muffler petcock

[KWKloeber]

Whether you leave it in or not, isn't opening it to drain the muffler a good idea when winterizing?

Mike, you hit the common-sense nail squarely on the head. 

Your mileage may vary, but once you run pink stuff thru the system and have checked to verify the protection level (freeze temp) there is no reason to necessarily leave pink stuff in the muffler.  It serves no purpose.

In fact, there's two ways to winterize anything -- anti freeze it, or completely drain the water so there's nothing to freeze. 
In the past when I was on the hard in the Buffalo tundra, I simply drained the system.  Easy peazy and so simple to do rather than screwing around with buckets of antifreeze and hoses, and pumps and refractometers, and.....     the best part ....  no buying pink stuff that I am going to waste half of it out the transom to get the protection level, and then throw away the remainder in a couple months.   

I mean really... pulling the sea water impeller and Hx cap to check/clean it of weeds was a ritual anyway.  The exhaust hose was not an issue, as it drains both directions (back to the muffler and to the transom thru hull) so no water was left in it to freeze.  And even if there was, it would only be a slight puddle, not a full hose that would burst.  I chuckle at how the marine industry has brainwashed owners to go to the expense and trouble of running pink stuff thru our very simple sea water side that's actually (JTSO) easier to drain than to "winterize."  YBYC, of course.

It's basically the SAME concept as winterizing the water heater, by draining it and using a bypass to avoid wasting your money filling the WH with pink stuff.   Which BTW, I never did either -- I put the cash toward a one-time purchase of an air tank, and simply blew all water out of the potable water system .... and instead put my pink money toward strawberry margaritas.

ken

[Bill Shreeves]

Not to hijack the petcock subject but, Ken's practice raised a question I have regarding winterizing.

Did you use the pink stuff for the head, waste lines etc. and if not, what was your winter prep for that?

Draining the engine, HX etc. was something I considered this year but went ahead and "pinked" it since I was right there pumping the head with pink stuff.  I cleared the potable water lines with compressed air for the first time this year instead of having to flush the bejesus out of it next Spring to try and get rid of the residue.

-Bill

[KWKloeber]

Not to hijack the petcock subject but, Ken's practice raised a question I have regarding winterizing.

Did you use the pink stuff for the head, waste lines etc. and if not, what was your winter prep for that?

Draining the engine, HX etc. was something I considered this year but went ahead and "pinked" it since I was right there pumping the head with pink stuff.  I cleared the potable water lines with compressed air for the first time this year instead of having to flush the bejesus out of it next Spring to try and get rid of the residue.

-Bill

Bill,

Yes, pump the head dry and pump pink stuff from the bowl.  The supply hose drains itself dry.

Not to further hijack the thread, but I've been waiting with baded breath for a write up and huge "reveal"?  :-)  Maybe over the winter?

ken

[Ron Hill]

Bill : I never use the "pink " stuff in the engine.  I always use the lowest temp engine anti freeze. 

On your head winterization 
If you still have the original Factory plumbing on your1987 here's what I do:

Close the head thru hull, flip the head to WET bowl, turn on the shower sump pump and pour pink anti freeze into the shower drain.  Keep pouring until you see the pink stuff entering the toilet bowl.   Flip to DRY bowl and give a few pumps to get the anti freeze into the head exit line.
You now have winterized the head and the shower drain systems!!

A few thoughts

[Bill Shreeves]

Ron,
Isn't propylene glycol, the pink stuff without alcohol, supposed to be used for winterizing the raw water cooling side of the engine because of the environmental impact by ethylene glycol, engine antifreeze? 

Great suggestion for getting the pink stuff to the head!

-Bill

[KWKloeber]

Bill

The confusion is winterizing the "engine" vs the Hx loop.
The pink stuff doesn't actually touch the engine per se.

The engine coolant could also be the eco-friendly PG based (like the "Sierra" etc.) but not the pink stuff, which is food safe has no protective additives.

k

[Bill Shreeves]

Ken,
True that the HX cooling loop on the Universal engine doesn't contact engine surfaces and therefore, winterizing that loop isn't winterizing the engine. I suppose I should be more specific going forward.


-Bill

[KWKloeber]

 Bill,

There is no guarantee that will keep you out of trouble. LOL
I think Ron was the only one that was confused   

[Ed Shankle]

Clarification; Ron's solution only works for those who have not tee'd their head hose to the head sink drain thru hull, for fresh water flush purposes.
If you have made that relocation, then, as you would for a fresh water flush, close the thru hull and instead of water, pour the pink stuff in the sink and pump the head in "wet mode".
Regards,
Ed

[Ron Hill]

Guys : If you look at WM/Defender, etc. you'll find the eco friendly "ENGINE" antifreeze.  Usually in 2 different bottles depending on the "below freezing temperature" that you want to protect you engine to.

You'll also find the "PINK" potable anti freeze for the fresh water system.

As I mentioned ORIGIONAL plumbing winterization method for the head!!

A few thoughts