rfsod48 Report post Posted October 21, 2021 Unfortunately we may not be able to go south for the winter, if I remove the batteries and put antifreeze in the pipes is there anything else I need to do to prepare for a Michigan winter? Can the engine go all winter without being run? Roland Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
manholt Report post Posted October 21, 2021 Flush your toilet, turn off your ice maker before you add the pink stuff. Don't run the engine unless you can drive 50 miles, anti-gel in fuel tank (full tank)! Since the last time, 1978, that's all I can think off. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rayin Report post Posted October 21, 2021 Here is how to winterize the water solenoid for an RV absorption ice maker, do not pump RV antifreeze into the ice maker tray. Some folks ask about the water in the cube tray freezing; yes it will freeze, that' what an ice maker does - every cycle. Turn off water supply to ice maker solenoid, remove water supply line from solenoid, remove line to ice maker from bottom of solenoid and allow to drain from that line and water solenoid. If you don't have a valve to shut off water supply, you must plug the end of the line prior to running your pump. If you don't plan to drive a diesel it should not be started unless driven , as Carl stated. A gas engine may gum up during long term storage if Stabil or gas preservative is not added, then run the genset for at least 15 minutes to get treated gas into the genset carb. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jleamont Report post Posted October 22, 2021 Roland, all I’ve ever done; Pump RV antifreeze through the system until I see pink on the hot and cold sides including washer. Full tank of fuel prior to parking. leave coach plugged into electric. Add Fresh cab and Peppermint oil soaked cotton balls in the interior and basement (to keep mice away). I never started the engine in winter therefore I could care less if the fuel gelled. When we would get a warm spell (upper 30’s to 40’s) I would run my Aquahot on diesel and run the generator under load, each for an hour once a month. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
richard5933 Report post Posted October 22, 2021 No need to start the engine over the winter. Mine sits every year out behind the barn and starts right up in the spring. I do my fall maintenance close to the point where I park for the winter, including checking the engine's antifreeze to make sure it has the correct mixture to protect against Wisconsin winters. You can get dip strips at NAPA for testing your antifreeze. I keep mine mixed so that it's well protected even if temps get down to -30F. In Michigan you probably need to do something similar. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rfsod48 Report post Posted October 22, 2021 Thanks all, I was concerned about not starting the engine since I have to remove the batteries because there is no electricity where I store the MotorHome. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rayin Report post Posted October 23, 2021 Simply remove the negative battery cables (including inverter) from the battery bank, no need to completely remove them unless you are concerned about theft.. If they are fully-charged they will still be 60% next spring. They will not freeze. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
