How to Winterize a Boat: Mercruiser 350 MAG MPI in a Tahoe 234

[@usa_dobson8967]

Hey David, great video. I followed your steps last year for our lake boat, but I also took off one of the upper hoses and filled with coolant. No cracked block so it must’ve worked!! Thanks again.

[@williamsfamilyvideos2146]

Best video I’ve seen on winterizing my motor. Thanks!!!

[@budgetprojectsbydavid5263]

Thanks, Dan! I appreciate your kind words!

[@Andrico77]

You should really add plumbing antifreeze to the raw water cooling section. If there is any water left in the system it could freeze and crack the block. Either run the antifreeze off the muffs or disconnect hoses at the thermostats and use a funnel. Also good to take a stick to poke the holes where you drained the water sometimes they are plugged with rust and don’t drain fully then you’re in crap. In colder climates that’s how we do it

[@budgetprojectsbydavid5263]

Good to know, but how do you get the anti-freeze out in the spring without polluting the water?

[@Andrico77]

@@budgetprojectsbydavid5263 normally layup is on land for us up north. The antifreeze is environmentally safe. But def want to use a coat hanger to poke the drain holes. Rust accumulated on those spots and not all water will drain.

[@budgetprojectsbydavid5263]

Oh yeah, like RV anti-freeze. Gotcha. Thanks for the tips.

[@Crz_hrz]

Good Job! I've owned several boat over a 25 year period in the Midwest. Never have I used antifreeze. If the block and manifolds are drained completely, its not necessary, don't waste your time and money.

[@chriskorth]

Great video and very thorough and helpful! Thank You.

[@budgetprojectsbydavid5263]

No problem! Glad it helped. Thanks for taking the time to comment!

[@buddylee1]

Thanks for the video!

[@budgetprojectsbydavid5263]

You’re welcome! Glad I could help!

[@phiphika1453]

Thanks for the video. Any reason for not using antifreeze to winterize?

[@budgetprojectsbydavid5263]

My boat has a seawater (lakewater, in my case) pickup. It pulls cold water from the lake, cools the engine, and dumps the hot water continuously. There would be nowhere for me to add antifreeze easily, nor anywhere to dump it. For people who only use their boats in the summer, this is a pretty good setup. The cool lake water keeps the engine water temp at about 140 on even the hottest summer days.

[@johnwilkinson4399]

Just curious you don’t do your gear lube?

[@budgetprojectsbydavid5263]

I’ll usually pay to have it done at the same time that i have the water pump done, every 2-3 years. With the boat sitting in the water year round, I don’t feel comfortable draining the gear lube from the bottom of the prop myself, without making an environmental mess.

[@johnpesale3896]

You don’t fog the engine

[@budgetprojectsbydavid5263]

No, i never have. Those cylinder walls are coated with oil from the last time it ran. They are protected from atmosphere. I might fog if i was storing for 3 years or something, but for 7 months of off-season, I don’t feel like it’s necessary. The boat is in central Arkansas. Maybe your mileage wiil vary.