What do you pay for winterizing?

NAW · Last edited by NAW on Oct 24, 2005 8:24 am; edited 1 time in total

For those of you who take your boat to a dealer or some other service facility, what do you pay for winterization (engine, ballast, heater, etc)?

....and if you work for a dealer, about what do you charge?

Geoff Standish · Addict Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 843 City: Calgary

NAW, my boat dealer charges $459 canadian. That's for all fluids changed and winterizing of engine, ballast, heater. I think it must be high as there sure aren't many people around town doing it.

Leggester · Posted: Oct 24, 2005 8:16 am Post subject:

hehehe, $2.49 for a can of fogging oil...

Swass · Guest

Winterization costs me a phone call and a beer or two. Laughing

It's not what you know; it's who you know.

Mikey27 · Posted: Oct 24, 2005 8:41 am Post subject:

Does anyone have a checklist or something of all the supplies and steps of doing it yourself?

Jon · Wakeboarder.Commie Joined: 12 Jan 2003 Posts: 1176

I charge $135 for d-drives, $145 for V-drives. We go by the Indmar check-list which includes changing the oil, draining the block, disconnecting hoses, taking out impeller, fuel treatment, etc. If you have a ballast system, we take care of that at no charge.

Geoff Standish · Addict Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 843 City: Calgary

I'm pretty sure we are getting ripped off up here. But I guess supply and demand takes over...I do mine myself so I think mine cost me $50 this year.

Jon, that seems like a reasonable price, good on you guys!

Bambamski · Posted: Oct 25, 2005 6:44 am Post subject:

That's a real good price Jon.

Yesterday I paid 175 cdn bucks for the engine winterization. I did the oil change, heater and ballast winterization myself. They aslo greased everything up, check the impeller and belts ect. They did a once over on the boat to check for anything under warrenty that needed to be fixed. Got a clean bill of health, not a single thing went wrong with her the entire year. Oh, except the horn, it crapt out which was ok with me. Too many little kids like to press that which drives everyone crazy.

The place I took my boat to said that they don't Fogg the engines now days. If you have specific engine types (can't rembember which ones) they said fogging isn't good and will damage your intake manifolds and cylinders. They told me what they do instead, but I can't remember exactly what they said. Something about adding more fuel stabilizer and running the engine which will coat everything inside. Anyone heard of that?

Anyways, 175 bucks is cheap insurance if something were to go wrong. I can rest easy all winter knowing that I'm won't be on the hook for a new engine if something did happen to crack.

Neognosis · Ladies Man Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 17617 City: Webster

I agree it's cheap insurance, but damn, winterizing is a piece of cake if you have ANY mechanical aptitude at all.

I'm having a slight problem this year though, my block plugs dont' want to come out, and they are a soft metal that is getting stripped. I am going to have to just get them out any way i can and replace the plugs.

E.J. · Ladies Man Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 7597 City: Mogadishu

Paid $150....which included all the fluids being changed & the guy coming to my house to do it.

theepsyche · Posted: Oct 25, 2005 9:58 am Post subject:

a 12 pack of beer! its good to know someone with a dealership

bellada1 · Newbie Joined: 05 Oct 2005 Posts: 10

a day in the garage, stabil, and a can of fogging oil, it's easier then you think.

bmartin · Addict Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Posts: 794

For EFI engines, where do you spray the fogging oil? When I had a carb it was obvious what to do.

BTW - If I have done including oil change is $150ish

Broccoli B · Posted: Oct 26, 2005 6:48 am Post subject:

Here is MI it is $215 to have all fluids changed (V-Drive, Trans, Oil) and winterized. another $250 for storage.

Leggester · Posted: Oct 26, 2005 7:43 am Post subject:

CB, they should be brass. They were probably tightened too much last spring. They only need to be a bit more than hand tight.

Vice grips. Get the plugs out and replace them. You can replace them usually with wing style drains. They are easier to work with.

Geoff Standish · Addict Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 843 City: Calgary

bmartin, for EFI engines you remove each spark plug and spray a small shot of fogging oil right into the cylinder I believe.