-
As soon as
the boat comes out of the water, remove the drain plug in the back of the
boat.
.
-
Fill your gas tank
to 3/4 full to leave room for expansion and add stabilizer to your gasoline.
.
-
Stay away
from the so-called quick winterizing kits.
I see to many cracked engine blocks in the spring because of these kits.
.
-
Put a set
of ear muffs on your outdrive, turn the water on full and start the engine.
.
-
Bring the
engine up to normal operating temperature. Shut the engine off and turn the
water off. Change the engine motor oil and oil filter. This is probably the
best time of the year to do this. When your done, be sure to turn the water
back on full and start the engine back up.
.
-
Remove the
flame arrestor ( air filter ) from the carburetor and while the engine is
running at approx. 900 rpm, pour either fogging oil or motor oil down
inside of the carburetor slowly until the engine stalls. Turn the key off.
Shut the water off. Replace the flame arrestor. This coats the internal
engine parts with oil.
.
-
If your
boat has a closed cooling system, you only need to remove the 2 drain plugs
on the bottom of the heat exchanger, you don't have to drain the engine
since it already has antifreeze in it.
.
-
If you
have an open cooling system ( which most boats have ), remove 1
drain plug at a time on the engine. While the water is coming out, keep
sticking a piece of wire into the drain hole to make sure there is no sand
plugging up the hole until it quits draining. Go to the next drain plug and
do the same.
On a in-line 4 & 6 cyl., there should only be 1 drain on the engine
On a V-6 & V-8 there will be 1 on each side.
.
-
Remove 1
drain plug from the exhaust manifold. Use the wire and do the same.
On a in-line 4 & 6 cyl. there should only be 1.
On a V-6 & V-8 there will be 1 on each side.
.
-
Remove 1
drain plug on the exhaust elbow which is mounted on top of the exhaust
manifold. There will be 1 plug on each elbow. Use the wire.
.
-
Remove all
of the cooling hoses
on the front of the engine and on the power steering oil cooler. Leave the
back end of the hoses connected. Use a funnel and pour some antifreeze (Red Pop) down each hose until you see it coming out of the drain
plugs which you removed. As the color changes at each plug and your sure the
clear water is gone, you can replace the plug. Go to the next hose and do
the same. Keep filling all of the hoses until the antifreeze comes out of
all of the drain holes. On a V-6 & V-8 you should use about 2 gallons.
Connect all of the hoses back up. The engine is done.
.
-
Drain and
replace the outdrive oil. If there is any water in the oil and it freezes,
it could cost you thousands of dollars.
.
-
After
changing the outdrive oil, make sure to have the drive completely down for
the winter. This saves on stretching the bellows and shift cable. Remove the
prop and check for fish line behind the large prop thrust washer. Leave it
off for the winter. Cover the entire outdrive with a piece of plastic to
keep water out of the lower prop opening and to keep air from traveling
backwards and up through the valves and carburetor.
.
-
For added
safety, we recommend that you remove the outdrive and put it in your
basement for the winter. They come off very easily and to many times the
boat owner finds in the spring that his drive has been stolen. This can cost
you as much as $4,000.00 to replace. You can cover the outdrive opening in
the back of the boat with a piece of plastic or you can make your own type
of winter cover.
MerCstuff,
llc 
