Winterizing your Atomic 4

[jhwelch]

Even if it's just antifreeze that's been spilled it's a sign of sloppy work.
Next time I bet you do the job yourself--you have a freshwater cooling
system so no need to bypass the thermostat, it should only take a
few minutes.

-jonathan

[Mr. Close Reach]

Could it just be spilled antifreeze that did not get cleaned up?

I don't think so; she was winterized in November and I've been onboard every few weeks since then. This was the first time I saw any green in the bilge...

[s/v Dearbhail]

Mr. Close Reach

Well I'm no expert, but seeing anti freeze around the spark plug isn't a good sign. If it wasn't there before the temperature drop and it is now,,, same with the finding anti freeze in the bilge.

Have you pulled the plugs? Can you see anti freeze?
Have you checked the oil for evidence of water/anti freeze?

[rigspelt]

Very odd, and sure got me curious.

Is there a coolant line somewhere above the engine that could have leaked antifreeze and dropped it onto the engine?

I find it tough to see how a block or head could have ruptured and squeezed antifreeze up around the plugs -- that clearly is good strength antifreeze. There would have had to have been pure water somewhere behind the antifreeze that froze and pushed antifreeze ahead of the expanding ice, for example.

I wonder what the yard mechanics think.

[Mr. Close Reach]

Well I'm no expert, but seeing anti freeze around the spark plug isn't a good sign. If it wasn't there before the temperature drop and it is now,,, same with the finding anti freeze in the bilge.

Have you pulled the plugs? Can you see anti freeze?
Have you checked the oil for evidence of water/anti freeze?

Very odd, and sure got me curious.

Is there a coolant line somewhere above the engine that could have leaked antifreeze and dropped it onto the engine?

I find it tough to see how a block or head could have ruptured and squeezed antifreeze up around the plugs -- that clearly is good strength antifreeze. There would have had to have been pure water somewhere behind the antifreeze that froze and pushed antifreeze ahead of the expanding ice, for example.

I wonder what the yard mechanics think.

Thanks guys. I haven't talked to the yard yet, wanted to educate myself a bit more first. The tube from the overflow canister does run above the engine and that was my first guess, but I checked and it is secure and dry/clean. Haven't pulled the plugs or checked the oil yet, will do so today.

[Mr. Close Reach]

Pulled the plugs, no evidence of antifreeze or moisture inside, and nothing in the oil. I guess at this point a spill is the most likely explanation, although I still can't understand why I wouldn't have detected that a few months ago when the work was done.

[Jim Booth]

[QUOTE=tenders;6529]If the thermostat isn't removed, yes, unless you're sure it's wide open when the antifreeze goes through, it won't circulate in the engine -- it will go straight through the bypass.

With a block properly full of antifreeze, I don't think the drain plugs are so critical. I've never removed mine.

QUOTE]

I forgot to pull the thermostat this year. I just went to the boat and took it out. There was slushy antifreeze on both sides of it (in the hose and in the head). I found one drain plug toward the flywheel end and pulled it. A few drops of liquid came out. It didn't look pink but it's hard to tell with only a few drops.

I have the hose to the thermostat pinched off part way. I think that's a recommended temporary fix to keep the engine cool. Anyway, will that have forced antifreeze into the block even if the thermostat wasn't open fully? It was a cool day when I winterized.

Is there anything else I should do at this stage? I can get to electricity for a temporary space heater but it would take a long time to bring the block above freezing. It has been below 20 for a while with single digit nights.

Thanks,
Jim

[rpowers]

California ?

Is all this concern applicable to California?

[hudsojo]

Block Heater

Interested in any feedback on using the following block heater for the Atomic 4. I'm in southeastern Virginia and keep the boat in the water year round.

http://www.jcwhitney.com/Magnet-mount_Engine_Block_Heater?ID=12;0;1101001648;0;100001;ProductName;4;0;0;0;2000836;0;0

Didn't see a block heater on the MM website.

Thanks.

[Blue Eyes]

antifreeze

Does one pump the antifreeze with the Starter Motor or
with the engine running?

[sastanley]

blue eyes, I would definitely do it with the engine running..if you only use the starter the lack of exhaust pressure would allow water to back in to the engine thru the exhaust...the very reason everyone cautions about closing your intake if you have starting problems..

[nreeves]

help

I followed the winter lay up directions from chapter 9 of the Moyer A4 book and the first several steps went. I changed the oil, drew antifreeze through the intake. Realized that I had the late model engine and removed the thermostat and did it again. I first forgot to pinch off the by-pass (which may have caused the problem), then realized the mistake and ran some more through with the bypass pinched off. Up until this point, everything worked as planned.

I then took out the spark plugs, sprayed some mystery oil in each hole and tried to start it again. I tried to start is again without the plugs in and it just gave a higher pitch whine, like a car started when it won't turn over. I tried again with the plugs in with a similar result. Each time, I only tried in for 10-15 sec's. I did notice that the intake did take on more fluid and I started one last time with the intake hose out of the antifreeze. The engine would not start. I pulled the plugs on last time and am worried that I may have had a back up of liquid in the system. The plugs did seem to have a faint antifreeze smell.

At this point, I am worried that I may have backed up water or antifreeze into the engine and would like to know how to trouble shoot this. I checked the oil and there seems to be no sign of water so far, but the engine has not run since the last few steps.

As you may have guessed, this is my first season with a boat and a A4. The thing worked like a dream all season and I want to make sure it stays that way. If you have any ideas of how to check the engine to ensure there is no water/antifreeze in the engine, I am all ears!

Thanks!

[keithems]

a few comments

re. the above -- there may be alternatives [look in the cylinders if possible or suction them out carefully to see if there's h2o or antifreeze in them?] but at the end of the day -- if it were i, i'd start again and make sure the engine starts and runs normally if i had any doubts -- be sure to have a bucket of water there for cooling if it does run...then i'd just go thru the whole winterization procedure all over again -- all part of the learning process -- the stories i could tell you bout my first yr with the a4!

a few other comments / things i've learned / mods i've made on winterization:

1. last year i changed the oil a few weeks before winter shut down -- refilling with about 1/2 30 wt and the other 1/2 mmo -- then ran the engine gently on the final outings [all in the canal or river here] -- then shut dwon for the winter with that blend still in and changed it to the recommended 30 wt + 1 qt mmo after spring launch --

2. re. antifreeze -- i use the green stuff cuz it has lots of antirust compounds in it [which are not in the pink]...

the results this year were really great -- a4 ran better than ever -- and i really didn't do much else to it -- so i think....

seeing as it sits 5-6 months with no use to speak of -- sitting bathed [marinating?] in mmo [block, etc] and anti-rust [cooling system, etc.] can't "hoit" and may even make up for the summertime abuse...

and finally a few questions:

i know the usual flush liquid is muriatic acid or vinegar...but what about using c.l.r. / lime-away or the various auto-store flush preparations made for auto cooling systems? would love to hear from don on this or anyone who has tried these....

[ArtJ]

I followed the winter lay up directions from chapter 9 of the Moyer A4 book and the first several steps went. I changed the oil, drew antifreeze through the intake. Realized that I had the late model engine and removed the thermostat and did it again. I first forgot to pinch off the by-pass (which may have caused the problem), then realized the mistake and ran some more through with the bypass pinched off. Up until this point, everything worked as planned.

I then took out the spark plugs, sprayed some mystery oil in each hole and tried to start it again. I tried to start is again without the plugs in and it just gave a higher pitch whine, like a car started when it won't turn over. I tried again with the plugs in with a similar result. Each time, I only tried in for 10-15 sec's. I did notice that the intake did take on more fluid and I started one last time with the intake hose out of the antifreeze. The engine would not start. I pulled the plugs on last time and am worried that I may have had a back up of liquid in the system. The plugs did seem to have a faint antifreeze smell.

At this point, I am worried that I may have backed up water or antifreeze into the engine and would like to know how to trouble shoot this. I checked the oil and there seems to be no sign of water so far, but the engine has not run since the last few steps.

As you may have guessed, this is my first season with a boat and a A4. The thing worked like a dream all season and I want to make sure it stays that way. If you have any ideas of how to check the engine to ensure there is no water/antifreeze in the engine, I am all ears!

Thanks!

I would have cleaned and dried the plugs or swap in another set of plugs.
Check that you still have spark.

Unless you forced water into the engine via a garden hose, a definite no no,
you shouldn't have caused water to enter the engine. Doing it via a
bucket and letting the pump pull its own water / antifreeze is the correct
approach.

[theredboat]

Starting on the hard

I took my boat out thinking I was going to have it back in before winter, but now I need to winterize it on the hard. What's the best method to do that? I've read through this thread and saw that some recommend cranking on the starter with the plugs out to get the antifreeze through. I don't have a thermostat so I'm not worried about having to to warm up the engine. But I dont want water getting back in to block through the exhaust. Please advise!