[Public-list] Re winterizing

[Gordon White]

     I decided it was a good idea to change the oil this fall, and also 
the antifreeze, which hadn't been changed in years. Pretty tough getting 
at the Westerbeke  Diesel in Brigadoon II, which fits like a hand in a 
glove. I pulled off one of the fresh water cooling hoses, but probably 
didn't get all of the old antifreeze to drain out. If there's a drain at 
a low point I can't see or reach it. Then it was a real challenge to get 
the cap off the heat exchanger to re-fill it with antifreeze.

    I had run the engine to warm the oil before draining it, so that 
flowed pretty well. I re-filled the crankcase with new oil, and now I 
think I need to run it long enough to distribute the new oil into the 
bearings.

    I also shut off the fuel at each tank, after filling both tanks to 
the top and adding copious amounts of diesel preservative. I had a 
problem one winter when for some reason a siphon system got going in the 
fuel tanks and siphoned most of the fuel out of the vents. I'm not sure 
why, but it was a mess and I now turn off the valves at each tank.

- Gordon White