Winterizing Ballast Pumps

[DOCDRS]

I have been running plumbing antifreeze thru the pipes n pump on drain first then pull hose out of solution and run the pump on fill till the clear line is empty. Going on 11 years with same impellers.

[rockymtnsurfer]

Being that I store it in my shop and it never gets below 32.....I think it might run anti-freeze through it until it stops coming out. More like coating everything and and mixing any water that might still be in there. I would hate to mess with my impellers considering I just changed them a moth ago before a big trip. I guess it would be flush with anti-freeze vs a store. Any thoughts let me know. Its in my shop now and won't freeze, but want to get it off my tick list soon. Thank you all for your suggestions!
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[jnr4817]

18 Mojo here. What's the best way to flush with antifreeze, since our boats fill and empty from the bottom. I wasn't planning on taking my bags out, but I can. I will probably store outside, but have the potential to store inside heated hangar.

[jcredible]

1) Empty your bags with any water
2) Pour some RV Antifreeze into them
3) Run the pumps on empty till pink comes out the drain hole

Your raw water cooling also cools the transmission and exhaust manifold...you will want to drain those 5 points(3 x plastic plugs, impeller, and hose disconnect. If you have the water strainer...you can connect Antifreeze to that via a garden hose....otherwise you can disconnect at the transmission and plug a hose into there to run Antifreeze through it as well.

Your engine block and heater should be a closed coolant system.

[jnr4817]

Excellent.

[MJHSupra]

18 Mojo here. What's the best way to flush with antifreeze, since our boats fill and empty from the bottom. I wasn't planning on taking my bags out, but I can. I will probably store outside, but have the potential to store inside heated hangar.

If you are storing outside, why not take them out? Fittings are easy to disconnect. Dry out the bags and store them in a plastic container in the garage.

Even if you did not use antifreeze, most of the water in the pumps/lines would eventually evaporate if left open.

[jnr4817]

I really don’t know. First year owning a surf boat. It makes since what you said. I guess I’ll do what you suggested. Thanks homie.

[jimmsch]

thanks all for the options......rears are accessible very easy, but the mid ship are in the center drain compartment and sort of seem like pain to get to. Maybe I do the rear impellers and just anti in the mid ship.

Do you all drain the anitfreeze so its coated, or leave in? If I remember right on my old Nautique I left it in places.

On the Max the midship pumps looked like a pain also, but once I got a screwdriver bit for my 1/4" ratchet it wasn't nearly as bad as it looked. That being said I noticed on the Craz that midship access hole was MUCH smaller than the Max, if that's the case with the Mojo, use the antifreeze.

An easy way to get the antifreeze into the system is using a funnel dump it into the through hull vents on the sides of the boat, then use the pump to empty the bag and when you see pink coming out the drain under the hull you should be good.

I actually cut the vent hose under the bow seat and installed a tee with a threaded plug on the middle port of the tee because the way it was plumbed the antifreeze would have to go higher than the vent fitting on the side of the boat, and this would be impossible due to the limitations gravity causes.

Antifreeze is cheap, use a gallon on each bag, and disconnect electric from pumps so you run one at a time to be sure you get some pink stuff into each pump.

I'm not sure about you guys, but I am in no way going to try to crawl under the boat on a trailer. WAY too tight for my skinny arse!!!

[rockymtnsurfer]

On the Max the midship pumps looked like a pain also, but once I got a screwdriver bit for my 1/4" ratchet it wasn't nearly as bad as it looked. That being said I noticed on the Craz that midship access hole was MUCH smaller than the Max, if that's the case with the Mojo, use the antifreeze.

An easy way to get the antifreeze into the system is using a funnel dump it into the through hull vents on the sides of the boat, then use the pump to empty the bag and when you see pink coming out the drain under the hull you should be good.



I actually cut the vent hose under the bow seat and installed a tee with a threaded plug on the middle port of the tee because the way it was plumbed the antifreeze would have to go higher than the vent fitting on the side of the boat, and this would be impossible due to the limitations gravity causes.

Antifreeze is cheap, use a gallon on each bag, and disconnect electric from pumps so you run one at a time to be sure you get some pink stuff into each pump.

I'm not sure about you guys, but I am in no way going to try to crawl under the boat on a trailer. WAY too tight for my skinny arse!!!

Some good ideas there.....I will look again at the midship....I just remember doing some work on that center bag wall support, and it was a pain Anti-freeze is cheap, so I am just going to try what you were talking about. My vent holes have the check valve on them now for mid ship and rear.....was sort of curious if I could have my fake a lake tube in a container of anti freeze and just suck it in and push it out. Im a skinny a#$ and can fit under no problem. That was just a though that was crossing my mind. Thank you for all these suggestions! First time with this max and don't want the thing to cause me issues in the spring.......My wife is sick of me spending cash on it all the time Accessories etc.
D

[jnr4817]

Does anyone know which side is the drain versus fill on the bow bag for 2018 Mojo?