Closed Cooling - Winterization

[davomaddo]

I have the Salt Water Series 09 MCX. This engine already has a heat exchanger and antifreeze going through the motor. I also have a hose connection on my boat to hook up a garden hose to flush out the heat exchanger etc.

This should make winterizing a bit easier, correct?

Couple questions -
- I have a heater. Do I need to winterize my heater? Or is it part of the closed cooling system - already filled with anti freeze?

- I know I have to drain the heat exchanger. I need to winterize the ballast. Where else does water need to be drained from? (I don't have a shower).

- Does the dripless shaft packing need to be winterized?

- If I decide to go with the antifreeze, do I just hook a hose to my flush kit, run it, then stop once antifreeze comes out the exhaust? Would I be missing anything?

[hkallestad]

With antifreeze you would like to have it trough the raw water pump and all the way out the exaust. Don't know your engine, if your flushing kit goes through the raw water pump you are good.

[Thrall]

Not real familiar w/ closed cooling, but the heater should be hooked into the engine cooling. Look for 2 extra 5/8 0r3/4 hoses coming off near the tstat.
I don't think the dripless packing needs to be winterized. On my 06, the water just rushes out when running it off a hose in the driveway.

[rgardjr1]

- Does the dripless shaft packing need to be winterized?



I have a 2006 Maristar 200 SS with the 5.7 Crusader engine. When I did mine for the first time last year I assumed that the dripless line was attached to where the drain plug would be located on the heat exchanger. I came to this conclusion after pulling the other plug I found and had antifreeze come pouring out. It appeared to me that this meant the raw water side of the heat exchanger was self draining. I pulled the water pump off, pulled the impeller, disconnected and drained the tranny and engine cooler/strainers, exhaust elbow/riser plugs, and raw water strainer on the main water pick up. I sucked up some antifreeze into each the ballast tanks and emptied a little back out. Changed the oil and called it good. I had a pretty detailed manual that came with my boat the showed the flow of the closed cooling system. This really helped me when it came time to winterize the boat.