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Posts: 572
Location: Maplewood, MN | My dad has an I/O Mercruiser on a North Woods Pro Tourny 192. Each year he gets this boat winterized just before the first frost due to lower unit water freezing. This year I'd like to fish with him as late in the fall as we can. Can you flush all of the water out of the system after each use so we could fish closer to ice up? |
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Posts: 16632
Location: The desert | Worst case scenario, wrap a heated blanket around it overnight and set it on low. |
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Posts: 1209
| Lower unit and engine freeze plugs should be ok through many frosts. Now a hard frost may push out the freeze plugs on the motor just like a truck that doesn't have the correct anti freeze. Inside the engine compartment there is a flush hose (garden hose type fitting) if you purge all the water out when it starts getting cold you should be great. Definitely look into this soon to practice and see how it will work when it comes time.
Side notes. If the lower unit oil isn't thruwthy blended with water every fall I wouldn't worry about it till your done using it. Now if there is water penetration into the lower unit maybe when it gets cold- change the gear lube. Then do it again when done fishing for the year.
Next, if you are to blow the water out of the block with that hose or fill the motor with RV antifreeze (till it's coming out strong red on the water intakes) MAKE sure that you get the cap replaced on it, people have filled boats driving on plAne while the drain plug is in because it will poor out the motor.
I suggest you bring it through a friendly dealership and have there tech show you the process. And I would practice a couple times when it's nice out to see if it feasible. |
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