Frozen mobius

[BlatinD]

Hey Guys,

I'm in panic mode. Anyone have any experience with a Mobius being exposed to below freezing temps and not being winterized?

I had my 2014 Mobius out on the water last weekend because we had a freakishly warm weekend. I thought it was a sure sign of Spring so we decided what the heck. Well, I took the transom drain plug out and did my normal thing after trailering the boat. I keep it stored on a boat lot outside during the summer and then winterize it and put it away in the winter. Well, Since I got it back out, I just parked on the boat lot with the cover on it. Unfortunately, temps dropped back down and it ended up sitting outside in like 19-25 degree weather over a couple nights. I just now got it inside so it's "thawing". Not good.

It was winterized before I took it out and we were on the water for about 3 hours. What indications can I look for to know if anything is cracked? Or is there a possibility that I got lucky and nothing happened at all? The day temps were around 32-40 all week with nights dropping below freezing for a couple of them.

If I'm screwed, what kind of prices am I looking at?

:?

[MLA]

If you know where the drains are and where water collects in the fresh water intake, it takes about 15 minutes to drain the system. We can ride year round and pull the drains and hoses right on the ramp and drive home.

[parrothd]

You'll find out when you start it, anywhere from $0 to new engine and labor..

[sandm]

hook it up to a fake-lake and run it in the driveway. if you see water collecting in the bilge, not good.

if you do this, be sure and drain the block again or keep it inside until spring has really set.

it's what I would do but not saying that's the right thing to do.

[beat taco]

I would have it pressure tested. You can visually look at the freeze plugs and see if they are bowed out from the water expanding. Look at the exhaust manifolds. you can also start it so you can check the oil after it runs to see if there's water in it. If it has a heater your heater core probably has a hole in it now. Hopefully you have freeze insurance.

[newty]

If you end up with a cracked block, I'd file an insurance claim. You dont want to pay out of pocket for a new motor.
At LEAST 6K.

[BlatinD]

Yep, definitely has a heater. F!@#....

[BlatinD]

So what I'm hearing, is there's no chance its not damaged? lol....shit.

[BlatinD]

Leave it up to me to put 2.5 hours on a $50k boat and crack the block because I'm impatient. It's in the shop now...should hear something Monday.

[parrothd]

I froze my race bike one year, it ran fine after it thawed.. Just depends on how cold and how fast it froze.. You may get lucky, or not...

[smorris7]

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but if the block is cracked insurance probablyyy will not cover. At least not in any instance if have heard of. Hopefully it wasn't below freezing long enough to cause any damage.


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[newty]

Actually it's quite common.

[beat taco]

Some policies add it automatically, others it's supplimental.

[viking]

I wouldn't panic until you check it out completely. You may have lucked out if it only dipped below freezing. Especially if there was no wind? If you said it was sub zero for a month I wouldn't be so optimistic. Just Maybe you lucked out but I'd surely at least pull drain plugs next time no matter what.

[BlatinD]

Yea, Im an idiot...I knew better too, just didn't expect the weather to drop. It wasn't below freezing long but if the block got cold enough when it was, I doubt that it warming up to 38 or 40 warmed it up much. It's boating basics and I was too confident that it'd be fine. Hopefully I get good news monday. Thanks for your inputs. I been reading up on it...seems there's many different situations. I've heard of some getting screwed from just one night, and others having no damage at all.

[jmvotto]

Where are you located?

It may not have froze enough to crack anything, but depends on the temps.

[trayson]

I would think that if anything, maybe you messed up the heater.

Check out this thread with this chart where the monitored temps. Your block is somewhat insulated even if it's outdoors.

http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/392888.html

This chart actually sounds a lot like your scenario. And if that's the case you can see that the motor and even the sides of the boat stayed above freezing. So i wouldn't panic just yet.
http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/392889.jpg

[BlatinD]

This is some interesting stuff. Thanks guys. If anything for encouragement...lol.

[BlatinD]

21581 this was what it got exposed to.

[cornrickey]

Saturday night be the only day but I think you are fine. It didn't get cold, long enough.

[lee]

Tuesday night was not a good night either.

[kaneboats]

The wind doesn't matter at all b/c a boat cant "feel" a wind chill. All that matters is the temp and the duration of below freezing. The block holds heat after it has been run but after a few days it will dissipate. So, if a week went by and then it got exposed to prolonged sub freezing temps you might be in trouble. Let us know what you find out.

[sivs1]

I am always eager to get out on the water, last year we had snow on June 17 and temps dropped into the mid 20's. I was nervous, but was fine as it was only a couple hours over night. After that I changed my drain plugs to valves so it is super quick to drain the block. Something similar to these: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Homewerks-Worldwide-1-4-in-Brass-Packing-Gland-FPT-x-FPT-Full-Port-Ball-Valve-114-2-14-14/204209192?N=5yc1vZbbl6

Still have to remove hoses from water pump and heater.

[viking]

The wind doesn't matter at all b/c a boat cant "feel" a wind chill. All that matters is the temp and the duration of below freezing. The block holds heat after it has been run but after a few days it will dissipate. So, if a week went by and then it got exposed to prolonged sub freezing temps you might be in trouble. Let us know what you find out.

The wind DOES matter. Ask anybody that has a trailer house with skirting about the difference in 30 degree weather. No wind and the pipes don't freeze because it's insulated enough with the skirting. Constant wind and it will find it's way through the cracks and Wind Chill Does matter. If boat was stored outside in constant below freezing temps WITH wind it will find it's way through the vents and make a difference. Not a scientist but I'm sure there is a scientific explanation :)
Wind chill in 80degree Florida brings the temps to "feel like" conditions of what - 60 degrees?

[newty]

Wind chill absolutely effects freezing. Wind blows away any ambient heat radiating from buildings, pipes... engine blocks.

[sandm]

never knew how cold a minus50deg wind chill day was until moving here.. night and day difference if the actual temp is 10below.

my block will hold some of it's temps for a few hours after running, but typically by end of night, it's ambient temp.

[gregski]

The confusion is "wind chill" vs. insulation. Wind chill doesn't matter. Dry objects don't feel wind chill: 20 degrees is 20 degrees if the air is perfectly still or if the wind is blowing 100 miles an hour. But, air is an insulator. If an object (the boat/motor) is at 40 degrees from the day time temperature, the air immediately around it will be close to that also even as the night air gets colder. That little blanket of air slows down the thermal transfer. But if you move that warm air away and replace it with colder air, then your object will lose its heat more quickly - but this effect is most certainly not "wind chill".

[newty]

The confusion is "wind chill" vs. insulation. Wind chill doesn't matter. Dry objects don't feel wind chill: 20 degrees is 20 degrees if the air is perfectly still or if the wind is blowing 100 miles an hour. But, air is an insulator. If an object (the boat/motor) is at 40 degrees from the day time temperature, the air immediately around it will be close to that also even as the night air gets colder. That little blanket of air slows down the thermal transfer. But if you move that warm air away and replace it with colder air, then your object will lose its heat more quickly - but this effect is most certainly not "wind chill".
Your right. Never really thought about it like that.

[kaneboats]

I think we are all saying the same thing. He just did a nicer job of it.

[newty]

I dunt always use em wurds rite.

[BlatinD]

Well...just heard back from the shop...ALL IS GOOD! I survived. Thanks guys for the inputs.

[kaneboats]

Happy to hear it.

[BlatinD]

Yea, got away with one there. Now if it would just warm up.

[BlatinD]

I am always eager to get out on the water, last year we had snow on June 17 and temps dropped into the mid 20's. I was nervous, but was fine as it was only a couple hours over night. After that I changed my drain plugs to valves so it is super quick to drain the block. Something similar to these: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Homewerks-Worldwide-1-4-in-Brass-Packing-Gland-FPT-x-FPT-Full-Port-Ball-Valve-114-2-14-14/204209192?N=5yc1vZbbl6

Still have to remove hoses from water pump and heater.

Going to do the same.

[newty]

That's great news.

[brain_rinse]

That's great news! I wouldn't bet on your misfortune, but I expected a cracked heater core at minimum. Free lesson learned!

[drb59]

Great news. Good reminder for us all.

[gregski]

I would never plan on it but there are lots of stories without damage. I think it takes more cold than one would think to actually freeze the water in the block. The stakes are high.. there are plenty of damage stories as well. I survived a surprise deep freeze that gave me a real scare. In my case all of the hoses were frozen so I doubt it would have survived another night like that. There is just so much thermal mass there, I think it's really about the 48 hour average temperature. In any case, what a relief for you.

[bergermaister]

No kidding good luck/news. My neighbor's lucked out with their 'toon a few years ago. Popped a soft plug out of the block. Downside was it was right under an engine mount. But they were only out a few hours shop time to lift the engine, install new plug, bolt it all back together.

[JASONZ]

It's fine....it has to be really prolonged cold with highs in the 20s to do damage. 19 overnight is not going to cause a problem.

[pdhj1990]

Great news - enjoy the summer!