Winterizing Twin Crusaders Model 270

[Viper]

I would not recommend winterizing an engine without draining it first. I wouldn't do that 10 gallons of antifreeze let alone 3. There's no guaranty that you'll displace all the water that way but you can rest assured that you'll dilute the antifreeze and reduce its rating.

I wouldn't worry about removing the t-stat, its a marine set up not an automotive one so you'll be fine without having to warm up the engine first or worry whether the t-stat is open or not. If you want some reassurance after you're done, pull one of the block plugs and you'll see that there is antifreeze there.

The cautionary thing to do is to try and get as much water out of the system as possible. The more you get out the less dilution will occur. Don't forget to lift or remove one end of low lying hoses to ensure you drain them. If you have a hot water heater with an exchanger that is hooked up to one of the engines, remove one of the hoses at the engine and blow through it. Do this before you put your block plugs back in. This will push the water out of the exchanger and lines into your block where it will drain out. That will ensure the exchanger is free of water and that it will fill with antifreeze when you run it through the engine.

Also can't stress enough that you probe the drain holes in the block, manifolds, and U cooler (if applicable) prior to reinstalling the plugs. This ensures no rust or sediment prevented compete draining. I use a zip tie to do this as it's stiff enough to do the job but can bend when needed. It just takes a few seconds.

Take the above steps as part of your routine and you'll sleep easier and won't have to start a thread here in the spring about your oil looking like a chocolate milkshake.

[pguibord]

Hey Rick,

I bet I met you this summer, I saw you pulling into the marina and payed a visit one evening. Is that you?

I have a question concerning winterizing the 2 fresh water holding tanks and lines. I drained the entire system it's own pressurization pump but it seemed to me that the 2 faucets and shower head just kept on gurgling and spitting forever and after about 45 minutes said to myself that it's got to be empty. Is that what yours does? I then dumped about 8 gallons of -50 into the water fill and ran it through the faucets, shower and vacuflush system (head). Of course the holding tank was pumped out first. Do you think that is good enough and do you do it differently?

Thank you Sir...

Paul

[tonyiiiafl]

On my 390 CPMY, I drain all the water from the line that brings in dock water, then blow air through. I loop the water heater lines together, then drain the pressurized house water system. I then use a drill powered pump, and introduce pink stuff into the pressurized line and wait for all outlets to run pink. Then I dump 4 gallons in the water tank, and now turn on the pump and let each outlet bleed some pink until it is a nice strong color.

[km1125]

Source of the post
Also can't stress enough that you probe the drain holes in the block, manifolds, and U cooler (if applicable) prior to reinstalling the plugs. This ensures no rust or sediment prevented compete draining. I use a zip tie to do this as it's stiff enough to do the job but can bend when needed. It just takes a few seconds.

+100 on this. Only one year I noticed this being an issue and I'm glad I did check.


On the potable water. My tanks have the feed on the stern end of the tank. My last trip out on the lake I get up just enough speed to get the bow in the air before plane and turn the potable water pump on and open the sinks. I let it run until all the water is gone from the tanks. I bypass and drain the hot water tank. Then I take the input to the pump and stick that in a gallon of pink stuff, turn the pump on and and pump about a gallon into the piping. Then blow air into the shore fitting to force that antifreeze to each faucet. I keep thinking I'm going to get one of those bypass kits of the hot water heater, but still haven't. It's not a big deal taking off two hose clamps and moving the hose.

[RGrew176]

Source of the post Hey Rick,

I bet I met you this summer, I saw you pulling into the marina and payed a visit one evening. Is that you?

I have a question concerning winterizing the 2 fresh water holding tanks and lines. I drained the entire system it's own pressurization pump but it seemed to me that the 2 faucets and shower head just kept on gurgling and spitting forever and after about 45 minutes said to myself that it's got to be empty. Is that what yours does? I then dumped about 8 gallons of -50 into the water fill and ran it through the faucets, shower and vacuflush system (head). Of course the holding tank was pumped out first. Do you think that is good enough and do you do it differently?

Thank you Sir...

Paul

Are you the gentleman who keeps his boat at Humbug then yes we did meet earlier this season. I am going to start the winterization process on Wednesday. I took my boat out Sunday for one last ride around Grosse Ile. It was a nice day. We stopped at Elba Mar Boat Club and I topped off my gas tanks then had dinner there. The run back to Gibraltar Boat Yard probably burned off 3 gallons or so of fuel so I am almost but not completely full.

As to winterization of my fresh water system I kind of go in for overkill. I do drain the water heater first so all the water is gone. I buy about 30 gallons of the pink stuff. I want to make sure all the water lines are full of the stuff. Even when you reach the point where the onboard pump stops pumping there is still a little water in the bottom of each tank therefore my reason for dumping in so much pink stuff. I don't know how much the remaining water dilutes the pink stuff but I want to make sure nothing freezes. I have done the same process for the fresh water systems in my previous boats. I would rather be safe than sorry and the little extra I spend on the pink stuff is less than a repair of my water system would be.

The other things I winterize are my head and holding tank and the shower sump. I also re-drain the water heater of the pink stuff so it runs into the bilge and dilutes any water there and also gets pumped out the bilge pump. The engines and the A/C I let the professionals do. Next year I think I will buy one of those drill motor pumps and do the A/C system myself and save a few $$ there but the engines I will never do myself.

So far my techniques have worked well no issues with freezing.