See full version: What kind of antifreeze do you use to winterize a boat
To winterize the engine with antifreeze, you'll need a five-gallon bucket, and enough antifreeze for your engine and related plumbing (at least two gallons). To circulate antifreeze through the engine: If the boat is in the water, close the intake seacock. Fill a five-gallon bucket with undiluted non-toxic antifreeze.
What happens if you don't winterize your boat?
Furthermore, should you put antifreeze in your freshwater tank? You need to get RV antifreeze, it is non-toxic and can be used in drinking water systems. We use antifreeze for flushing during winter camping (we use only the black tank in the winter). You will need a funnel to get the antifreeze into your empty fresh water tank through the gravity fill port.
They make several grades of "safe" antifreeze. The pink stuff, the cheapest, has little or no rust inhibitors depending on the maker. Then they make purple and blue both of whic do contain rust inhibitors. The purple goes to -60 or so and the blue -100 - check westmarine or boatus and you'll see what I mean.
Is that the green stuff? How do you get it back out of engine without causing an environmental disaster? Or do they make an environmentally friendly antifreeze with these anti corrosive properties?
Every boat dealer in the Indianapolis area and my self do a dryblock winterize. I personally run a 60/40 mix of Automotive Antifreeze through the engine when I'm all done with the winterizing stuff like oil and filter changes, etc. I bring the engine up to operating temp on the water hose and the muffs. I think slide my 4' plastic baby wading pool under the outdrive / drainplug, I pour in my 4 gallons of antifreeze mix. I have a portable sump pump that I connect to the muffs using a 4' hose and start the pump, then I run the motor for about 5 to 10 minutes making sure the temp get's hot enough to assure me the thermostat opened. (About 160) after running at that temp for a bit I fog the engine to a stop.<br /><br />Shut it all down, open the drain plugs, drop the lower water hose, remove each spark plug and spray a bit of fogging oil directly in each cylinder. Install a new sparkplug. soak the spark arrestor in Gasoline, blow it clean using compressed air.<br /><br />clean and inspect electrical connectors, spray with CRC electrical connector spray, Lower the outdrive to relax the bellows, (of course I also changed the outdrive gear lube) remove battery, that's a wrap. (Add Stabil for full tank on last trip out, fill tank on return trip home)<br /><br />Professional boat firms use a device from yardarm that is the professional version of my swimming pool. http://www.yardarm.com/docs/winterizetank.htm [links]
Boatin Bob gives the right advice. winterize with the appropriate antifreeze for engines, it contains the proper lubricants, anti-corrosion properties and low temp protection. The RV stuff is for PVC and other plumbing. and not meant to protect to really low temps after mixing with water 50-60%. A gallon of the right stuff is only 6 bucks.
If rust were a problem, then water that sits there the other 6 months of the year, would be an issue too! Unless you are using your boat in salt water, I don't see the problem. more
I have a 93 4.3LX gen II and it takes at least 3 gallons of 70% mix to fill it. I like to mix it a little strong so that if it hits any pockets of water in any of the hoses or pumps they'll be enough concentration after it mixes. I usually pull the plugs and hoses and let them drain into a funnel and hose that I have snaked through the drain plug. [links]
“RC why don’t you just blow the lines out with air”
The pictured bottle is not a propylene glycol product, it is an alcohol based antifreeze. Alcohol based products can damage certain plastics and seals. While it is cheap, please don’t be tempted by price and please do read the labels.
You will also want a section of hose and the associated fittings to bypass your hot water heater so it too has no antifreeze in it for spring purging. [links]
Some other items to consider would be a five gallon bucket, turkey baster, screw driver and some spare hose of the same diameter as your plumbing system.
WARNING: Do not use ethylene glycol that’s designed for use in automotive engines. It’s poisonousto mammals/humans! Propylene glycol usually comes in windshield washer type bottles and ethylene glycol generally comes in Prestone or Peak type bottles. more
Using the method outlined below the RV type antifreeze is sucked through the system pipes only, and the tanks are left dry and drained with no antifreeze to purge in the spring. [links]
Winterization procedures protect boat systems and gear from freeze damage. Winterizing also guards items such as batteries, inboard and outboard engines, and lower units and sterndrives from damage and wear that lying idle can cause. Luckily for you, a concentrated weekend effort is all that’s needed to ensure your boat is protected during the brutal winter months. Though just as with anything else on your boat, if you run into a system or procedure that’s beyond your skill set, ask an expert.
Whether you’ve got a single portable MSD aboard or multiple electric-flush heads attached to a big holding tank, marine sanitation systems need to be carefully winterized to survive cold temperatures. An important first step is running lots of fresh water through all of your heads to rid the system of smelly residue. Next, empty your holding tank of its contents at a pumpout facility, flushing it with fresh water once or twice before hanging up the pumpout hose. more
Pay special attention to your head compartment and its sanitation system components at winterization time. more