winterization...which method?

[Lee St.Clair]

I've noticed a couple of ways to winterize a boat. One was to drain hoses, open different ports on the engine and disconnect seawater hoses and it goes on.
The other method is to use an arrangement where anti freeze agent is pumped into the system until it flows freely out the exhaust. Which method do you guys that live in cold country use and why? Seems to me that the latter system mentioned here should do the trick OK.

[FHAREN]

I'm in TN, it doesn't get *that* cold.

My procedure is below.

1. Connect muffs and fresh water. Idle engine until it reaches operating temperature.
2. Drain raw water pump on front of engine and other hoses.
3. Pull drain blocks on engine
4. Put plugs back in and reconnect hoses.
5. Fill kiddie pool with pink antifreeze and use small sump pump and connect to muffs (see photo)
6. Run motor on pink stuff until it comes up to operating temp. (and pink stuff has cycled all the way thru system).

Not worry AT ALL all winter.

I usually change the motor oil after step 4 (because motor is warm).

[Lockey14s]

1. drain block and manifolds, use a coat hanger to clear out any sand/scale.
2. run motor on 4 gallons of pink antifreeze.

done. thats all you need to do.

the whole "run it on water and switch over to antifreeze" is very risky. unless you drain the block and manifolds afterwards.

[Lee St.Clair]

Thanks guys.. Is that 'pink antifreeze' the stuff they use to winterize RV's? The engine is actually a Ford 302. Will 4 gallons be enough? Thanks Fharen for the nice pictures. It answered a lot of my questions. It does get cool here. -20F is not unusual. It's Montana after all

[Lockey14s]

Thanks guys.. Is that 'pink antifreeze' the stuff they use to winterize RV's? The engine is actually a Ford 302. Will 4 gallons be enough? Thanks Fharen for the nice pictures. It answered a lot of my questions. It does get cool here. -20F is not unusual. It's Montana after all

yes, the pink stuff is the RV antifreeze, which is good to -40

4 gallons is typically enough for any single engine.

[Lee St.Clair]

Great ...thanks to all you folks for the help . It truly helps me.

[ajcampen]

Great ...thanks to all you folks for the help . It truly helps me.

Go with the blue antifreeze not pink

[Big Block Power]

Great ...thanks to all you folks for the help . It truly helps me.

Go with the blue antifreeze not pink

Make sure it's fish friendly! Has rust inhibitors and is ok to dilute with water.

[ajcampen]

Great ...thanks to all you folks for the help . It truly helps me.

Go with the blue antifreeze not pink

Make sure it's fish friendly! Has rust inhibitors and is ok to dilute with water.

You fish from your cobalt? Oh no bbp

[Lee St.Clair]

Great ...thanks to all you folks for the help . It truly helps me.

Go with the blue antifreeze not pink

Well, I gotta ask. Why blue instead of pink? (maybe it's boy and not as girl)

[ajcampen]

Great ...thanks to all you folks for the help . It truly helps me.

Go with the blue antifreeze not pink

Well, I gotta ask. Why blue instead of pink? (maybe it's boy and not as girl)

-100 degree vs -50. Higher freeze pertection

[Big Block Power]

Go with the blue antifreeze not pink

Make sure it's fish friendly! Has rust inhibitors and is ok to dilute with water.

You fish from your cobalt? Oh no bbp

Shhhhh. That's why cobalt added that live well on the platform?

[sailor55330]

Definitely go the route of run, drain, antifreeze fill. I always used the blue stuff as mentioned--it's environmentally friendlier

I used to do this myself, but I could no longer get the really good blue stuff. West marine used to sell stuff that was called -200f (but actually slushing around -10 which doesn't help when it gets to -25 here) but they quit carrying it. The stuff they carried was only good to 0F, which doesn't help when it gets to -25F. That's why I ended up letting the dealer do it---if it bursts its on them.

[Big Block Power]

Definitely go the route of run, drain, antifreeze fill. I always used the blue stuff as mentioned--it's environmentally friendlier

I used to do this myself, but I could no longer get the really good blue stuff. West marine used to sell stuff that was called -200f (but actually slushing around -10 which doesn't help when it gets to -25 here) but they quit carrying it. The stuff they carried was only good to 0F, which doesn't help when it gets to -25F. That's why I ended up letting the dealer do it---if it bursts its on them.

Yep mine was 200 bucks. Picked up and dropped off and worry free! Like my buddy said it's on them!

[Bitburg90]

Is anyone relying on the Volvo Penta Easy Drain system?