Diesel coolant?

[Frank Langer]

A fellow boater asked me recently if I knew about diesel coolant for his freshwater cooled engine. I haven't heard about that, and have been using regular vehicle rad coolant, mixed 50/50 with water to add to the cooling system in my Universal diesel engine. Does anyone know if there is a special coolant made for diesel engines or something better than vehicle rad coolant?

Thanks,
Frank

 

[mherrcat]

The Universal engine documentation specifies a 50/50 blend of water and a "good grade of permanent antifreeze." I've been using Prestone 50/50.

 

[Emerald]

Any good grade anti-freeze like Prestone will do just fine, however, if you are plummed into your hot water heater for using the engine to give you hot water under way, then use a non-toxic marine anti-freeze like Banfrost 2000. Here's a link - you can get it most marine stores:

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/show_product.do?pid=7812

 

[mherrcat]

How much risk is there of contamination if the water heater is part of the engine cooling system?

 

[Tom Plummer]

I suspect that your dockside adviser may have had experience with ford pickup diesels. The Internationals that ford used up until the new 6.0 came out had a real problem with cavitation erosion of the blocks. The firing of the cylinders cause the water in the block to cavitate making pin holes in the water jackets. Ford had a special additive you had to put in the coolant to keep this from happening. I have heard that the reason the 6.0’s only lasted for 2 years was that the problem with them was much worse. Due to the smaller size of the auxiliary engine on a sail boat this has not been an issue.

 

[Sven]

How much risk is there of contamination if the water heater is part of the engine cooling system?

Thanks for asking my question !



-Sven

 

[Emerald]

How much risk is there of contamination if the water heater is part of the engine cooling system?

Depends....

Kinda like asking when California is going to have the next earth quake - the answer is yes, but when is another question. You have the same idea as a heat exchanger in your hot water tank - a series of tubes or long tube that flows the hot coolant from the engine through the water tank. At some point, like anything, it will probably corrode and fail, but when? It's going to get down to what the materials are, the minerals in your water etc, so, 10, 15, 20 years? - dunno -depends... So, I go for the non-toxic anti-freeze - I have no idea how old my heater is, so I figure one day too soon it'll go, just like everything else

 

[EGregerson]

coolant

i repowered a few years ago to a volvo; their manual says to use distilled water in the mixture. Eliminating the minerals etc improves engine life; i reflected on the number of coolant changes i've done over the years using house tap water...with a water softener yet! Imagine the salt circulating around inside the motors of those cars. Just changed my Honda coolant yesterday; they use a blue mixture using distilled water. The Honda coolant contains no silicates. apparently coolant manufacturers add silicates for aluminum engines blocks. But it appears the silicates damage the seals in water pumps. Advance Auto has a house brand (orange) that contains no silicates; so with distilled water, it seems the safest way to go.

 

[Emerald]

distilled water in the mixture

Yes - always use distilled water on the engine side mixture - I should have been more specific to minerals in the fresh water, which we usually have no control over e.g. local municipality, well source etc.

 

[mherrcat]

I know there is a magnesium anode that is part of the hot water discharge fitting on my Raritan water heater, but I am quite sure it has never been checked or replaced. I removed the w/h to install a new fuel tank and have not reinstalled it yet. Probably best to just get a new w/h when it's time to reinstall...

 

[EGregerson]

coolant

i repowered a few years ago to a volvo; their manual says to use distilled water in the mixture. Eliminating the minerals etc improves engine life; i reflected on the number of coolant changes i've done over the years using house tap water...with a water softener yet! Imagine the salt circulating around inside the motors of those cars. Just changed my Honda coolant yesterday; they use a blue mixture using distilled water. The Honda coolant contains no silicates. apparently coolant manufacturers add silicates for aluminum engines blocks. But it appears the silicates damage the seals in water pumps. Advance Auto has a house brand (orange) that contains no silicates; so with distilled water, it seems the safest way to go.