winterize a 46 post with 671's

Ruby

I have the same problem on my 820's. I don't know your set up, but I disconnect the water outlet going into the exhaust and pump the antifreeze in in reverse. I tank out the bleed screw on the water pump and wait for that to turn pink. I also take out the drain plug in the thru hull for the intake to be sure that's drained of water from the thru hull to the pump.

I agree there's no way to take that hose off. Mine is 2 1/2" in diameter and maybe 7" long.

This is how I do it on my 671's;

There should be a fitting (1/2 pipe plug) on your raw water pump. Run a hose from this to a five gallon bucket of antifreeze. Close the sea cock. When you start the engine the raw water pump will suck the antifreeze out of the bucket and through the engine. Open the seacock when on land and any remaining sea water should drain out.

HTH

jhall

I winter in the water, so I have to use that plug. You describe an interesting way to get the antifreeze in, though. My pick up hose has to be an easy 5 inches in diameter. I wonder if I could get enough antifreeze thru that hole for my set up? Would be much easier than the way I've been doing it.

On the 671's (at least the ones I've checked) the plug is on the suction side of the pump. It works very well. I have 3" ball valves attached directly to my sea chests so I know what you mean about disconnecting to winterize. If I leave the boat in the water I keep enough heat in the engine room so the sea chests don't freeze. I have thermostats on my block heaters so it is not a big deal to do.

OR, bring them south.

Engine room heat

While here in the upper South its not the prolonged cold most of you experience, we do get weeks in the low 20's. I also plug all vents in the engine room and run heaters.

Ruby,

I totally understand that hose can be a real PIA to get off the through hull.

To winterize the mains;
you can take the impeller out of the RW pump and then pump the pink stuff with a low pressure pump through one of the zinc fittings on your tranny cooler until you have pink coming out the exhaust.

If storing on land leave the through hulls open so the standing water drains out.

good luck

RT46

yet another method of winterizing a 671

I have the same set up of ball valve to trans cooler.
I remove the brass zinc fitting on top of the trans cooler and attach a pipe nipple, w/ a street EL and hose to the anti freeze jugs.

Close the seacock,start the engine.
When your done the remiander will run back down to the closed ball valve.
I think I use 4 gallons, maybe 5, with this method, per engine.

In addition, I have a little push button set up on alligator clips so I can start the engines right there.

Sad time of the year.
I hate to winterize but, I know if there were no change of seasons here, my house would prolly fall down around me cause I'd never stop boating.

The 46' Post I run has crash valve's with a hose that is in the bilge under the cockpit. I close the engine raw water intake valve and put the hose in a 5 gallon bucket with antifreeze and fire up the engine. Suck up the antifreeze and shut down the engine. Very simple.

C-Team,
I like that set up. I do not have the crash pump set up, but maybe i will invest in that this off season. I am going to change almost all my Sea Cocks anyway this winter. Whats a little more piping when your already into it. My mains Sea Cocks are slightly difficult to get to, just outboard of the shafts aft of engines, if i install crash pump set up maybe i will extend the tee piping over the shafts and ball valve the Tee'd pipe closer to center of engine room. well at least thats what i think in my office as I type, maybe some restrictions once i look at this weekend. Good Luck all winterizing, UGHHHH.
George

George, the sea cocks on this Post are also aft of the engines and outboard of the shafts. Yes, these are a bit hard to get to and I would not want to do this while under way if you had an emergency. I also believe these were installed from the factory. I won't winterize the engines for a little while since this boat stays in the water under a shed.

winterize 671s

if you remove the zinc off the push side of the raw waterpump you can pump antifreeze thru the whole motor, then remove the zinc off the trans cooler if it is before the raw pump and pour antifreeze in the cooler, pure antifreeze will dilute any water in there to nothing, for the most part when the boat is pulled almost all the water drains out anywhy, i have done this to my 671s for 10 years now and never had a problem

Hey Ruby

Yeah, she's all covered. I've stayed in the water each year of the last 13 except one. I thinink it "regularizes" (is that a word) the temp changes.

Interesting to read all the different methods we use to winterizie an engine

stiff sea cocks

Hi Ruby,

I replaced my seacocks with ball valves, however, my friend still has his 1979 seacocks in his boat.

He put a Zerk fitting in place of the drain plug of the sea cock and occasionally gives them a little shot of grease.

He tells me that they are easily moved with no real effort.

I don't know what kind of grease he uses but I am assuming it is compatible with the rubber pieces in the seacock. maybe teflon or something.

If you need to bar yours over to close them, you prolly should take them apart next time your out of the water and inspect them, grease them and re-install if they are not damaged.

only 121 days til we can start them up again........

Ruby

We had a prime seat at Prime's. Jenny was queen of the fleet IMO!