Winterzing Question

Jonny Quest wrote: I replaced the 1/4" brass plugs with these (from McMaster-Carr): JQ

JQ,
Hopefully you just posted the wrong picture and didn't actually use the ones pictured.. The preferred drain cock has the removable stem so you can probe the drain hole for sediment. here's the McMaster with the removable stem. Besides 1/4 NPT, they also come in 1/8 and 3/8 NPT.

The manuals in the Reference section are a wonderful thing.

Crmaverick wrote: RealDeez wrote: I would guess you can either try to drain them and risk breaking them or let them freeze and risk breaking them. Which set of dice would you like to roll? My guess is damage from forcible drain plug removal would be minimal and repairable. Freeze damage... not so much. I'm a noob though so definitely wait on a second opinion. I pressed on the breaker bar with my leg and broke them lose haha

Now find the closest trash can and give them a new home and replace them with some brass 3/4 inch pipe plugs.

They don't have to be in gorilla tight either

A little sealer like thread sealer, pipe dope or teflon tape or a variety of other similar stuff helps to keep them from leaking without using much tightening force.

I would guess you can either try to drain them and risk breaking them or let them freeze and risk breaking them. Which set of dice would you like to roll? My guess is damage from forcible drain plug removal would be minimal and repairable. Freeze damage... not so much.

I'm a noob though so definitely wait on a second opinion.

Must be north of the Mason-Dixon Line. I lived in Boston 3 years but never heard it in the northeast. That was in the early 70’s so perhaps the word had not been coined at that time.

DVskier wrote: GottaSki wrote: No, the block drains are purposefully placed low on the block, just above the oil pan rail they are 1/4 NPT brass plugs, one each side. You can fill the block from the gazzinta, on the thermostat housing, where the water is delivered from the raw water pump Remove the hose on the tstat housing, and replace it with another piece of scrap hose to help direct your pour into the engine. Not familiar with gazzinta? I’m an old guy, what’s it mean?

It's the inverse of gazzouta

To use gazzinta in a sentence you would say something like "fill the block from where water goes into the thermostat housing"

Tom's method above is sound advice. Be sure you drain everything first no matter what method you use, If you have a heater or shower that needs to be included as well.

I am a proponent of the suck up method, takes a bit more a/f doing it that way but IMO is an equally sound method. Put the pickup hose directly in the bucket or if too short splice in a small section of clear hose that get's you down into the bottom of the bucket.
Mine will use about 3-4 gallons but I have a heater and shower so a bit more capacity.

The impeller will take on a set over the winter and some vanes will not spring back. The vanes returning create the low pressure for suction, bent over, they don't return, and don't pull water. The system will loose some efficiency. Given your power levels, lots of water flow would be best, so care of the pump is warrented

Once option is to remove it from the housing for the winter and get some more life out of it. this also has the insurance of not leaving water in the pump, and risk the housing popping.
its rare because the neoprene absorbs the expansion.
That said, mercuiser plastic housings like to crack easy.

But you wouldn't want to replace your raw water pump$

Thanks are the plugs to drain the block on the heads or are there other plugs?

Also what ports do you fill anti freeze into on the block?   

Hey guys Im looking at getting everything I need to winterize next month. Is there a special pickup tube anyone has a link to for cycling antifreeze out of a bucket?

I was planning on filling a 5 gallon Home Depot bucket with coolant and cycling that through the trans cooler intake. Should I drain water out of the block/manifolds or is cycling 5 gallons of coolant good enough?