311 Winterizatization Noob


D

Dominicanaso

New member
Hello everyone. I bought my first boat: got a smoking deal on a 87 311. I was hoping for some help with two things. I’m in Maine where the winters are harsh and she is getting stored outside this year. While winterizing I poured about 6 gallons into the motors (454s) and no antifreeze was coming out the exhaust. I ended up cutting the motor and manually pouring it into the hoses. I couldn’t use the muffs as she has sea strainers.
How many gallons should these take? Is there a plug on the motor that I can pull where coolant would pour out to make sure it made it all the way thru? Really just trying to not risk there still being water in the system. While I’m asking anything special you New Englanders do to keep the trailer tires from weather cracking if it’s being left on the trailer. Appreciate any help/advice ahead of time.
 
I have a flush kit on my 350s so I can flush it on a lift all summer. To protect the blocks from freezing, I first flush w/water, get engines up to temp. Then drain the engines of water via the blue plastic drain plugs. After it drains, reinstall plugs.

Then I use a 12v water pump from harbor freight, hooked to one at a time, to pump 4 gallons each of antifreeze into them. (engine has to be running, else the pump can't push past the raw water pump).

at 4 gallons I get pink out the back, but it's also diluted with some water left in the block.

As for the trailer, I basically coat the tires best I can in armor-all to keep them moist. I also put the trailer up on jacks for the winter, so the tires are 1-2" off the ground. Good time to check your bearings too.

There are other things, including fuel filters, fuel stabilizer, oil filters, etc too. But you just asked about the blocks. Mine is in a heated garage, but ALWAYS WINTERIZE. You never know when the stupid furnace is going to freeze up and you'll be SOL.

Mine came w/these, and they work great for flushing. No stupid muffs.
https://www.westmarine.com/buy/perko--flush-pro-system-1-1-4-hose--P006_186_005_507


[url]https://www.harborfreight.com/lawn-garden/pumps/12-volt-dc-transfer-pump-63324.html


[/URL]
 
So I have a 1988 26 PC with a 454. Mine has six drain plugs, three on each side and they are a brass color. I drain all six and run a punch up each hole as there is always some junk and you don't want to let any water not drain. I also look at which hoses are a low point or are curve as these hold water so I pull them and drain them. I also pull the hoses off the engine that run to the water heater and using compressed air from a small air compressor and an adapter I made I blow on one line which forces water out the other line. Make sure you have the other line pointed away from you. This should get all the water out if you do it correctly. As I never trust anything I then pull the thermostat out. I then reassemble everything leaving the thermostat out. As I have an out-drive I then take my five gallon bucket which I added a house outside faucet to using formed blocks of wood on the inside and outside sealed with 5200. I set this on the swim platform and run a clear hose down to the ear muffs on the out-drive. Fill this with five gallons on 75 below RV anti freeze with another five gallon bucket full of more RV anti freeze and start the engine. I then open the valve on the bucket and as it goes down I keep adding until I have run roughly ten gallons. As I get low I fog the engine killing the motor. I know you said you had sea strainers so you would have to come up with a different system. I like to get all the water out first as a precaution. Just my method that seems to work well. As others mentioned there are other systems to winterize. I am not familiar with your boat but many Formulas have a sump box somewhere for drains like sinks or showers. Don't forget to winterize that also. Learned about sumps thirty years ago the hard way.
 
Assuming that you have the 454 engines on the 311 . . . 1987 . . . does the boat have Alpha drives or was it converted to Bravo drives? (Bravos came out in 1988)

There are drains on both sides of the engine block just above the oil pan. Open those to drain the water. Remove the lower hose off of each exhaust manifold. Loosen/remove the lower end of the large hose connected to the recirculating pump on the front of the engines.

You should be able to use the earmuffs, even with sea water strainers, to get some AF into the engine. Tell us how you 'poured' 6 gallons of AF into the engine . . . . did the AF come out anywhere?

Drain the water tank that supplies the sink. Run some marine/RV AF through the sink plumbing.
 
You could always open up your sea strainers and pour antifreeze directly into them. The pump will pull the antifreeze from the strainer. It's easier if you have someone to help you to shut the motor down inbetween each gallon that you pour in, then restart as you start pouring the next gallon in. You just don't want to let the pump run dry.
 
tpenfield said:
Assuming that you have the 454 engines on the 311 . . . 1987 . . . does the boat have Alpha drives or was it converted to Bravo drives? (Bravos came out in 1988)

There are drains on both sides of the engine block just above the oil pan. Open those to drain the water. Remove the lower hose off of each exhaust manifold. Loosen/remove the lower end of the large hose connected to the recirculating pump on the front of the engines.

You should be able to use the earmuffs, even with sea water strainers, to get some AF into the engine. Tell us how you 'poured' 6 gallons of AF into the engine . . . . did the AF come out anywhere?

Drain the water tank that supplies the sink. Run some marine/RV AF through the sink plumbing.
Click to expand...

I ran the hose into the strainer got the motors up to temp and began pouring antifreeze into the strainers. I could faintly smell AF but none was coming out. I ended up cutting the motor and disconnecting the hoses to manually pour it in the system. What was I doing wrong?
 
Let me start off by saying I do not know this model boat. I did go online and look at some pictures. Again I don't know the boat but the pictures online shows a twin screw boat with outdrives. I have not seen a boat with outdrives that have sea strainers for engine cooling. Did I mention I don't know the boat. So a couple of questions might help you. Does the boat suck up water from the lake/ocean thru the outdrives for cooling? Do you have closed cooling? Is the boat on land? A couple things are not making sense to me. Did I mention I don't know the boat. The boats I am familiar with that have outdrives suck up water thru the outdrives to cool the motors. I have only seen inboards with sea strainers that suck up water thru the sea strainers for cooling. I have winterized many inboards by taking the hoses off the sea strainers and putting the hose in a bucket of RV antifreeze with other buckets to dump in the main bucket once I start the engine. My other boat has AC and a generator and I winterize those systems by taking the hos off the sea strainers and running the device using the bucket method. I don't think you can pour water into a sea strainer to winterize as there will be air in the system making it difficult to suck fluid. Also if you have run the engines with no fluid you could have ruined the impellers and you will never get anti freeze to suck thru the engines. I could be way off base here because I don't know the boat. Sorry if I am way off base here but just trying to maybe lend a hand.
 
Honestly my terminology/descriptions are off and will be off. This is my first boat. I got a smoking deal on it otherwise I would of started off with something more manageable. I winterized this or attempted to winterize this with a friend who has a 21’ formula three that he’s winterized 3 winters in a row. He used the same method but the difference was antifreeze never came out; it was poured into the sea strainers. After speaking with a friend I made the mistake of not removing the drains on the block like mentioned above, not the risers, and raw water pumps...so with that said not sure if because of this it took longer for the antifreeze to cycle thru and that’s why we never saw any or what exactly. Really have to apologize this is is a huge learning curve for me. Also the boat was never ran without a water source I’m an idiot but not to that extent!
 
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I understand and we all have to learn. Trust me that others have helped me over the years and I have learned many hard lessons. The reason I asked the questions I asked as it seems like you were not having success. Every boat I have had with outdrives sucks up lake/ocean water from the holes in each side of the outdrives and that is how the engine cools. I think the first step is to find out how your cooling system works. My 1988 454 has cooling thru the outdrive and no sea strainers.Every boat I have ever seen with outdrives works this way. Doesn't mean yours does but I have never seen it. After I drain all the water out by pulling plugs, hoses and the thermostat I hook up my five gallon bucket device on the swim platform and start the motor. Does take a little while to see red RV anti freeze coming out the back by the outdrives. As I mentioned if you have cooling from sea strainers the hose from the engine would need to go in a bucket of anti freeze and then start the engine. This set up I have also used many times with inboard board boats. These inboards have been gas and diesel and some had closed cooling and others did not. If you would want to either give me your email or phone number I would be happy to help more and then you could send me some pictures. We could also face time so I could have you show me your set up by holding the phone to various components. As I mentioned earlier I think the first step is identifying exactly what you have.
 
The number one must do is "Drain all of the water out before you start to use AF"
Failure to get all the water out first is taking a chance

1 plug on each side of the block
1 plug on each exhaust manifold
1 plug on the power steering cooler
Suck out all water from sea strainer
Disconnect hose from seawater pump to thermostat an drain
disconnect bottom hose on engine water circulating pump (item 19)

https://www.mercruiserparts.com/bam/subassembly/31800/938/150

Once all the water is out, your winterized. Now if you want to use AF for additional protection go for it
 
AllDodge said:
The number one must do is "Drain all of the water out before you start to use AF"
Failure to get all the water out first is taking a chance

1 plug on each side of the block
1 plug on each exhaust manifold
1 plug on the power steering cooler
Suck out all water from sea strainer
Disconnect hose from seawater pump to thermostat an drain
disconnect bottom hose on engine water circulating pump (item 19)

https://www.mercruiserparts.com/bam/subassembly/31800/938/150

Once all the water is out, your winterized. Now if you want to use AF for additional protection go for it
Click to expand...
42F13BBC-E702-4862-8F41-21B0BFBE30B8.jpg
I can’t seem to find a diagram with the locations of these. I guess that’s my only issue now. Really appreciate all the help guys.
 
If pull the hose off the power steering cooler, you won't need to remove the hose going to the thermostat

454.jpg
 
AllDodge said:
If pull the hose off the power steering cooler, you won't need to remove the hose going to the thermostat

View attachment 9112
Click to expand...
Remove as in completely until the summer or just to drain? Last question really is which hose can I pour antifreeze in for peace of mind to make sure it’s in the block. I was able to find the engine and riser plugs. Really appreciate it this diagram did it for me!
 
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My 1988 with a 454 has three plugs per side. Two in each manifold per side and one per side in the block. My 1987 25PC with a 350 also had the same three plugs on each side. All Dodge is spot on about getting all water out first. My sea strainers on my other boat has pugs at the bottom to drain them. Shop vac also works.
 
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