Ruined impeller twice winterizing I/O

M

mikeg2

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Joined
Sep 23, 2005
RO Number
19114
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48
Two years in a row my boat overheated on its first spring outing and both times the impeller ribs had torn off.I have a 1994 454 with a B2 and full FWC.In Dec. I flush the raw water side of the motor putting cuffs on the outdrive and running antifreeze from an elevated containter (made for winterizing outboards) thru the motor while I fog the carb.My mechanic says don't run the 454 on cuffs.How else can I winterize or flush (the motor is in brackish water)?Can I run the motor in a large pail with antifreeze?Should I put a water intake somewhere in the system to feed the antifreeze? Should I just drain the raw water side of the system,but wouldn't water be left in the raw water pump?
 
I would ask in the engine section. There seems to be more traffic in that section. I have heard many concerns about running coolent through the muffs with no pressure within the container to force the antifreeze through the outdrive and that could be why you are burning up impellers.
 
I have helped a friend winterize a 1995 b2 454 using muffs to warm up the engine before switching to antifreeze...no problems???

I used the Camco winterize kit with muffs for 3 years on my own 2005 B3 350mag without problem also. On the b3 I did have to increase rpms a little to suck the antifreeze through from the tank on the swim platform. If I didn't i would start to over heat a little.

Good luck
Niles
 
I've been winterizing my 7.4L just like that for years. I've got a home-made setup, just a 5 gallon pale with a garden hose coming off the bottom. I hook up the muffs, fill the bucket with antifreeze, then start the engine. Not sure why your burning impellers. Are you running the engine above idle? I always keep mine at low idle, I'm normally fogging the carburator at the same time so the RPM is down. I normally can't kill the engine while fogging(even with 2 cans spraying in the carb) so I turn the key off before the bucket of antifreeze goes dry.
 
I pull the stat out, and then put the anti thru it, put the stat back in, good to go, no question.
 
quote:
Originally posted by JimPend

I pull the stat out, and then put the anti thru it, put the stat back in, good to go, no question.

Click to expand...


That's my preference as well after draining the block, oil coller, and manifolds. I believe adding the antifreeze this way will not dilute it as much as drawing it in with a muff.

Misread the original poster had FWC. Way different than RWC.
 
Thanks for the advice.Since the FWC and its plumbing covers the stat it would be a bit of a project to get it especially since I wait til its almost freezing to winterize (fishing late).Maybe I am not idling the motor fast enough.It sure seems to suck thru the antifreeze.Has anyone put on a hose attachment so they don't need to used cuffs?I was also thinking of taking off the prop and running the outdrive in a trash can with antifreeze.
 
Should be in engines. I just stumbled across this.

More info about the boat would help. size, year,trailered?

Most Full FWC and especially with a 454 should have two raw water pick-ups. The drive has a relatively small hose for supplying the volume needed above idle speeds.

Why don't you just drain the raw water side for the winter?
 
Oooops! I just saw that your FWC also, I read "454 B2" and stopped there. Sorry about that.
 
Second what Charlie said. I'd drain the RW side and then backfill with AF.
From your post, it's hard to tell whether they fried in the fall or in the spring.
Personally, I've pulled the impellers for the winter so they don't take a set and replaced them as part of the spring commissioning. This way I know what condition they are in prior to launching.
 
Boat is a Crownline 250/25 ft and it is kept in a high and dry in Md.Draining seems like the best idea.Manifolds are FWC.Can someone tell me the procedure for draining the raw water portion?The raw water impeller is tough to reach.Does it also need antifreeze or can I just detach a hose leading to it?
 
Mike, I thought that most I/Os with large engines had a pump in the outdrive and also a raw water pump at the engine because the outdrive pump isn't powerful enough to draw in enough water to coll the engine. I assume it is the latter pump whose impeller is failing. You may not be getting the anti-freeze up to the raw water pump fast engine which may be causing the problem with the impellers. If you had a strainer maybe you could winterize from there. Just a thought. ....Erich
 
Erich, I don't think the B II has a raw water pump in the outdrive, only an engine mounted pump?
 
quote:
Originally posted by nwaring

I have helped a friend winterize a 1995 b2 454 using muffs to warm up the engine before switching to antifreeze...no problems???

I used the Camco winterize kit with muffs for 3 years on my own 2005 B3 350mag without problem also. On the b3 I did have to increase rpms a little to suck the antifreeze through from the tank on the swim platform. If I didn't i would start to over heat a little.

Good luck
Niles

Click to expand...


I have seen people put a Schrader valve in the tank, pressurize the tank (few pounds of air). This gives you the flow you need to get the antifreeze into your motor quickly. If you are burning out your impellers they are running dry two long.

I use this setup for my jet ski.
 
Thanks for all of the suggestions.The salt water pump is on the front of the engine to the right.No pump in the drive.Fresh water pump is on the front of the motor.What is the safest way to do this next year? Other than wasting antifreeze (I could reuse it)it would seem like a big bucket for the outdrive should do the trick.I agree its been running dry.I had this happen in the past when the boat sucked plastic in the outdrive and it only too a minute for the impellor to fry.
 
As others have suggested I drain the block, re-install the drain plug. Then disconnect the hose raw water pump's discharge hose at the pump. Hold the end of the hose up and pour antifreeze directly into this hose, which iwll back-fill the block. The block does not have to be completely full, you simply need to make sure that any residual water left after draining is sufficiently diluted by the antifreeze. Doing it this way is probably faster than hooking up all the tanks and plumbing to your outdrive and running the engine.

Mike
 
I try to followup old posts if there is a final solution.When winterizing my boat there was a guy with a cigarette boat using a small Wallmart pool pump to winterize his aircon.He lent me the motor and I put it in a 5 gal bucket with antifreeze.Then put a hose from the pump to the muffs.This $30 pump developed enough pressure along with the motor idling at 1200 rpm to push the anifreeze thru the risers and heat exchanger in a few seconds.I'll find out in the spring if the inpellor survived but this setup could not have been simpler.The extra pressure from the pump as opposed to a gravity feed bucket made a difference.
 
Mike, when you are at idle at the dock - the water is not being pumped through your lower unit. There is no pressurized water being thrust into your lower unit. The impellers' job is to send enough water through your motor. I have been winterizing for years with gravity feed on my lower unit. How long have you had the boat? is there any chance that the wrong impeller is being installed??
 
Hello All,

If your going to use the muffs to "inject" the anti-freeze, here are two suggestions:
First and very important-Let the engine idle up to temperature on water through the muffs-this way the thermostat opens and lets the antifreeze EVERYWHERE in the engine.

Second-Place your 50/50 antifreeze and water solution in a 5 gallon pail on the swim deck or above the engine! Use a short piece of at least 5/8 hose. Tip-you can buy hose ends at home center or hardware store. Keeps your hose just long enough to reach from pail to muffs.

TJ
 
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