Winterizing a 5.7 raw water cooled Merc using the flush port

[rmandes]

Does anyone have experience winterizing a 5.7 raw water cooled merc using the flush port?

Thanks

[JimG]

Good question... I will be interested to know also.

I have that setup also, but I pull the 4 blue plugs on each engine, drain, then put them back. I then fill the each block with the good pink stuff through the plug on the thermostat housing.

[rmandes]

Good question... I will be interested to know also.

I have that setup also, but I pull the 4 blue plugs on each engine, drain, then put them back. I then fill the each block with the good pink stuff through the plug on the thermostat housing.

Jim Does the way you do it get around the thermostat and completely fill the engine water jackets, manifolds and risers? So you can do it with a cold engine?

Thanks

Bob

[JimG]

Yes... I get about 4-5 gallons in each cold engine. I'll have the water heater coil hose off and pour into the port engine until it comes out there, put the hose back on and continue till it starts to fill the intake strainer. I fill the starboard until I hear it start to come in the exhaust canister. I'm not sure why they are different, but it worked great last year!

I'm betting you could do it through the flush port, but you would have to run the engines.

[ZZ13]

Yes... I get about 4-5 gallons in each cold engine. I'll have the water heater coil hose off and pour into the port engine until it comes out there, put the hose back on and continue till it starts to fill the intake strainer. I fill the starboard until I hear it start to come in the exhaust canister. I'm not sure why they are different, but it worked great last year!

I'm betting you could do it through the flush port, but you would have to run the engines.

Did I interpret what you said right: So you have the three-point drain system (2 plugs on raw water pump, one plug on water distribution housing, and one vent plug on the thermostat housing)? And you simply fill the antifreeze through the little blue plug opening on the t-stat housing - you don't pull the hoses on the housing and fill via those?

[JimG]

Did I interpret what you said right: So you have the three-point drain system (2 plugs on raw water pump, one plug on water distribution housing, and one vent plug on the thermostat housing)? And you simply fill the antifreeze through the little blue plug opening on the t-stat housing - you don't pull the hoses on the housing and fill via those?

I remove the four blue plugs, drain, and put all four back. I then remove a 1/2" brass plug from the T-stat housing and fill the block through there.