Winter motor flushing

[Reel Knotty]

I'm wondering if this is a good option for when I flush my motors in the winter to avoid freezing.

In the shed I found this garden hose attachment which is basically a bottle, valve and fittings, that I believe is to mix soap or fertilizers to water when using hose. What if I attached this to the hose with anti freeze loaded up when flushing my motors. Last couple minutes crack the valve and mix antifreeze into the system. Any one tried this or have an opinion??

 

[Charlie]

I/O or outboard? There is a differance.

You really need to change your lower unit oil with either, if you haven’t done that already? That is probably the most important thing and if there is any water in there – that WILL freeze! Water can accumulate in the hub of the lower unit on some models when tilted up, watch for that. I don’t leave my outboard engines tilted down; however, when the temperature is forecasted to drop below freezing, I do/will tilt my outboards down for that reason.

There is really no need to run antifreeze through an outboard. If you leave the engine tilted down, it will just drain out anyway. I am in the water year around so don’t “fog” but, I would highly recommend that if you are letting it set - fog it. I do run my engines every week to prevent any internal corrosion problems from setting. It’s not the saltwater that does the damage – it is the saltwater evaporating and leaving salt deposits that creates the problems. Letting any engine that used in the salt set is subject/going to create problems. Learned that lesson, and that is an expensive fix, only had to… “been there done that,” once!

Here is a couple of links and a good article on winterizing outboards:
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/outboard/Winterize_V1_3-FINAL.pdf
http://www.duckworksmagazine.com/06/columns/max/index11.htm

 

[Reel Knotty]

Sorry Charlie ( I always wanted to say that a la starkist commercial ) thanks for your response and links but I guess I wasn't clear. I was talking about outboards and I'm fully aware of self draining, winterizing and leg care. Just finished a leg rebuild and don't want to do it again.
My idea was based around the fact, I fish 12 months of the year and often I start my day or flush my engines when it is below freezing. I have more than once noticed icing after the flush or on starting engine next day it takes a while before the telltale spews water. I was more curious if this was a good idea for when I do those sub zero flushes.
I can keep the garden hose inside but the boss would have me sleeping on the couch if I brought in engines. LOL!

 

[TheBigGuy]

I think you would be better to run salt away through the engine if it was being laid up for the winter. Helps to clean out any salt deposits, and inhibits corrosion in your block or power head. Just a thought.

 

[wolf]

If you want to keep yur lower unit up best thing ive used was to go to a tire store and ask for a old truck inner tube and cut it give lots of room and squeeze it over the lower leg then tie it up with zap straps on either end so no water slides in. I always used to take my prop off when doing it as I like to inspect inside and make sure no line of eel grass is in there then put it on the shelf or take it in to get tuned as over a season you get dings in the props etc and a out of tune prop will over time wear out inner seals. just a bit of preventive headaches down the road.

Good luck Wolf

 

[profisher]

As long as the leg is down there won't be enough water left in the power head or the leg to do any damage. There may be some residue water in pockets but even if that freezes it has room to move in the passages before it has a chance to do damage. I would worry more about keeping the anti freeze up on the vehicles than worrying about the outboard.