Hot topic? Clarification on Winterization

Raptor 400 clarification in simplest form…

1 - winterization = draining engine from all relevant points (5 if my memory serves me right)

2 - if one chooses not to drain, is running the engine to temp to allow for thermostat to open and then filling with antifreeze equally as beneficial as #1?

3 - for those of you who drain. Do you THEN fill up with antifreeze to avoid corrosion?

4 - Opinion, what’s best? #1, #2, or #3?

I recognize these examples do not include oil and filter change, fogging (if one likes to do it), filling tank and adding STABIL, draining ballast and winterizing ballast pumps (running backwards and forwards and/or running antifreeze in reverse), and all the other necessities (fluid exchange/top off, bleach in bags, etc).

I’m comfortable with winterizing. Just wanted to seek advice on BEST practice.


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That raptors are closed loop cooling system so you only need to check the engine coolant is ok for the coldest temps you will see during winter. No need to warm engine to open thermostat. Engine coolant should be changed every 2 seasons.

Raw water cooling loop. This is the system you need to drain with the blue plugs/crossover hose/impeller housing. Seems each year, Indmar slightly moves the drain points.(my 2018 was different than my 2021). The idea is the same though. The drain points are all you need to do. It’s really that easy. The antifreeze method works too, but I prefer the drain points…….why you may ask….. because the Indmar manual says so.

For the record, I have done both methods successfully.


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my .02 fwiw...

if you store indoors, drain raw water empty and stick boat away for the winter.
if you store outdoors or somewhere that gets zero or below in the winter I'd recommend draining raw water and filling back up with antifreeze.

we have only used antifreeze once back in '07 with our first supra the first year we winterized it. smarted up and realized how easy it was to do so we never paid for winterization or antifreeze again. change the oil, clean it up, remove ballast and tuck it away in the garage for the winter.
I would use antifreeze if stored outdoors or in a pole barn that gets below freezing during the winter just for added insurance.

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Originally Posted by sandm

my .02 fwiw...

if you store indoors, drain raw water empty and stick boat away for the winter.
if you store outdoors or somewhere that gets zero or below in the winter I'd recommend draining raw water and filling back up with antifreeze.

we have only used antifreeze once back in '07 with our first supra the first year we winterized it. smarted up and realized how easy it was to do so we never paid for winterization or antifreeze again. change the oil, clean it up, remove ballast and tuck it away in the garage for the winter.
I would use antifreeze if stored outdoors or in a pole barn that gets below freezing during the winter just for added insurance.

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That’s what I’m thinking too. We’re in NC. Less than 10 days below freezing on a bad winter. She’ll be outside on our concrete pad next to the house.


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Originally Posted by eder10986

That’s what I’m thinking too. We’re in NC. Less than 10 days below freezing on a bad winter. She’ll be outside on our concrete pad next to the house.


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If you have a raptor motor just remove the plugs, no need for any antifreeze, warming or anything.

Mine was just drained and opened up last year and stored in a pole barn by the previous owner and then myself before the season. My barn is insulated and on real cold spells (-10F at night) the barn sits in the teens without the heater. Boat was fine and no issues. In NC, I wouldn't worry about antifreeze at all. Maybe get a nice tarp to go over the cover and keep the heavy rain out, just make sure some air can flow under the tarp so you don't get mold growth.

Draining the raw water loop is all you need, even if you don’t get all the water to drain, it provides plenty of room for expansion if any residual water remains.

Problem with antifreeze is it can get diluted with raw water left in the system.

Either way, I would just pull the drains even if you pushed anti freeze through the system.

It’s not that hard to pull the drains.


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I run 4 or 5 gallons of RV/marine antifreeze through mine then pull the drain plugs (and reinstall) just to be safe.

I changed the oil, then ran 3 gallons of rv antifreeze thru the strainer and waited for it to come out the exhaust, then pulled all plugs amd impellar , also put a gallon in each ballast bag and the hard tank and ran all pumps in reverse to drain/ run antifreeze thru pumps . Not sure how necessary the ballast winterization is but I wanted to be safe. Just make sure to flush the antifreeze out in the spring with water so you aren’t putting it into the lake lol


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Just be sure to not use the ethanol RV antifreeze. It’s hard on rubber.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Cameron.ash1

I changed the oil, then ran 3 gallons of rv antifreeze thru the strainer and waited for it to come out the exhaust, then pulled all plugs amd impellar , also put a gallon in each ballast bag and the hard tank and ran all pumps in reverse to drain/ run antifreeze thru pumps . Not sure how necessary the ballast winterization is but I wanted to be safe. Just make sure to flush the antifreeze out in the spring with water so you aren’t putting it into the lake lol


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This is exactly what we do as well. Its parked in our shop but no heater in there and I wouldn't want to take any chances. Winterizing is the hard part IMO, changing all the fluids is the sucky part.

A few questions - my first go at this

Looking at my 2017 Helix manual it seems there are just 3 blue plugs (side and bottom of heat exchanger and front of V drive) and you undo the two hoses that rest on the V drive and drain, right?
Some remove a bolt on manifolds, but I feel that is just if you don’t have the two hoses?
Do you really need to remove the impeller housing too?
I’ll run some antifreeze through the ballast pumps to be sure we are ok too.

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Originally Posted by smallfield

A few questions - my first go at this

Looking at my 2017 Helix manual it seems there are just 3 blue plugs (side and bottom of heat exchanger and front of V drive) and you undo the two hoses that rest on the V drive and drain, right?
Some remove a bolt on manifolds, but I feel that is just if you don’t have the two hoses?
Do you really need to remove the impeller housing too?
I’ll run some antifreeze through the ballast pumps to be sure we are ok too.

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Do you have a square heat exchanger or Cylindrical heat exchanger?

Indmar recommends changing the impeller annually, so I would remove impeller cover and install new one.


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Originally Posted by larry_arizona

Do you have a square heat exchanger or Cylindrical heat exchanger?

Indmar recommends changing the impeller annually, so I would remove impeller cover and install new one.


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I have the cylinder. I may go ahead and swap the impeller. Only changed it once so far when I asked my dealer to do it. They did not recommend it until I asked, but service less good in my area compared to what I read here.

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Originally Posted by smallfield

I have the cylinder. I may go ahead and swap the impeller. Only changed it once so far when I asked my dealer to do it. They did not recommend it until I asked, but service less good in my area compared to what I read here.

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You are truly over thinking this.

Download the manual on the Indmar site and go through the winterization section. Anti-freeze is not really needed and using the wrong kind can hurt seals and such in the system.

Remove rear bags and drain as much as possible. Store out of the boat.
Remove 3 blue plugs side and bottom of heat exchanger
Remove raw water impeller cover and remove impeller - leave open
Remove plug/cap from manifold crossover hose T. If no T, disconnect lines and leave apart to drain.
Remove drain plug from rear of V-drive or remove a hose (depends on the V-drive in your boat, see manual)
Remove 2 hull plugs center and rear to allow all water to drain.

All in it took me 35 minutes and I didn't have the manifold hose, I have 2 individual plugs. I also have to remove the anode drain in the heat exchanger because I do not have the updated version with the blue plug. The impeller tool is worth the $45, I bought one last year.

I also had maintenance to do and made a day of it, but that is your call. Oil extractor is your best friend and hooking a 1/4" air disconnect to the drain hose is the best hack I read on this site. Spark plugs are time consuming but not hard, just a bunch a stuff in the way. My air filter was super dirty but it is dry type K&N and easy to blow out. If you never changed them in 5 years, I would recommend changing the ballast impellers. Mine were hard and my fill times were slow on the center so this should improve things.

Take your time and do not drop anything. I put all plugs, screws, covers, etc. in a zip- loc bag and stored in the glovebox until spring.