ligolaiva38
Member II
I need to change my anitfreeze in the Universal diesel engine. What is the best antifreeze/most popular antifreeze used in diesel engines by Ericson owners?
John
Laiva
1984 E 381
John
Laiva
1984 E 381
Diesel engine antifreeze
- Thread starter ligolaiva38
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- antifreeze diesel engine
Sierra
Speaking only for me...
I used a non-toxic antifreeze, "Sierra" brand, mixed the usual one to one.
The engine coolant also goes thru the boat's hot water tank via an internal coil, and while the chance of a pin-hole leak in that coil and attendant poisoning is very remote, I figure -- why take a chance.
http://www.sierraantifreeze.com/
This stuff is for sale at several retail outlets in our fair city; perhaps in yours, too. Costs more than the ordinary stuff, but I figure that it amortizes out over the years, in peace of mind...
Cheers,
Loren
Speaking only for me...
I used a non-toxic antifreeze, "Sierra" brand, mixed the usual one to one.
The engine coolant also goes thru the boat's hot water tank via an internal coil, and while the chance of a pin-hole leak in that coil and attendant poisoning is very remote, I figure -- why take a chance.
http://www.sierraantifreeze.com/
This stuff is for sale at several retail outlets in our fair city; perhaps in yours, too. Costs more than the ordinary stuff, but I figure that it amortizes out over the years, in peace of mind...
Cheers,
Loren
Bolo
Contributing Partner
Extended Life Coolant
Just so happens that, a couple weeks ago, I took a basic diesel course at the Annapolis School of Seamanship. Worth every penny, by the way. One of the subjects that were covered was diesel engine coolant. The instructors both recommended the use of "extended life coolant" which we were told was the "pink" stuff and not the "green". And never, never, mix the two. They also recommended get the coolant in the pre-mixed form.
I haven't flushed and changed the coolant in my Universal M-25XP so I haven't bought any coolant yet. But a quick search came up with a web site for Final Charge Global Extended Life Coolant/Antifreeze - 50/50 PRE-DILUTED.
I'm sure there are more sources around and probably locally. It's just going to take a bit of searching on my part and maybe yours.
Just so happens that, a couple weeks ago, I took a basic diesel course at the Annapolis School of Seamanship. Worth every penny, by the way. One of the subjects that were covered was diesel engine coolant. The instructors both recommended the use of "extended life coolant" which we were told was the "pink" stuff and not the "green". And never, never, mix the two. They also recommended get the coolant in the pre-mixed form.
I haven't flushed and changed the coolant in my Universal M-25XP so I haven't bought any coolant yet. But a quick search came up with a web site for Final Charge Global Extended Life Coolant/Antifreeze - 50/50 PRE-DILUTED.
I'm sure there are more sources around and probably locally. It's just going to take a bit of searching on my part and maybe yours.
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exoduse35
Sustaining Member
the good stuff is pentison. it it European so is hard to find on parts house shelves. i know that they are the OE supplier to VW so if you are willing to pay dealer pricing that will work even if it comes in the VW bottle. or any good European shop should be able to get it for you. it was originally developed when VW brought out the water cooled vanagon engines. they had really bad electrolysis problems with the steel head studs that ran inside the water jackets from the magnesium case to the aluminum heads. they solved it with the blue pentison, a non nitrate non silicelate coolant, and later switched to the red that has the extended life properties. and Ive found the extra benefit of always being able to find the smallest leak as it will leave a pink crust around them instantly! the stuff is really worth its weight in gold, after replacing hundreds of water pumps with and without the stuff I can report never seeing a corroded bolt if the pentison is used religiously and have broke many a rusty crusty bolt off from a corroded mass when it wasn't hope this helps good luck. Edd
I drive only diesel vehicles and have been up to my elbows in more diesels than I care to mention. And I'm dumb enough to think its fun.... That said, I like Rotella ELC. Its a heavy duty extended life coolant designed with diesels in mind. Made by Shell and marketed alongside their Rotella T heavy duty diesel motor oil. I use it in the truck and Mercedes. Given that the Universals are marinized Kubota industrial diesels it would seem a perfect match. RT
Gary Peterson
Marine Guy
Any good "non-silicate" formulated anti-freeze will work. Non-silicate formulated anti-freeze is required in higher powered marine diesels because of the very high Delta "P" internal and Aluminum parts issues.
Granted, sailboat diesels don't have these kinds of issues, but it gives one a "piece of mind" that your diesel is not being "gummed" up inside.
In my opinion buying pre-mixed anti-freeze is a waste of money.
Why pay 75% of the price of 100% anti-freeze for the "convienance" of not having to mix it? Buy a gallon of DISTILLED water and mix it 50/50 your self!!
Granted, sailboat diesels don't have these kinds of issues, but it gives one a "piece of mind" that your diesel is not being "gummed" up inside.
In my opinion buying pre-mixed anti-freeze is a waste of money.
Why pay 75% of the price of 100% anti-freeze for the "convienance" of not having to mix it? Buy a gallon of DISTILLED water and mix it 50/50 your self!!
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ligolaiva38
Member II
Does anyone know how often (engine hours or time) Anitfreeze has to be changed in a diesel engines?
John
Laiva E-381
John
Laiva E-381
treilley
Sustaining Partner
AF never goes bad. You need to change it out in your car because of corrosion and radiator degradation. In a marine diesel, I would say as long as it looks good and is still providing adequate cooling, leave it in. If you get sludge in it then you have bigger fish to fry.
Kim Schoedel
Member III
I have the same question as John. Granted, AF lasts much longer in our little diesels but is there a general "rule of thumb" for replacement? Perhaps after X amount of hours/time?
Test kit
The old rule of thumb in a car was 3 years. But now w/ the "extended life" versions who knows. The best thing to do is to pick-up a test kit at an auto supply store. The problem is that AF changes from a base to an acid over time and hence the problems. Get a kit and test it yearly! Cheap insurance!
The old rule of thumb in a car was 3 years. But now w/ the "extended life" versions who knows. The best thing to do is to pick-up a test kit at an auto supply store. The problem is that AF changes from a base to an acid over time and hence the problems. Get a kit and test it yearly! Cheap insurance!
Gary Peterson
Marine Guy
We ran into this in our marine engine testing at DDC, one would be surprised how many different brands come from the same manufacturer!!:headb:
exoduse35
Sustaining Member
The problem with a/f is the chemical compounds in it. the long life varieties achieve there longevity by removing the nitrates and silisolates....salt to you& me non-chemists. the salts allow electrolysis to atack the metals which become acidic. start with the good stuff and change it every year or so, any salt water that gets into the system will to the same thing. anti freeze is cheep!
Gary Peterson
Marine Guy
The main reason Silicates were removed was to stop "silicate drop out" which had the nasty habit of plugging low pressure passages in the engine or exhaust manifolds if in too large of a concentrate.
If your Ph strips start to go to the ALKALINITY scale (> 7) then your anti freeze will start to smell like salt water (8) then on to ammonia (11). This is bad for Aluminum or other soft non-ferrous metals.
If your Ph strips start to go to the ALKALINITY scale (> 7) then your anti freeze will start to smell like salt water (8) then on to ammonia (11). This is bad
for Aluminum or other soft non-ferrous metals.
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u079721
Contributing Partner
I decided to put changing the antifreeze on a two year schedule, and even that was probably overdoing it. Antifreeze is cheap, and the job is easy to do if you find a hose of the right size.
In my area most people would let the yard winterize their engines, which cost just $75, and meant the yard assumed the responsibility if something should go wrong. And as part of that winterization they would insist on testing the status of your antifreeze to be sure it was good to at least -30 (or something like that). If it wasn't they would either refuse the job, or require that they change the antifreeze as part of the winterization.
In my area most people would let the yard winterize their engines, which cost just $75, and meant the yard assumed the responsibility if something should go wrong. And as part of that winterization they would insist on testing the status of your antifreeze to be sure it was good to at least -30 (or something like that). If it wasn't they would either refuse the job, or require that they change the antifreeze as part of the winterization.