Posted: 11/20/2016 6:57:38 PM EDT
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I've got a 2004 mercruiser 4.3 (carbureted) that I need some help with. I added stabil to gas and and filled it up. Trailered it home and ran it on the hose long enough to open up the thermostat. I then used a kit that flushed the motor with marine/rv antifreeze (5 gallons worth). Right before all the antifreeze was used up, I fogged the motor through the carb. I changed the oil and lower unit oil. Now, I pulled a total of five blue plugs from the motor and drained all the antifreeze . I pulled Two plugs from the block and two from the manifolds. The fifth one was a plug towards the front of the motor where the water circulating pump is.
Now for the problem...According to the manual, I'm supposed to pull the hose from the raw water pump and the power steering cooler hose. I can not get in there enough to to get these damn hoses off . Since I flushed the motor with pure antifreeze, am i going to be OK by not pulling these hoses off ? I also plan on taking the thermostat housing off and filling it full of antifreeze again and leaving it. I don't know if by doing this it will get into the power steering cooler and raw water pump hoses. |
You are winterizing a boat... in Georgia? 
All my dad does to his I/O powered boat is put a lightbulb in the engine compartment and adds some anti freeze to the heat exchanger. He keeps sta-bil in it already year round. I don't do anything to my outboard powered boat except keep the engine trimmed down. |
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In to see where this whole winter thing goes... Was going to suggest moving to Florida to use boat year round but black fox was here first. Gotta say I'm enjoying this cold front this weekend. House is opened up, did have to put on closed toed shoes, but the 70 degree weather was a nice change. Will definitely have to kick the heater on the pool though. |
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Not sure about the reason behind the flush if you're going to drain it anyway.I wouldn't rely on light bulbs, heaters, and other methods that rely on some other systems working have a fail mode. One thing that works every time - drain it. Hint ,,,, air don't freeze!
Fogging is for layup, not winterizing. Doesn't hurt anything but not necessary. I used to do the stabil thing but it really isn't that big a deal for just one season. Now I just run it till almost empty at the end of the season. To my way of thinking, the oil change, fuel filter change, lubing PDS bearings and other points, and draining are the most important items. I leave the impeller and drain plugs in a plastic bag tie wrapped to the engine to show that it's been winterized. Am also religious about changing impeller and PDS bellows every few years. I also do outdrive pressure and vacuum tests. |
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You are winterizing a boat... in Georgia?
All my dad does to his I/O powered boat is put a lightbulb in the engine compartment and adds some anti freeze to the heat exchanger. He keeps sta-bil in it already year round. I don't do anything to my outboard powered boat except keep the engine trimmed down. Well it's North Georgia in the mountains  .
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Only thing I ever did to winterize my boat motor was to run it out of gas and change the lower until oil. Never had any issues with it for the 10yrs I owned the boat and it sat in an unheated shed. In Juneau or Jupiter? Big difference. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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You are winterizing a boat... in Georgia?
All my dad does to his I/O powered boat is put a lightbulb in the engine compartment and adds some anti freeze to the heat exchanger. He keeps sta-bil in it already year round. I don't do anything to my outboard powered boat except keep the engine trimmed down. I trim my outboard down and fog the cylinders with oil. |
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The power steering cooler should be on the top the flywheel cover just behind the distributor. Since it's in a high location, trimming the drive down will drain the inlet hose from the lower unit to the cooler. Remove the hose that runs from the cooler to the thermostat housing at the thermostat housing and either hold up or blow some compressed air through that hose.
This will purge any water from the cooler. May as well not put anti-freeze in it as you have already drained the system. If you want to put anti freeze in the block, you'll have to put the plugs back in the block and circulating pump/hose. <---Boat mechanic. 
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I trim my outboard down and fog the cylinders with oil. Quoted:
Quoted:
You are winterizing a boat... in Georgia?
All my dad does to his I/O powered boat is put a lightbulb in the engine compartment and adds some anti freeze to the heat exchanger. He keeps sta-bil in it already year round. I don't do anything to my outboard powered boat except keep the engine trimmed down. I trim my outboard down and fog the cylinders with oil. I'll be using mine up until Dec 31 when the bay striper season closes. Then maybe the coastal season after that. Feb - early May is when it will see the least amount of time on the water. |