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View Poll Results: do you replace you engine freshwater & anti-freeze each year?
yes 9 24.32%
no 28 75.68%
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Old 28-05-2013, 13:01   #1
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Replacing Engine Freshwater/Antifreeze

I just took notice that my Yanmar manual says to replace the engine freshwater & antifreeze every year. I never have doen this as a yearly thing, what about others?
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Old 28-05-2013, 13:34   #2
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Re: replacing engine freashwater/anitfreeze

Yeah, but get the right stuff... There's a few different types.
Yanmar makes one thats double he cost of the shop stuff.

She'll has one thats orange, if I remember. Ring a Yanmar chappie and find out which you need and NO don't get the Yanmar expensive stuff!

By the way, Don, there's a Third tap to empty just at the back and below the heat exchanger. You gotta empty that one too or the crap that's settled in the HE will stay in it!
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Old 28-05-2013, 14:19   #3
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Re: replacing engine freashwater/anitfreeze

I replace as per schedule given in engine manual. Once a year (older Volvo).

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Old 28-05-2013, 15:00   #4
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Re: replacing engine freashwater/anitfreeze

I have a Volvo 2020 and check the coolant with a test strip which lets me know the freezing point and the ph.

It gets changed about once every 3 or 4 years.
Engine's happy and so is my pocketbook.
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Old 28-05-2013, 15:06   #5
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Re: replacing engine freashwater/anitfreeze

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Originally Posted by Don L View Post
I just took notice that my Yanmar manual says to replace the engine freshwater & antifreeze every year. I never have doen this as a yearly thing, what about others?
Since I converted to electric propulsion six years ago. No water, no antifreeze, no oil, no diesel. No problems! But, in the dark diesel days I did not change antifreeze every year. Oil yes but, not the antifreeze.
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Old 28-05-2013, 15:14   #6
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Re: replacing engine freashwater/anitfreeze

Big trucks just filter it and keep going and some auto lube joints will clean it also.
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Old 28-05-2013, 15:55   #7
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Re: replacing engine freashwater/anitfreeze

Well I'm smelling a boat ripoff! Why would a boat need its' freshwater/anti-freeze changed every year when a car goes years and many more hours of operation.

I do a lot of industrial water systems that use anti-freeze and it stays in those systems basically till maintenance requires draining.
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Old 29-05-2013, 08:23   #8
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Re: replacing engine freashwater/anitfreeze

Perkins for Perama recommends replacing every 600 hrs or 18 months it also recommends a 50% mix. The coolant manufacturer recommends every two years. To be noted the coolant is also an inhibitor and should prevent corrosion of the engine and also mixing different coolant (inhibitor) can be detrimental to an engine. When replacing the coolant it wise to check the heat exchanger. With the heat exchanger removed it is good to wet vacuum the heat exchanger box and the feed hose, save removing the hose to clear the residue at the bottom of the hose. When refilling the coolant, it is a good practice to flush a litre of coolant. All that maintenance must be done in a short time to prevent the inside of the engine from drying. If the engine is let to dry an oxidation will take place that will prevent good heat transfer between the engine and the coolant. So if Yanmar recommends every year so may be the engine require it. Price of an engine or price of some coolant?
For the poll, I replace the coolant as required by the manufacturer.
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Old 30-05-2013, 07:24   #9
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Re: replacing engine freashwater/anitfreeze

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and also mixing different coolant (inhibitor) can be detrimental to an engine.
Maybe. This used to be the case years ago. Most new coolant now is universal and mixes with no problems. Their colors are all over the place and not very meaningful anymore.

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Old 30-05-2013, 07:32   #10
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Re: replacing engine freashwater/anitfreeze

l change mine every other year--about - doing it this week
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Old 31-05-2013, 05:04   #11
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Re: replacing engine freashwater/anitfreeze

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Maybe. This used to be the case years ago. Most new coolant now is universal and mixes with no problems. Their colors are all over the place and not very meaningful anymore.

Mark
I just replaced the coolant on both engine and the warning reads "Avoid mixing different brands of coolant as this may affect the coolants performance." The coolant is anti freeze, antiboil, anti corrosion concentrate "made of an advanced blend of inhibitors formulated to protect the entire cooling system both aluminium and cast iron from rust and corrosion".
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Old 31-05-2013, 10:18   #12
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Re: replacing engine freashwater/anitfreeze

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I just replaced the coolant on both engine and the warning reads "Avoid mixing different brands of coolant as this may affect the coolants performance." The coolant is anti freeze, antiboil, anti corrosion concentrate "made of an advanced blend of inhibitors formulated to protect the entire cooling system both aluminium and cast iron from rust and corrosion".
Yes, the key words there are "may affect the coolant's performance". This is the manufacturer simply wanting to ensure that the whole load of coolant added has the same amounts of inhibitors, etc.

If the different coolants comply to the same standards, then there is little problem with performance differences when mixed. So it is a CYA thing, as well as an attempt to keep you buying their brand.

The old problem with mixing coolants is that they were not actually miscible. If different coolants were mixed, they would precipitate out and cause all sorts of problems. The coolants were specifically colored so one would know if they could be used together.

Now, the colors are pretty meaningless for most coolants that are universal and can be mixed with any others -including the older ones.

But it is easier to simply use all one type when changing.

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Old 01-06-2013, 07:26   #13
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Re: replacing engine freashwater/anitfreeze

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Originally Posted by colemj View Post
Yes, the key words there are "may affect the coolant's performance". This is the manufacturer simply wanting to ensure that the whole load of coolant added has the same amounts of inhibitors, etc.

If the different coolants comply to the same standards, then there is little problem with performance differences when mixed. So it is a CYA thing, as well as an attempt to keep you buying their brand.

The old problem with mixing coolants is that they were not actually miscible. If different coolants were mixed, they would precipitate out and cause all sorts of problems. The coolants were specifically colored so one would know if they could be used together.

Now, the colors are pretty meaningless for most coolants that are universal and can be mixed with any others -including the older ones.

But it is easier to simply use all one type when changing.

Mark
Your view, not mine. Some engine manufacturers have coolant specifically designed for their engine. If you are game to bypass manufacturers recommendations and risk thousands of engine dollars just to save few coolant dollars go for it but for me this is just bad advice. By experience I always stick to genuine parts and recommendations.
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Old 01-06-2013, 07:40   #14
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Re: replacing engine freashwater/anitfreeze

I was speaking about antifreeze color in general, and the fact that most antifreeze sold today is universal in nature. It is not just my view that the old styles were immiscible or that the colors now have little meaning like they did in the past.

This has nothing at all to do with price. While I don't agree that I need to buy Volvo's $$$ branded antifreeze, I do buy quality brands. Most manufacturers recommend their brand or "a product meeting or exceeding X standard". If you are meeting or exceeding "X standard", you are using identical coolants for all practical purposes.

I highly doubt that any engine manufacturer has "specifically designed" coolant. More likely, they want you to use a specific standard or contents of coolant. Same argument with engine oil and transmission oil.

In a similar vein, Volvo sells $$$ branded impellers for the Johnson pump they mount on their engine. Doesn't seem reasonable that these expensive and hard to find impellers are better than the less expensive and common everywhere Johnson impellers.

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Old 01-06-2013, 08:22   #15
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Re: replacing engine freashwater/anitfreeze

There is no real need to replace the coolant. However you must ensure your coolant mix stay the correct mix, being 50% (distilled) water-glycol or higher % glycol. If you fill up your coolant over 2 years even very occasionally, you dilute the mix. Ii must be at least 50%. In commercial applications we use even higher then 50%. However higher glycol is higher cost. Also higher glycol % is reducing the heat carrying capability, so if you run your engine often at max power you must not go higher then50% glycol. There is no need to buy brand specific coolants. Good quality glycol is what you need and most good quality coolants are made up off.

There are many poor quality glycol for sale, so be aware, you pay what you get.
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