I didn't winterize my 2000 Volvo Penta 6cyl. engine. What's the possibility that the block will crack.

Question

I live in Minnesota and the temp has already gone to 6 and 7 degrees! The boat hasn't been in the water since August. I'm having the lower unit winterized on Monday. How can I tell if the block is cracked and should I still try to have it winterized?

Answer 1

your block shouldn't crack but the lower unit could be in trouble. freeze plugs should take care of block.we hope!

Answer 2

Get ready to spend a lot of money.  It is possible you are lucky enough to only have a cracked exhaust manifold or 2.  but more than likely the block is cracked.

put a flusher over the intakes on the lower unit.  Make sure you turn the water on and start the motor.  look for water coming out of the motor going into the bilge.  If you do not see water coming from the manifolds or the block stop the engine and check the oil.

If the oil appears to be overfull then you are getting water into the crank case.

If you do not know how to check your oil level let the engine run for a while, do not worry about damaging the engine.  If it is already damaged you can not hurt it anymore because it is not repairable, if it is ok then you will not damage it running it on a flusher.

If after a few minutes a nasty oil/water mix starts spewing out of the carburetor get ready to fork out about $4500.00.

If it is damaged you do not have to worry about winterizing it.  The only way you have to worry about the lower unit is if it has an SX drive.  Then there should be water drain screws in the upper part of the drive.

Answer 3

The only time you have to worry about your lower unit is if water got into the drive shaft.  Every time I drain my lower unit oil, it come out very clean with not water at all.  This means there's no way freezing temps could hurt it, its just oil inside like there should be (but I change it anyway to winterize it).

You engine block is a whole nother story!  If it has a raw water pickup like most do, then it DEFINITELY has water in it, and must be drained and/or flushed with antifreeze.

Freeze plugs do not always do what the're supposed to do. Sometimes the block cracks regardless of the plugs.

Good luck, it may already be cracked!

Answer 4

water in the manifolds may be a problem. every engine of marine make have drains to remove the water . your taking a good chance of a frozen system including your hoses. oh well its just money.

Answer 5

There is a very good chance you have or will suffer damage to the block and other parts or the cooling system. Get it thawed out asap and then have it pressure tested. Oil coolers, gear coolers, manifolds water pumps  and hoses not to mention the block could all have damage. How about any other systems on the boat that have water in them and the batteries?

Answer 6

Do you have gas in it.  if so, that helps

Answer 7

First of all, put a light bulb in the engine area to keep it warm.  Make sure that there are no gas vapors first.  The light bulb will keep the engine warm for the temp time before it gets winterized.

It depends on of you have a closed cooling system or a freshwater system.  In a closed cooling system, most of the time, there is antifreeze in the system to prevent overheating and freezing.  If in a freshwater system, you neeed to have expansion...

So, the lower unit should only have oil, not an issue with freezing.  The block will have MUCH water in it, But usually not enough to freeze in a couple of days worth of expansion.

If you can, take out the brass s***w fittings on the bottom, empty the "radiator like" hoses and put the light bulb in the engine and you should be all set.