need some advice

[Jedburton]

Hey all you boat experts. Another quick question. I am wondering how soon I should winterize my boat. I have a 140 Hp volvo penta inboard outdrive. I have the boat in the driveway and am in highland Any advice?
jed
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[Kent]

Jed, in my humble opinion, you should get right on it. All you need is one night of freezing temperatures low enough to freeze the water that is inside of the engine to crack the block. Sure glad my current boat has an outboard. I fish all day, pull it out of the water, carefully crank it a few times and it is winterized until the next trip!
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[ramp_tramp]

I wouldn't take a chance on an inboard this time of year, if you have mufs or some other device to put coolant in your motor just put in a quart or so of antifreeze, it would have to freeze hard to do damage even if the solution is weak, later in the winter put more in, if you're still useing it.
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[Rapo]

Hey Jed,

I would get it winterized ASP. Like Kent said, I am glad I have an outboard engine, gets winterized after each fishing trip. []
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[Jethro12]

Jed,

My dad lives right there in highland too and has cracked two blocks due to freezing because he didn't get it done early enough (speaking of which I should call and remind him the time is at hand so we don't that problem again next spring).
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[Theekillerbee]

Get it done as soon as you can! A cracked block is pricey to fix.
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[JoyRide]

It's been getting below freezing just about every night here in my part of Bear Lake valley. When getting in after dark I've been throwing a heat lamp in under the oil pan. I've been thinking of getting a magnetic pan heater but I'd be in trouble if the power ever failed.

I hadn't thought of using the muffs to add antifreeze. ?? Put a hose connected to the muffs in a bucket of solution and crank it over??

That's too simple after pulling five plugs and a water hose to add antifreeze.
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[ramp_tramp]

I'd start it with a hose in the jug of the green or orange stuf and let it run till some comes out, if it is the green stuf, keep the critters away from it, if thay drink it it'll kill em. you should watch the level in the jug to make sure it's going in.
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[EvilAsh]

If you do the antifreeze thing, take out the thermostat first, and drain the block- you should have a 1/8" pipe plug or drain on each side of the block under the exhaust manifold.
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[JoyRide]

Yep .... got two plugs for the block, two for the exhaust manifolds. one on the piping on the back of the engine and the water hose going to the thermostat to pull. I was hoping RampTramp had a way to protect the engine without opening all these holes at 10:00 at night in 30 degree weather with blowing snow.

Guess I should go back to draining everything and adding anti=freeze at the ramp when I'm out that late.

Or buy a regular fishing boat with an outboard motor ...... lol
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[ramp_tramp]

If you can, draining tour block would be alot better, what was I thinking, if tou put antifreeeze in your block, you would have to blow it out into the lake,or run some water thrue in tour driveway. I guess the orange stuff is suposed to be less harmful but the green stuf would be bad in the lake.
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[BearLakeMack]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]DO NOT PUT ANTIFREEZE IN THE LAKES![/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3][/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]If you go with antifreeze, you'll need to blow it out before you ever go to the lake. You also need to collect and properly dispose of the antifreeze/water. [/size][/black][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]Try and avoid the antifreeze method. The drains are there for a reason. A small bit of water in the block will not hurt as long as it can expand when freezing. It's a full block of water that cracks things. Also don't forget to drain your water pump. A quick couple cranks of the ignition will drain the water trapped in the impellor that could damage it.[/size][/black][/font]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3][/size][/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black][size 3]If you have questions, Give Lee's Marine a call and talk to Lee. He is great at helping folks out and is in the process of winterizing a ton of boats right now. 435-245-7727.[/size][/black][/font]
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[JoyRide]

it takes a cup or two for the mixed anti-freeze to run out the holes. Maybe I should use cheap Scotch? Before or after I drink it? []
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[EvilAsh]

When I had a boat with a I/O, to pickle it, I would do the antifreeze thing using RTV antifreeze. Squirt ATF down the carb throat right before I shut it down. Springtime, I had a plastic garbage can big enough to put the lower outdrive down into put the outdrive flusher (suction cup and spring looking thing) turn the water on and start up the boat. Did it before heading to a lake. I wanted to make sure everything worked right before I got to any body of water in case I had a problem.
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[JoyRide]

I use the RV antifreeze as well. Just hoped Ramp had an idea that I could use when getting in late at night to protect the engine until I headed out fishing again in a few days or so. Looks like dropping the plugs and pouring in Single Malt Scotch is the best method. Two shots for the boat ... two shots for me .... two shots for the boat ......
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[bodine11]

Hey Jed I agree with all these guys, get the water out. I would suggest having a few drain plug petcocks installed on the manifolds and like blm said crank the motor a few times and it will clear the water pump. We used to fish with an inboard outboard and had 4 petcocks to drain we would drain these at the marina after every trip when cold and never have a problem. Just remember to shut them when you go again or you could take on some water pretty quick.[] I know from experience. Luckily I own a self contained jet boat, all I do is pull it out of the water and it runs out the jet everything else is a closed antifreeze system.

Bodine
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