To winterize or not

So there are caves in my city where you can store boats and it stays in the upper 50s at the lowest. I dont think i need to winterize the engine. but is there anything you would recommend doing? I cant imagine lake water sitting in it over the winter is good.

thoughts?

umm huh? drain the block, fog it, etc etc. dont even risk it winterizing is relatively painless

Winterizing takes like two hours..... don't see why you wouldn't do it.

Please still winterize it..pull engine plugs, drain all water lines and ballast, treat your gas, it will go bad in a month... FOG! You fog to keep the cylinders from rusting... Dry it out as much as possible..clean it and check your oil for water if your not changing it... . Do you really want to take that chance with the expensive boats we own??

Still should do the basics. Stabil the tank and run it after so it gets thru the fuel system. Drain the block and leave the plugs out. Add antifreeze to the block if you like. Some do some don't. I always change the oil in the fall because it has acids and contamination in it I don't want sitting in my engine all winter. Fogging is another good idea but many don't. Alot of the winterizing is done because you aren't going to use it for a few months, not just because its going to be below freezing. Another good idea is to leave all compartments open and get a can of damp rid. Also I use fresh cab which smells bad to the rodents(smells like pine) and keeps them out. I would worry about the bats in MO caves.

Another vote for winterizing / treating for a long period of no use. Easy to do and why risk it. I knew of a boat that wasn't winterized and over time the plugs rusted to the block which equaled a new block.

My vote is for change the oil and use it at least once a month. That's what wetsuits and dry suits are for ...

I agree with you Dax..but for us way north the water turns solid from December-March so we have to winterize!! Would love to ride year round. I personally ride from a few weeks after ice out till freeze up. I have ridden before with ice on part of the lake.

It takes a little time to winterize properly (by adding antifreeze). Maybe 2 hours your first time.

But this practice will prevent a cracked block. Worth it to me.

Originally Posted by skippabcool

Another vote for winterizing / treating for a long period of no use. Easy to do and why risk it. I knew of a boat that wasn't winterized and over time the plugs rusted to the block which equaled a new block.

You need to use brass plugs in marine blocks that are raw water cooled. Even if the plugs rusted and destroyed the threads you can chase with an NPT tap or drill and tap larger. SBC and SBF have plenty of meat in the drain plug/freeze plug area. Something doesn't add up about your story, sounds like an old wives tale.

Mercs use plastic plugs so they don't rust in.

Originally Posted by boardjnky4

Mercs use plastic plugs so they don't rust in.

They still use brass core plugs. If your talking about the plastic blue wing-nut plugs for the block and manifolds, then yes you are correct. On a side note, they are the worst to get out when both plastic tabs break off.

I use mine year round in Nor Cal.

Jess,

If your impeller sits in one position for a long time, there is a good chance it will fail the next season. You don't want it to fail when you are underway, even if you carry a replacement! Think of where all the pieces of plastic/rubber will go and get stuck. This is why most engine manufacturers recommend they be taken out and replaced every year!

The water from many sources is very hard (full of minerals) and waiting to solidify in your engine's block, hoses and fittings! Think about what happens to a hot-water tank over time. Even if you do not drain it, a flush with clean, soft water will help. Add some environmental anti-freeze and your engine will thank you.

Fuel needs to be stabilized or drained, especially from carburetors. Your injectors will thank you for some stabilizer or cleaner.

Put it in cave storage, but take 30 minutes to do the above.