[areles]

Well, I have stumbled upon a new group. We finally decided to pull the pin and buy a boat! We started shopping at the end of the season this year to catch a good deal. After many let downs and disappointments, we came across this beauty. We knew nothing about Mariah, never heard this boat name before. Once I started really diving in, wow, did I find a winner!

2000 Mariah Shabah 212
V8 305ci Merc EFI
Alpha I


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[Hudson River Steve]

Congratulations on the purchase and welcome to the Maria world.

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[Motoxxx43]

Welcome to MOC! Mariahs are solid boats. I wish they were still being produced. Great platforms to build on. Lots of info on this site. Enjoy the new boat!

[areles]

Thank you for the welcome. I am just in the process of getting the motor functioning again and starting to stress about winterizing this thing. Anyone have any pointers? I have the 305 merc, I found 5 water drain plugs.. someone told me there were 7, but I looked all over.

[Hudson River Steve]

Five sounds about right. One either side of the bock, one on each exhaust and one on the fuel cooler. The number of drains is determined by the year and model of your motor. I know some 5.0's that are single drain! Check one of the online part sites that show schematics for your exact motor. Study the scematics to help locate all your drains.

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[areles]

Originally Posted by Hudson River Steve

Five sounds about right. One either side of the bock, one on each exhaust and one on the fuel cooler. The number of drains is determined by the year and model of your motor. I know some 5.0's that are single drain! Check one of the online part sites that show schematics for your exact motor. Study the schematics to help locate all your drains.

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Awesome, thanks for the confirmation. I've seen some good youtube vids on winterizing. My question is, once the RV antifreeze has been cycled through, do the blue plugs remain installed? or remove them and just leave everything open to the atmosphere

[Hudson River Steve]

I run the motor on the hose until the thermostat begins to cycle, then run rv antifreeze through the motor. Shut off motor, change oil. Once motor is cooled, remove all blue plugs and let drain. Usually need a piece of wire to clear sediment and scale from the drains. That way anything left in crevices of motor and exhaust manifolds is mainly rv antifreeze. Been working in NY winters for 30+yrs without any freeze issues.

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[areles]

Originally Posted by Hudson River Steve

I run the motor on the hose until the thermostat begins to cycle, then run rv antifreeze through the motor. Shut off motor, change oil. Once motor is cooled, remove all blue plugs and let drain. Usually need a piece of wire to clear sediment and scale from the drains. That way anything left in crevices of motor and exhaust manifolds is mainly rv antifreeze. Been working in NY winters for 30+yrs without any freeze issues.

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Do you run it through some kind of sump pump through the mouse ears through the leg? I seen a vid where someone removed the hoses and poured antifreeze down the hoses on each side and watched pink drain through all the holes. But the video didn't cover what he did for the leg.

Sorry if there is a thread for this already. I'll do better next time : D

[Hudson River Steve]

I have a 5 gal bucket that I modified with an outlet for a garden hose. I fill the 5 gal bucket with antifreeze and place on the swim platform. I run the outlet of the bucket to a Y valve. Run the hose to the other side of the Y valve and the center of the Y valve to the mouse ears that you place over the out-drive inlets.

I run on the hose until the thermostat begins to cycle then turn off the hose, turn on the bucket and let it get sucked into the motor. When the bucket is near empty, I shut the motor off for the last time of the year.
Easy peasy.

[areles]

Originally Posted by Hudson River Steve

I have a 5 gal bucket that I modified with an outlet for a garden hose. I fill the 5 gal bucket with antifreeze and place on the swim platform. I run the outlet of the bucket to a Y valve. Run the hose to the other side of the Y valve and the center of the Y valve to the mouse ears that you place over the out-drive inlets.

I run on the hose until the thermostat begins to cycle then turn off the hose, turn on the bucket and let it get sucked into the motor. When the bucket is near empty, I shut the motor off for the last time of the year.
Easy peasy.

To clarify, you still leave the blue plugs installed then when all is said and done?