beside changing the oil and filter of a 21hp westerbeke, what needs to be done for winter storage?
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Close the through hull valve
for the raw water cooling line, remove the hose from the nipple and put it into a premixed jug of anti-freeze and start the engine. When the exhaust is spewing anti-freeze, stop the engine. The exhaust will now be winterized. Next, change your fuel filters, drain the water seperator, add biocide to the fuel and go home. Have a nice winter. Jim
for the raw water cooling line, remove the hose from the nipple and put it into a premixed jug of anti-freeze and start the engine. When the exhaust is spewing anti-freeze, stop the engine. The exhaust will now be winterized. Next, change your fuel filters, drain the water seperator, add biocide to the fuel and go home. Have a nice winter. Jim
Here's What I did
I drain the water from the heat exchanger as a precaution. As previously stated, I put the raw water hose in a jug of -50 degree pink antifreeze and ran about a gallon and a half through the engine while it was running. I may have use more than necessary but it is cheap insurance. I examined a jug of this stuff at 25 below zero last year. It was slush, not frozen and it didn't break the plastic bottle so it won't hurt your motor. I found the sea water impeller doesn't like laying in that antifreeze over the winter and had to replace it every two year even though I only ran 50 hours/year. You may want to remove the sea water pump cover and empty the pump to extend impeller life. My primary fuel filter located in the lift pump needed to be changed every two years or 100 hours or it became restrictive and effected engine performance. The final fuel filter always looked clean and I replace it at the same time. I never had water or junk in the fuel water seperater but I inspected it annually. I added various chemicals to the diesel but don't know how effective they are. Some folks like to release tension from the alternator belt but I only did that two out of ten years. I found that motor to be hard on belts and replace them evey two years. I always carried spare belts, impellers and filters and over a ten year period have changed all of them during a cruise. Cover the boat, they like to leak
I drain the water from the heat exchanger as a precaution. As previously stated, I put the raw water hose in a jug of -50 degree pink antifreeze and ran about a gallon and a half through the engine while it was running. I may have use more than necessary but it is cheap insurance. I examined a jug of this stuff at 25 below zero last year. It was slush, not frozen and it didn't break the plastic bottle so it won't hurt your motor. I found the sea water impeller doesn't like laying in that antifreeze over the winter and had to replace it every two year even though I only ran 50 hours/year. You may want to remove the sea water pump cover and empty the pump to extend impeller life. My primary fuel filter located in the lift pump needed to be changed every two years or 100 hours or it became restrictive and effected engine performance. The final fuel filter always looked clean and I replace it at the same time. I never had water or junk in the fuel water seperater but I inspected it annually. I added various chemicals to the diesel but don't know how effective they are. Some folks like to release tension from the alternator belt but I only did that two out of ten years. I found that motor to be hard on belts and replace them evey two years. I always carried spare belts, impellers and filters and over a ten year period have changed all of them during a cruise. Cover the boat, they like to leak
heat exchanger zinc - use Camco Banfrost 2000
Regarding the anti-freeze to use for the engine, the -50 stuff is for the water systems, Camco's Banfrost 2000 is for engines and has stuff in it for engines (which can't be used in the water systems). Also if the engine is a fresh-water cooled system (heat exchanger implies this), if you also have a 'water lift' muffler, often manuals will suggest draining it before and after doing the anti-freeze. Lastly do heed the previous advice about removing the raw-water impellor -- they do not stand-up to the propolyene-glycol and will die when you least need/want it (I authored an article in Catalina's Mainsheet Magazine November 2004 Catalina 30's and now their manuals suggest removing the impellors). ALso, don't forget to clean the 'anti-siphon' valve, if you have one, usually between the water-lift muffler and the engine in the raw-water line before the injection elbow. FYI, I replace my fuel filters in the spring and not in the fall. I wait until the engine has run a couple of times and the boat bounced around a few waves. This way the winter 'junk' is jostled around and gets sucked-up into the old filters, then I change them and have nice clean filters all summer long. hope this helps....
Regarding the anti-freeze to use for the engine, the -50 stuff is for the water systems, Camco's Banfrost 2000 is for engines and has stuff in it for engines (which can't be used in the water systems). Also if the engine is a fresh-water cooled system (heat exchanger implies this), if you also have a 'water lift' muffler, often manuals will suggest draining it before and after doing the anti-freeze. Lastly do heed the previous advice about removing the raw-water impellor -- they do not stand-up to the propolyene-glycol and will die when you least need/want it (I authored an article in Catalina's Mainsheet Magazine November 2004 Catalina 30's and now their manuals suggest removing the impellors). ALso, don't forget to clean the 'anti-siphon' valve, if you have one, usually between the water-lift muffler and the engine in the raw-water line before the injection elbow. FYI, I replace my fuel filters in the spring and not in the fall. I wait until the engine has run a couple of times and the boat bounced around a few waves. This way the winter 'junk' is jostled around and gets sucked-up into the old filters, then I change them and have nice clean filters all summer long. hope this helps....
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