Winterizing - flush valve?

[MISkier]

Has anyone used this flush valve to either flush the boat between ski lakes or for winterizing?

 

Perko Flush Pro

 

I'm curious about how it works, specifically since it has a check valve. It seems like that check valve may require extra work from the impeller to draw in raw water. I would not want such a valve to cause a problem with regular water flow to the engine.

 

Any other advice or tips on this type of solution for flushing and winterizing is appreciated.

[BraceMaker]

They work but I dislike them. Go to menards and make up a few feet of radiator hose and a 5 gallon bucket. One hose clamp on the trans cooler pop your new hose on and stick into the bucket. Hose on let the bucket start to fill. Start your boat.

 

At idle bucket should fill slowly. To prevent over flow rev the boat.

 

Engine flushed. Time to winterize? Toss hose overboard let boat suck up the water. Kill engine dump block and manifolds. Pour a few gallons antifreeze in bucket. Close block and manifolds fire it up and let it slurp.

 

 

I'd only get a perko if you have to leave the boat in salt water and have a hose at the dock to flush in the water.

[Jmoski]

If you use it or the bucket trick, the most important step mentioned above is "dump the block" before winterizing.

 

it's imperative you drain all of the water out of the system before pulling marine AF from the bucket.

 

Otherwise you run the risk of diluting the AF from it mixing in the block & the manifolds and thus compromising the freeze protection it affords.

 

Also, if you pull AF through the system, make sure you remove the impeller after and rinse it off as the alcohol in the AF can cause the impeller to swell. I just store the impeller in a zip lock bag wet and leave the RWP and the belt off for the winter.

[Tryathlete]

Use propylene glycol and you won’t ruin the impeller.

[BraceMaker]

So the best lube for these things is Glycerin (same stuff you get at walgreens) https://www.amazon.com/Glycerin-Vegetable-Kosher-USP-Pharmaceutical/dp/B00PSGWHIO/ref=sr_1_6_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1507133815&sr=8-6&keywords=glycerin

 

If you want to avoid damage from dry starts/antifreeze mix what I would do is finish winterizing and pull the impeller and stick it in a bag with glycerin.

 

I'm a nautical heathen and usually don't pull the impeller in the winter, I think all the cycles on those 4 little screws threaded into brass housings is not great for the housing - so I change impellers every few seasons and just pump some on the vanes at the end, in the spring I usually put a few shots on the vanes through the input hose prior to first start. I've never actually had a torn impeller with this method. And they usually last 4 or 5 seasons on this method.

 

Also good if you trailer boat and have to dump the water for invasive species reasons - avoids dry start.

[oldjeep]

If you are really worried about dry starts on the impeller from trailering or a proper winter antifreeze (I'm not) then get yourself a globe impeller. I replace my impeller every 2 seasons - if you are going to pull it out then might as well replace it. Install it with the glycerin packet if the impeller came with one or just some dish soap otherwise. Mine get replaced during winterization - the boat is in a state where you can just start it up and go in the spring.

 

Winterizing family boats starts on Saturday - ugg, season is almost over. Hopefully mine won't get done until Nov again this year.

[RichardDoane]

we were talking about winterizing the Radar MC today - so that means installing quick drains and blow-out connections for the heater core so that we can keep skiing through the winter

[oldjeep]

Our water gets a bit too cold to waterski through winter, thankfully the other ski season usually starts a month later. Last run through the course will be Sunday before I winterize that boat and it's owner heads for FL. Hopefully there will be a couple more free ski runs behind the vtx after that.

[MISkier]

@RichardDoane,

 

Do you have pics and/or instructions on the location and parts for the quick drains and blow-out connections?

[RichardDoane]

 

[RichardDoane]

On the older engines, take out the drain plugs on the side of the block and install an extension and a drain valve on each side of the engine. If the engine has knock sensors or a shower hose fitting, then add the "T" so the knock sensor/shower fitting can stay installed in line, and add the drain valve at the end. you can use the less expensive "mouse ear" type petcocks as well. All this stuff is readily available at any decent auto parts store. @MISkier

[RichardDoane]

 

[RichardDoane]

for the heater hoses, just cut and install a couple of flush "T"'s, one down low headed into the bilge where the water will come out, and the other up higher where you can blow in air. You can make a hose extension to attach, or just blow out by mouth. Remember to pinch the hose behind the "T" so the air pushes out the water in the heater core back to the bilge.

[RichardDoane]

 

[RichardDoane]

Also for the older engines is an available drain hose kit you can install between the exhaust manifolds that makes manifold draining very simple. Just remove the plugs on both sides/rear and install the fittings and hose assembly. Then you just disconnect the coupling in the middle of the hose and drain both sides at once. Or, just put a drain valve on each side with the appropriate thread adapters.

[oldjeep]

@RichardDoane - that isn't causing any issues with the knock sensors? I'm not sure you would ever know since the danger is that they can no longer pick up the knock. Pretty sure I've read in the past that it is recommended not to move them out of the block like that

[RichardDoane]

I've heard that as well, but have yet to have had a problem with a properly tuned and running engine. It would make sense that if your timing was way too advanced it could cause issues, but the brass adapter when properly tightened into the block should transfer the resonance or "knock" from a "pinging" engine.

[MISkier]

@RichardDoane,

 

Thanks. My boat already has the interconnected manifold drain hoses. I would be looking at outfitting the rest of it with quick drain capability.

 

I have the shower, so will need to follow the approach for that.

 

I had heard from a boat dealer that only very low psi should be used to blow out the water. Either by mouth or something like 8 psi with a mechanical air source.

 

Great info.

[RichardDoane]

@MISkier yes, heater cores are fairly fragile, we don't have shop air at the lake, so just blow by mouth. If you blow in reverse now and then, it also "backflows" the core and will keep your heater working as efficiently as possible. Remember to run the shower until it's empty as well, and drain any ballast tanks

[6balls]

We live in MN...it gets plenty cold. Ski buddy has an '87 MC and has maybe changed his impeller once, has never drained the block for winterization. When the boat is warm he slurps a bunch of AF thru the intake from a bucket and parks it in a machine shed. This year granted nothing goes wrong in the sub-zero will be 30 years.

 

I'm ok with that record so I do the same. I would like a simple access valve to winterize, however, as pulling my hose off to connect to a hose and bucket is not easy and it suddenly gives way when it breaks loose...a nice way to lose skin off of the hands.

 

Better yet I should move south far enough where I don't have to winterize!

 

 

[Fast351]

My 2007 has a ballcock on the water intake (a big one with a red handle). My 2001 has a brass flush port, but the water goes out the bottom too. Thought about putting a valve on the input side of the flush valve to prevent that, but it still doesn't help with winterization. I just use a 5 gallon bucket with a hose.

 

It has a plastic hose on it currently which kind of sucks because it hardens. This year I had to use a heat gun to soften it to get it over the trans cooler. I'll probably switch to a radiator hose next year.

 

My procedure: warm up boat (used the lake this year). Change oil and filter. Drain block, intake screen holder, and manifolds. Replace plugs with freshly installed teflon tape. Hook up 5 gallon bucket with hose. Dump in 4 gallons of RV antifreeze, get last gallon ready. Start boat, let idle. Dump in 5th gallon of antifreeze as room allows. Shut off engine when bucket is empty. Remove bucket, install intake hose. I leave the antifreeze in the system to prevent corrosion. Some guys drain the excess.

 

Spring time I just start it.

[GaryWilkinson]

I used to use pure glycol antifreeze poured into the block from the highest hose connections till it came out the back.

 

This year I sucked up 4 containers of RV antifreeze because I don’t want to dump all that AF out on the driveway or grass at spring startup.

 

Do you guys know a way to capture the glycol antifreeze in the spring without trying to hold a bucket to the exhaust hose port at the rear of the boat?