heater core, and pull the battery. Maybe next weekend will clean the upholstery and pull the boat into the garage for the winter. No lift to pull and store this year, as we sold it due to expectation that this would be a light summer on the water. Hated to sell but in hind sight it was the right thing to do. Only put 20 hours on the engine. But each one was terrific! - Deerfield

[viking]

Thanks! Yea, mine is running tip top but figured I might as well do it this year. Changed the tranny fluid last year during the process.

[LakePerson1952]

...
Like has been said before, winterizing isn't hard. If you have to drive a long distance to a dealer, it probably make sense to do it yourself. However, if you miss a step and freeze an engine or something, there isn't much recourse and you can only blame yourself and the internet forums that convinced you to "do it yourself".

Good luck.

That raises a good point. I got insurance on my boat that covers a cracked block from freezing "if the engine was winterized". I was planning to winterize my own but I better check with my agent about whether I'd be covered in that case. In my area, there are lots of years where I could probably get by without winterizing but there are usually a few "iffy" days - this has it's good and bad sides - on the good, I usually boat year around - on the bad, it means I need to winterize a few times because of the occasional cold front.

[dru1974]

So I got my boat back from MMS in Calgary. They winterized, no oil change. Price was 340.00. :rolleyes: seems expensive. Coulda done it myself for about 40 bucks including a 12 pack.

[DOCDRS]

So I got my boat back from MMS in Calgary. They winterized, no oil change. Price was 340.00. :rolleyes: seems expensive. Coulda done it myself for about 40 bucks including a 12 pack.

This just reaffirms what I'm doing when I retire. Pull 2 block plugs (even poke a wire to make sure), disconnect the exhaust mani quick connect , disconnect J tube, pull Impeller, maybe I disconnect the battery for you if your nice, I'll blow the heater even if you don't ask me too, and because its FI and there is controversy I don't even have to fog so I won't need a spark plug socket.........oh I will need a pen to write up that 340 invoice. Amazing how it coincides with the HP of the engine. :) not bad for an hours work......oh did I mention it took me 30 mins to write the bill up........was that my outside voice????????

Anyways, any respectable shop that does not include an oil change as part of winterization is not respectable nor knowledgeable. But thats just my opinion. Its like taking your car in for an oil change and they don't change the oil filter.

[deerfield]

They winterized, no oil change.

dru - To me that makes no sense. End of season for each of the first three years I owned my Outback the dealer would change the oil and replace the oil filter as part of the winterization. When the warranty period lapsed I took over the maintenance and continued the practice of changing the oil and replacing the oil filter as essential components of winterization. Indmar Marine Engine owner manual specifically lists engine oil and oil filter as supplies needed for winter lay-up. I would contact MMS and ask why it did not change the oil. - Deerfield

[jmb]

I start my boat once a month in the winter. Keeps everything lubricated and moving in the engine. I have done this for 6 years and have had no problems. I feel this is better than just letting it set. When I get done I redrain the engine and manifolds. Just my opinion.

[dru1974]

Better yet with an oil change I believe it was 680 dollars to do winterized but I was told because I just had the oil changed a couple hours ago it was not needed. I would have done it myself but I was pressed for time.

[Mikey]

A couple hrs or 30 hrs really makes little difference ,its still contaminated oil. I change mine at end of season ,and thats outragious price ,for oil change,thats also why i do my own. Winterize and oil,changes are really easy enough to do.After that i deal with Martins as well,but usually just for advice and or parts.

[DOCDRS]

Better yet with an oil change I believe it was 680 dollars to do winterized but I was told because I just had the oil changed a couple hours ago it was not needed. I would have done it myself but I was pressed for time.

If it was changed a couple of hours ago then I would have to agree that no change was needed. But that then leads to the question ....why would you change the oil knowing you were only 2 or 3 hours away from storage?????? 50 or 53 hours does not make a difference