Winterizing Questions

[dmartis]

Maybe I'm crazy, but every fall I pull out my thermostat before winterizing to be sure antifreeze runs through the engine block. I do this since the engine is usually cold when I do this and the thermostat closed.

The joy of this is constantly replacing thermostat gaskets, or trying to not get the housing to leak.

Am I crazy to do this? would I be better clamp the bypass hose instead?

[Whippet]

sans thermostat

then again, there is a loyal group of us that never run with t-stat, and use a MMI valve in the by-pass. Makes winterizing a snap. just saying.

[sastanley]

whippet, I would not mess with it now. otherwise, you'll be in the 're-winterize the block' camp without running the engine.

If it is not leaking, let's deal with it in the spring.

For the record, I have no t-stat and I removed my bypass completely (plugged it like Micah has done)..but I am FWC'd now, so I do not see the bypass as needed any longer..I also enlarged the side plate to 1/2" NPT.

little fuzzy..sorry.

[BunnyPlanet169]

Was going to start another thread, but this one seems close to topic.

I managed to strip the threads on the wing nut part of the drain plug (one by starter). Hope i dont get demoted to tenderfoot. Facts and questions:

3) I assume since block is full and this doesnt leak, that i can leave this troublesome bugger in there.
4) I attempted to go the route of removing. Rounded the corners with a square wrench. Another demotion to tenderfoot. Applied PB and tried to remove w vice grips, but wont come loose.

Any advice how to remove, or do I just let it go?

3: Correct. IMHO - deal with it when you can afford the time to really screw it up!

4: Less than Tenderfoot= Scout. See #3. When that time comes, PB Blaster, Kroil, ATF and acetone - pick your juice and take your time. It's a sacrificial part already. You'll destroy it further removing it, or when you end up drilling it out.

[redlion500]

John
Thanks for the advice on the packing nut. The boat was short-hauled with the hull pressure-washed for the hull inspection portion of the survey and before the sea trial. The surveyor detected excessive play in the shaft - my Marina manager wants to check that out before I start the cutlass bearing replacement: he's found surveyors can be a little aggressive at times and the replacement is premature.

Shawn - great tip on the selfie-stick. It's perfect for getting the photos I still need. Thanks!

[JOHN COOKSON]

The surveyor detected excessive play in the shaft - my Marina manager wants to check that out before I start the cutlass bearing replacement: he's found surveyors can be a little aggressive at times and the replacement is premature.

Redlion
A second opinion is a good idea R\E the cutless.
You can actually do it yourself but the boat needs to be hauled.
There are guidelines for play in the cutless. Something like 1/16"to 1/8" play is allowable.
Myself I ignore them. Any play in the cutless (tested by grabbing the prop and trying to move the shaft up down left right in the cutless) is unacceptable and is cause to replace the cutless.

TRUE GRIT