Winterizing with No Antifreeze -- Drain Only

gun-driver wrote: This topic always cracks me up. People are so anal about their boats "only the best"until it comes to winterizing. Then all of a sudden it's " let's do it the cheapest way" 20 bucks will get you 5 gallons of RV antifreeze that's a whole lot cheaper than a new block. It reminds me of my winter toys guys will drop 13 grand on a new sled with computer controlled direct injection engines that require 91 octane fuel and then want to save 5 bucks by buying the cheapest 2 stroke oil even though the manufacturer recommends only one kind of oil. Crazy I tell ya

ROFLMAO.......

Paul, I couldn't agree more. My father in law was a Fox Trac, Allouette, Scorpion and finally a Polaris dealer over the years (Yes, that would have been many years).
Every time somebody would bring a burned down machine in he asked every one of them what oil they were running at the time and then the second question was what gas they were running.

The two most common oil responses.....
1) "I ran out of my regular oil and the gas station had this stuff that they said would work".

2) "WalMart. It's only a dollar a gallon".

The most common gas response.....
1) "Whatever that bar was selling".

Never, ever had a problem with the oil that they were sold with.
Gas was a different situation but pretty much eliminated problems as gas stops started using premium only as the sled traffic increased over the years.

Steve,
Did you probe the drains for sediment? There have been some who didn't and found out all the water didn't come out. It's important with or without antifreeze. Way back, I've drained only lot's of engines without a problem.

This topic always cracks me up. People are so anal about their boats "only the best"until it comes to winterizing. Then all of a sudden it's " let's do it the cheapest way" 20 bucks will get you 5 gallons of RV antifreeze that's a whole lot cheaper than a new block.
It reminds me of my winter toys guys will drop 13 grand on a new sled with computer controlled direct injection engines that require 91 octane fuel and then want to save 5 bucks by buying the cheapest 2 stroke oil even though the manufacturer recommends only one kind of oil. Crazy I tell ya

1984 Ski Nautique 2001
Engine Model PRD WR R10
Pleasurecraft Marine
Right-Hand Rotation from Rear
351 CID
Warner Velvet Drive Model 10-17-003
Direct Drive (1:1)


Well, figured I should probably update this. I agree with those who advise that if all the water is drained out, there is nothing to freeze. I guess we didn't get it all out.

My original post was Nov 2013. Last spring we found the starboard casting plug near the rear of the block pushed out. Apparently no other damage, as we got through the season fine. We didn't get enough boating in last summer, for various reasons.

Based on various posts, I think that when we cranked the trailer tongue jack low it wasn't low enough to drain all the water. I hadn't thought about driving it around starting/stopping--seems like more effort than pouring in the antifreeze.

So anyway, in fall 2014 we drained it all and then poured it full of the pink RV antifreeze. No freezing issues this time.

I still just drain the Mercruiser 140 in the pontoon boat. Have done that for 15 or 16 seasons without a problem. But from now on I'll pour the pink stuff into the SN2001. I am positive we could change something we did and just drain each fall, but I did not enjoy the feeling of getting a new plug in and hoping nothing else was damaged.

Steve

Glad to hear it, Doug! :)

Let us know what you find.

dpkumph wrote: I am in New Hampshire. it was a very cold winter here, getting to zero several times. Nothing like those folks who live in Wisconsin experience. Doug

Doug,
What part of Wisconsin are you talking about? You only got down to zero!?? How about -25 New years day 2014. Very common. I remember -35 (NO WIND CHILL) back in my younger years. You guys in NH must be smoking something to cloud your minds! BTW at zero, in northern Wisconsin, you will still see people in shorts!

74Wind wrote: mine is having it's 40th birthday this year...takes a licking and keeps on ticking

Mine is 26yrs young this month..... Of course it's still ticking...It's a Correct Craft!

For what it may be worth:

When we first looked at our Southwind, we hooked up a fake-a-lake and fired it up for a minute. Fake-a-lakes are a bit dubious, but sounded good and so bought it. Dragged it to our lake, submerged the trailer, fired it up and discovered a freeze plug had popped and was gushing water. Replaced freeze plug (changed oil of course) and have had no evidence of water in oil, and has since run just great for over three years.

We live in GA and bought it in SC, but it started life in Indiana.
Granted, not as harsh as where you may be, but it still freezes here in Dixie...

So, not always necessarily a catastrophe. Or maybe I'm just lucky...

Also no mention of your year or model, but mine is having it's 40th birthday this year...takes a licking and keeps on ticking

Thanks a lot, I appreciate it. So I guess I didn't miss a drain, not that it matters. I am going to drink a beer or two. The thought of messing something this simple up and ending up with such potentially catastrophic results is super disappointing. Thank you.

A lot of times it won't show up on the dip stick because first off the blocks not full second the water will be at the bottom of the oil pan.
The cracks won't be on the outside they will be on the inside between the cylinders where the water jacket is. They start in the water jacket and spread to the head bolt hole and the cylinder. That's why sometimes they don't show until the motor is at temp and the crack into the cylinder spreads.
Good luck.

First off they are not freeze plugs they are casting plugs used to plug the holes from the casting process. They just happen to pop out when you freeze your block real good.
The chances are very good that you have internal damage to the block. I would start by draining the oil and check for water. Not sure water will show up since most was drained.
So without getting into leak down tests and the likes I guess the easiest way would be to refill the oil and start it up check the oil right away if no sign of water bring it up to temp then check oil again. Oh yea keep your fingers crossed through out the process.

Let's see if this works

I was thinking you had a new way to get the water out?

Did mine today.