Antifreeze for winterization

[nydave]

Hello All yes another winterization question. It's that time. I picked up my oil, filter, plugs, oil extractor, antifreeze and watched all the videos. My only question is what pump are you all using to pump in antifreeze when winterizing. I dont want to get too small or too big of a pump so just looking for suggestions.

The previous owner also put in valve to shut off water intake to each engine in case you need to be towed or to run on one engine in emergency. I assume shutting these valves is the same as clamping off the water intake as shown in the video to flush antifreeze?

Dont think it is relavent but it is a 2015 Yamaha 242 Limited S.

Thanks all

 

[Dave burke]

I don’t bother with antifreeze. I used to, but haven’t in the last two years. No issues and it gets very cold here

 

[Matt Phillips]

On the Yamahas, the only thing you may need to add antifreeze is if you have a freshwater shower (use RV fluid specifically for water systems). Once the boat is out of the water, the main place where water is still located in the system is the water boxes (mufflers). Since you blow water out of them when the boat comes out of the water, there's room in there for the water to expand when freezing.

 

[Evil Sports]

I skip antifreeze as well, boat sits outside wrapped in 20 degrees and lower all winter

 

[biglar155]

Don't waste your cash on antifreeze. Mine too spends 20-below winters in unheated storage. No issues.

Blow the water out, fog the engines, yank the battery, and call it good.

I usually take the carpet out, roll it up (fuzzy side out), and store it in my warm-dry basement.

One thing to consider is the local rodent population. I get a lot of mice in my storage unit and you don't want anything in the boat that might attract them. This can be food OR nesting material. I once saw what they did to the wiring on my buddy's Gold Wing over a winter. $2,500 later he was able to ride it again.

I've only had one in my boat over the years and his mere presence caused me to unleash a chemical and physical war on those fuzzy little buggers that would shock the sensibilities of Martha Stewart.

Every few weeks in the winter I have to go up to storage to "check the trap-line" and re-fill the poison trays. By the time spring comes, I've usually taken enough to make a lovely pair of slippers for my wife. (I once had two in the same trap with a third right next to them in a second trap. Based on the positions of the deceased, they were all in cahoots.)

Only the Lord knows what becomes of the countless number that consume the toxic bait and are never heard from again. I'm probably keeping some tiny mouse milk-carton factory in business with "missing mouse" pictures printed on the side.

On thing's for sure: I know the smell of dead rodent upon walking into any storage shed or barn. As Sgt Barnes said in Platoon, "That's the good kind. Good Good. Good and dead."

 

[Scottintexas]

Hello All yes another winterization question. It's that time. I picked up my oil, filter, plugs, oil extractor, antifreeze and watched all the videos. My only question is what pump are you all using to pump in antifreeze when winterizing. I dont want to get too small or too big of a pump so just looking for suggestions.

The previous owner also put in valve to shut off water intake to each engine in case you need to be towed or to run on one engine in emergency. I assume shutting these valves is the same as clamping off the water intake as shown in the video to flush antifreeze?

Dont think it is relavent but it is a 2015 Yamaha 242 Limited S.

Thanks all

I'm also a no anti-freeze person believer,

You need to check your valves and determine if they are forward or aft of the "y" connection that the flush water hose flows into,
If he placed the valve forward of the "Y' all your anti-freeze is going to just run out the intake on the jet nozzle and not go to the engine,
If he placed the valve aft of the "Y" the anti-freeze will be forced towards the engine,

most members that antifreeze just gravity feed it ( I would think I pump would be better ).


.

 

[Neutron]

The manual states to rev the engine with a few short blasts to push extra water out the exhaust. Treat fuel and thats it.
Fogging is a good addition to do as we

 

[mdchachi]

I asked the guys at Wonderland Marine and they actually claimed antifreeze is bad for the system. It's not designed for it and it can lead to "deposits."
Not sure if I believe that but overwhelming consensus seems to be "it's unnecessary."

 

[Liveto99]

You put it on the supplied trailer and tow it to the Fl. Keys For the winter.?

 

[Gym]

You can use a small puddle pump. Home Depot or online. Anything with a standard hose connection. Make sure you put the tow valves back in the running position when your done. Otherwise you'll be trapping water/antifreeze in your engine. The antifreeze is more for the waterboxes.

 

[Ronnie]

I recommend that you not put anti freeze in the fresh water storage tank. The better courses of action are to either empty the tank entirely OR fill it and treat the water with additive to keep it from “going bad”. I used to do the latter, the additive is cheap as in you can get a small bottle that will treat up to 100 or 200 gallons for under $10. Since the tank only holds 10 gallons of water, from the hose at that, I found it more efficient to empty the tank instead of fill it and treat the water with something that costs more than the water is worth. Anti freeze in a tank that holds water my guests, crew and I cool down and rinse off with? I don’t think so.

 

[Gym]

You can use RV antifreeze rated for potable systems. Better & cheaper yet is using hydrogen peroxide. Drain your tank for the winter then, in the spring, fill with water & peroxide to flush & drain the system which will also kill any bacteria.

 

[Jores]

I use anti freeze and run it into the engines with a small 12 volt transfer pump from harbor freight- it connects to the battery and has a switch to turn it on or off- inexpensive and easy to do. I pour 2 gallons of anti freeze into a 5 gallon bucket, turn on the motor then the pump. As the buccket gets near empty shut the pump off, then gun the motor a few times quickly, done. I also soak the cleanout plugs in anti freeze and leave them sideways at the top of the opening (you can close the lid then) and tag the steering wheel so i don't forget to re-install in the spring. The first seaso I removed the plugs and fogged the motors but I don't bother with that anymore. John

 

[zipper]

I recommend that you not put anti freeze in the fresh water storage tank. The better courses of action are to either empty the tank entirely OR fill it and treat the water with additive to keep it from “going bad”. I used to do the latter, the additive is cheap as in you can get a small bottle that will treat up to 100 or 200 gallons for under $10. Since the tank only holds 10 gallons of water, from the hose at that, I found it more efficient to empty the tank instead of fill it and treat the water with something that costs more than the water is worth. Anti freeze in a tank that holds water my guests, crew and I cool down and rinse off with? I don’t think so.

This is antifreeze we bought today at West Marine for the water tanks and hot water heater on the Beneteau. This is alcohol based and rated for potable water systems. This is not for winterizing engine cooling systems. $3.69/gal. The antifreeze gets flushed out in the spring. I do not use any antifreeze in the Yamaha cooling system during hibernation in the Vermont winters.

 

[Dennis P]

I pump 4 gallons through each engine, can fall below -40C (equivalent to -40F) here in Montreal , also protects the muffler chambers as well, I sleep well winter nights, what ever makes you comfortable....contains rust inhibitors as well. Before I run the antifreeze through I add fuel stabilizer and fill up with Premium Shell Nitro, ethanol free fuel.

 

[Nate Fallow]

Hey @Gym What and where are the tow valves??

 

[biglar155]

Hey @Gym What and where are the tow valves??

Some folks have installed valves in their cooling water intake lines. The idea is to close these valves if you're being towed to prevent water from being forced into your engines. This isn't a stock feature.

 

[Scottintexas]

Hey @Gym What and where are the tow valves??

This link is for the FAQ tab at the top of the page, it has a couple of threads about installing tow/flush valves

https://jetboaters.net/faq/#faq-81

If you haven't already, we also have a video in the FAQ about "how the cooling water flows", it's definitely worth watching and also mentions the valves,

.

 

[Gym]

Hi @Nate Fallow. As @biglar155 mentions their name "tow valve" indicate they are used in the event one or both engines are inoperable and you need to be towed. These valves also allow you to run at top speed on one engine while the other is inoperative. Yamaha advises not to exceed 5 mph while driving or being towed with an engine/engines down.

A side benefit to these valves are the ability to flush your engines with fresh water while sitting in salt water by shutting off the external water intake. The valves also allow a better flush of the upper engine cooling journals as is evidenced by the increased water flow out of the pissers while flushing on the hose.

You also have the option of clamping off these lines, temporarily, with clamps if you don't want to install permanent valves.

 

[Damsroy]

I installed tow valves by following the different threads mentioned above.
I put mine under the tray where the water boxes are. Purchased the valves from Island Racing. Good product.
Easy install.