Refilling block after winterdrain-gctid374884

[Guest]

Last year at the end of the boating season I purchased a Bayliner 1959 Capri with a 3.0LX Alpha One I/O. After reading many of the posts concerning how to store the boat for the winter (I live in Pennsylvania) I initially filled the block with the pink anti freeze but shortly therafter decided to completely drain the block.

My question is do I need to fill the block through the thermostat housing before starting it up for the first time this spring or will a sufficient amount of water make it to where it needs to be if I put the muffs on and run the hose for several minutes before starting?

I am a fairly accomplished shade tree car mechanic (restified my '79 Firebird from the ground up by myself) but I don't have much experience with I/O boat motors.

Any assistance or advice anyone could supply would be most appreciated.

Thanks very much.

Tom C

[Guest]

Nope just start the engine if boat is in the water or on the muffs. It will fill up with in 10-15 seconds and you should be good provided raw water pump is working. Just watch the engine temp gauge on first start of the year, if it starts drifting past 190, shut it off immediately. If running boat on the muffs make sure you turn water on before the engine, and shut off the engine before turning off water. Also do not rev engine on the muffs too much, the garden hose does not have enough flow rate to supply water at higher RPM and will collapse.

[2850Bounty]

Tom, you have a small boat, and no doubt it's at home.

Re-install all of the drain plugs, connect the drive to the garden hose and water muffs.

Turn on the garden hose supply, make sure that the muffs are secure.

No need to run the hose for any duration prior.... the sea water pump is within several inches of the inlet.

Garden hose water via the muffs will not get past the stationary impeller.

Now fire the engine up.

This way you will see if water begins to exit the exhaust almost immediately upon start up (it will fill the empty block first).

If no water within 10-15 seconds or so....., shut her down and find out why.

.

[Guest]

Thanks very much for the replies.

It's funny after reading the forum for a while I find that many of the boats being discussed are much bigger than mine but mine is a awhole lot bigger than I am used to.

We're hoping to get her out a few times before a summer trip to Lake Winnipesaukee. I've had intentions of getting her out for the last two weeks or so to get her ready but after a much warmer than usual winter we're having a cool spring (came close to freezing last night). That, coupled with other life factors has slowed my progress greatly.

Anyway, thanks again for the info. I'm sure I'll have more questions in the future.

Tom C