Winterizing with a Camco kit

[Donald]

I bought a Camco kit to winterize my Volvo Penta I/O. The kit instructions says if the I/O has the pump in the outdrive that use the muffs otherwise use a Camco adapter (optional purchase) to connect the Camco kit with adapter to the sea water pump mounted on the engine.

I think the instructions are not quite correct. I think it's whether the water intake is in the outdrive or not. Not whether the sea water pump is in the outdrive.

 

[LouC]

I responded to this question over at boatered...
These kits don't work with an engine mounted impeller because it will not gravity feed to the impeller up on the engine, the distance is just too far. From the outdrive water intakes it has to go up 18", then forward about 3.5'. Likely to burn up the impeller. With the boat in the water hydrostatic pressure fills those hoses, but on land, if the flow isn't pressurized it won't work.
If you could adapt an electric pump to the tank, that might work....flow has to be pressurized.
You have closed cooling, correct?
Do not use these tanks with raw water cooling unless you drain the block first, or remove the thermostat, otherwise you can wind up with a cracked block.

 

[Donald]

I responded to this question over at boatered...
These kits don't work with an engine mounted impeller because it will not gravity feed to the impeller up on the engine, the distance is just too far. From the outdrive water intakes it has to go up 18", then forward about 3.5'. Likely to burn up the impeller. With the boat in the water hydrostatic pressure fills those hoses, but on land, if the flow isn't pressurized it won't work.
If you could adapt an electric pump to the tank, that might work....flow has to be pressurized.
You have closed cooling, correct?
Do not use these tanks with raw water cooling unless you drain the block first, or remove the thermostat, otherwise you can wind up with a cracked block.

If I connected the winterizing kit to the sea water pump intake there is still the oil cooler with in inline between the outdrive water intake and the sea water intake.

I could drain the sea water system but need to deal with a fuel cooler that is cooled by sea water.

If I bought a 12v pump I could use it to pump Barnicle Buster through the heat exchanger at a later point in time.

 

[LouC]

I connected a livewell pump to mine to use as a flusher for drum brakes, bought the winterizing tank then realized it was no good for raw water cooled engines like mine (years ago).
What does the engine manufacturer say? Just drain everything?

 

[Donald]

Or I could follow the directions on the owners manual and drain the sea water side.

 

[wings&wheels]

I used the basic West Marine kit to winterize our Chapparral w/ the Merc 4.3 Alpha drive. I put the anti-freeze tank either on the transom or a step ladder, use the muffs and let gravity help. Never had a problem for the few years I did it myself.

 

[Donald]

I used the basic West Marine kit to winterize our Chapparral w/ the Merc 4.3 Alpha drive. I put the anti-freeze tank either on the transom or a step ladder, use the muffs and let gravity help. Never had a problem for the few years I did it myself.

But the Mercruiser Alpha One has the sea water pump in the outdrive. Winterizing an I/O with an engine mounted sea water pump is a different story.