Winterize Question

[Julian]

I am still trying to find the d*mn intake hose. I am like a deer in the headlights when it comes to engines. I feel like Napoleon Dynamite...I have no skills.

If you post a photo of each side of your engine, we'll point to which hose it is for ya.

(of course, I'm in the camp of .....anti freeze is an utter waste of time and effort...the only dealers that do this are likely the ones who have ONE process for all their winterizing, and don't realize Yamaha engines self drain. My jet boats were stored in Wisconsin unheated barns all winter for years and never had an issue. Just rev the engine(s) a few times to blow any last bits of water out....and to blow some more out of the water boxes and you are done).

 

[Scottintexas]

As Julian noted, a picture of your engine bay would help us,
this picture is a 2019 242, guessing your "flush" hose is red also, the cooling line is coming from rear,
if you want to add a valve for towing only you can place it in front of the "Y",
if you want to add a valve to help for salt water flush place the valve on the cooling water intake line aft of the "Y", you may have to install it in the cleanout hatch area and access through the manhole cover,



.

 

[Skierdad]

Thank you guys. I really am sincere in this. I can't believe how helpful you all are and how much patience you have with guys like myself. My biggest worry isn't the engine, it is the tubes from the side holes back to the engine but it sounds like they self drain.

Wisconsin temps are probably very similar to ND temps.

 

[Jim Crane]

I am going to self-winterize it for the first time and plan to pop off those hoses that go from the engine to the pee holes and blow through them to check for water. I had to remove them a few years back when mud wasps moved in. They were easy to remove.

BTW: I was at the dealer picking up supplies and the guy remarked that this was going to be the year that I crack the water boxes. Nice, right?! I have been paying them far too much for the past 7 winters.

 

[Shady28]

Scott posted the following thread and on page 3 - https://jetboaters.net/threads/how-to-add-a-shutoff-valve-to-your-boats-cooling-system.411/page-3

There are pictures of where to clamp. Essentially, look for the black hose coming out of the back-of-the-boat/transom/stern that connects to the Y fitting (usually has a red hose on it). You'll want to clamp that line right after it comes out of the wall (at the backside of your engine) before it gets to the Y fitting. If you're looking at either diagram on page 3, it's the green area you want to clamp as it comes straight out of the wall that leads to the clean out tray/back-of-your-boat.

 

[Scottintexas]

Thank you guys. I really am sincere in this. I can't believe how helpful you all are and how much patience you have with guys like myself. My biggest worry isn't the engine, it is the tubes from the side holes back to the engine but it sounds like they self drain.

Wisconsin temps are probably very similar to ND temps.

We were all new to jet boats at one point, if you want to do stuff yourself the best advice is just to get to know your boat and how it operates,
The videos and links in our FAQ tab along with just getting inside your boat (I mean that literally) will help you become very proficient,

If you're real concern is the indicator lines I would do as Jim Crane suggested and just disconnect them at the engine and blow some air through them but in reality if you follow them from the side of the boat to the engine you can probably lift them at any low spots to let any residual water flow back to the engine,

FWIW - residual water in the indicator lines would be about last on my list of worry points,


.

 

[Skierdad]

Holy, that was an amazing diagram. Now I am feeling better about this. Thank you all again.

 

[Skierdad]

Hi all. Back again and ready to pull my hair out. I cannot find the “y” hoses to save my life. The only thing that even looks like it could be it is hiding behind the rubber cylinder that leads to my cleanout port which would require me to pull off the clean out tube and I’m still not sure I will be able to reach it. I realize I’m not very mechanical but this cannot be this difficult. Extremely frustrated at this point.

 

[Skierdad]

OK. I believe I have found it but it is unreachable unless I take the rubber cylinder off (clean out port tube) and the back plate. I took the boat to our steepest ramp and burped the motors again and just a small amount of water came out. At this point this will have to due unless someone comes on here and tells me otherwise. I have felt all the tubes leading to the side and they are limp so they aren't holding any water. Crossing my fingers that all will be good to go.

 

[Scottintexas]

give us a picture of your engine bay, from the starboard side of the engine,

did you try to follow the flush hose from the fitting back to the engine?

 

[Skierdad]

Scott: the hose flush is on the left side of the boat and I can't see past the clean out tube. They have it jammed way back in there and the opening is so small I can't get my head in there to see. It appears to be on the left side of the boat prior to going into the engine bay which means the clamp has to go before the engine bay area which is impossible without removing my clean out tube and back cleanout cover.

 

[Scottintexas]

AHH, the new model changes,
I didn't realize your flush connector was in the cleanout tray,
without seeing where the cooling water hose enters the engine compartment I can't say for sure where your "Y" is,
but I believe there's a good chance it is under the cleanout tray and not in the engine compartment,

Can you stick you phone man hole cover on the cleanout tray and snap a picture?
If nothing else taking the cleanout tray off is actually a pretty easy task (at least on earlier years) and you could get a definitive placement on it, also if you wanted to install a valve you could reroute the hose to give you easier access,


.

 

[Skierdad]

yeah, it looks like I need to loosen the clean out tube and then just remove all the screws to take the plate off. Then I think it would be easy to access that "Y" channel. The boat is put away so crossing my fingers all is good and water boxes are cleaned out and everything else has drained free.

 

[Spooling]

If and when you want to do this in the future, it's probably a lot easier to just get a decent 12v pump and pump the antifreeze in under pressure so you don't have to bother with clamping that line.

 

[Renod]

BTW: I was at the dealer picking up supplies and the guy remarked that this was going to be the year that I crack the water boxes. Nice, right?! I have been paying them far too much for the past 7 winters.

What a d.... penis!

We have been winterizing our 2012 Yammie FX HO Waverunners for years. Other than the initial post-break-in oil change they have never seen the dealer. Absolutely zero issues. And our machines (and boat) are stored on lifts over the Detroit River. They are shrink wrapped but experience all of the elements including sub-zero temps. Every spring they have fired right up. The only issue we have experienced was batteries that needed to be replaced. (Yes, we bring the batteries inside and hook up a Battery Tender. But after a while they just get old.)

IMO there are some excellent suggestions in this thread that we always follow. #1 is getting well-treated fuel into all the lines. We use Seafoam. #2 is burping the throttles to remove the majority of water.

I absolutely love the fall but hate the end of the boating season. Best of luck to all of us who don't get to enjoy these awesome toys 12 months out of the year!

 

[RumDiet]

So I chickened out - bought a clamp and clamped off the intake and ran some antifreeze through - let you know how it all works out in the spring . . .

 

[drewkaree]

I wouldn't say you "chickened out", you simply did something to your boat that gives you some small measure of comfort. You made an investment in buying your boat, and if a few bucks worth of antifreeze and some of your time gives you some peace of mind, who cares what anyone else thinks?

You didn't harm your boat, rest comfortably with your decision.

 

[Julian]

@Skierdad dont fret at all....your boat will be fine and you'll realize next year that you wont have to worry or even think about antifreeze!

 

[mdchachi]

(of course, I'm in the camp of .....anti freeze is an utter waste of time and effort...the only dealers that do this are likely the ones who have ONE process for all their winterizing, and don't realize Yamaha engines self drain. My jet boats were stored in Wisconsin unheated barns all winter for years and never had an issue. Just rev the engine(s) a few times to blow any last bits of water out....and to blow some more out of the water boxes and you are done).

Similar discussion going in one of the Yamaha FB groups.

This person claimed he had an issue caused by not antifreezing. Not sure what model he has.

You absolutely should put antifreeze in if your in a northern state. Many of us northerners experienced water freezing in oil coolers and either cracking the housing or popping the head bolts off due to freezing. It’s nearly impossible to get all the water out of this area. I put a funnel on the end of a short piece of hose and pour in as the motor is running. Once I see orange hit the floor I call it good.
...
Happened to me, then did a few searches and found it is fairly common. Also talking to a dealer in mid michigan that has repairs several every spring time. It’s the small passages in the oil cooler that is really the only issue. Just trying to save a few people a headache in the spring that can be solved by putting in $10 worth of coolant.

But then you see comments like this:
Had Yamaha jet boats since 2000. Stored in the upper peninsula of Michigan where it gets down to -40. Never used antifreeze once. Stabil the gas, blow out the water and see you next year!

 

[Shady28]

Pretty much the same can be said of the flu shot, driving a car, etc. Having a freezing issue is a random variable. Most will be fine (1st, 2nd 3rd deviation) some will not (outside 3rd) play the odds and you're probably be fine.

I still ran anti-freeze through this year

I'd rather spend 30 minutes off-season to prevent a small, but still possible multi week issue in-season.