Axis Wakeboard Boat Forum

Walter you are my new best friend!!!

So I have to use antifreeze, how do I pump it into the system and get it to the heater also?

You don't necessarily have to use antifreeze if you blow out the lines, just take the line off the intake manifold and blow all the water in the heater back into the engine, make sure you have the drain plugs removed, after that you can use a funnel to put antifreeze in the hose and let it run into the heater but it really isn't necessary if you blow it out good, I personally haven't used antifreeze on this boat because everything is so easy to access to drain, I had an inboard-outboard with the same engine that was a real pain to get to the drain plugs so at the end of the season I just poured 2 gallons of antifreeze into the flush hose and called that good, never had a problem.

I have a flush valve on my transom for the hose... I dump antifreeze into there? What is the pump the dealer talks about needing to pump the antifreeze in because pouring it in is not enough for the impeller.

I'm not really sure what your flush valve hooks up to but I would still drain everything like the owners manual says, and like I have described here, I think the flush valve is mainly for flushing clean water into your system to remove any dirty lake water. If you can show me a few pics it would help, maybe Matt B. will jump in here and lend some advice. I'm just familiar with the standard system, I wish I had the 400 horse saltwater catalyst engine, then I can give a better description on what to do. You can always refer to the owners manual for more info. It's just as detailed as what I have posted here.

Take a look at the post by roachy on this thread - viewtopic.php?f=14&t=107&p=1987#p1987. The flush valve is for cleaning out the system if you're boating in salt / brackish water.

I know what the flush valve is for I am in a salt water environment.. My last boat I did not have to pump antifreeze into it. I took a few hoses on and poured it in. It was a stern drive. I found my answer. Im not paying the dealer to do this job $400.

Can anyone tell me why the oil and filter are supposed to be changed? I just had it changed 3 hours ago. I'll have the boat out again in March. 4 months is nothing in an automotive environment. Why does the marine industry seem so adamant about this?

If you just had it changed 3 hours prior I think you'll be ok, you just don't want to winterize an engine with 30-40 hour oil in it due to contaminants and moisture just sitting on all of the internal surfaces like the bearings for extended periods of time. The main reason is to get rid of the moisture in the oil.

I know the operating temperature on my boat is lower than most cars (162 versus about 190), but I'm really surprised to read this kind of concern. I grabbed some oil reports from a couple of track cars while I was at work today, and in each case, the water content was <0.1%. Fuel dilution was equally low. I'm wondering what an oil report would look like for one of our boats. Usually the oil breaks down by continued shearing of the long polymeric additives that improve viscosity. Maybe I'll grab a sample and send it off to Blackstone next time I change the oil.

Having said that, please don't take my comments as dismissive. I've got an automotive background, but I have come to realize boats are a totally different animal. I've been assuming I can just drain the coolant out of my boat and be on my merry way until March.

NICE WRITE UP!
So, what is the easiest way to swap the impeller out?
It looks like it is hard to get to with the fiberglass exhaust tube in the way? Do you have to pull that out to get access to the front of the impeller housing? Or is there a simpler way to access/swap it out? Mine is 2 years old, so I figured it was time to swap it out. Thanks in advance.