Intake Trickle from A4

[Mark David]

With the boat in the cradle over winter I have been noticing a very slight, but steady trickle of coolant coming out of the intake screen and making a wet trail down the keel.

Other than ordering a replacement impellor for the Atomic Four, I hadn't thought much about it until last night. Yesterday was the warmest day of the year and I noticed a bit of rust forming around the holes in the intake screen. The trickle also seemed to have increased and the trail looks bigger.

Anyone recognize this? Any ideas??

 

[peaman]

By "intake screen", you mean where sea water is taken in for engine cooling?
By "coolant", you mean anti-freeze solution which is circulated through your engine and heat exchanger?

If yes to both, then it seems you have a leak from your freshwater coolant circuit to your sea water (or raw water) circuit, probably in the heat exchanger. And that should be addressed before the boat goes back in the water. This assumes you have a heat exchanger, versus an engine which is cooled directly by raw water.

When you go to remove the impeller, check to see if it is wet with coolant. Also check for coolant in the raw water strainer which should be between the sea water intake through-hull valve and the engine.

 

[Mark David]

Thanks for the response peaman....the boat is kept in fresh water, so it is cooled directly by raw water. The coolant is RV stuff to keep things from freezing over the winter.

 

[steven]

also: as you face aft on the port side of the engine is a small plate that covers access to the water cooling jacket.

It's about mid way back - 2inch-by 4inch or so.
If it is rusted through, water leaks out.
You also may have trouble with the engine temperature due to insufficient flow through the engine.
Replacement is cheap, easy and available from Moyer.

Here is a pic of a corroded one I replaced.

 

[peaman]

Thanks for the response peaman....the boat is kept in fresh water, so it is cooled directly by raw water. The coolant is RV stuff to keep things from freezing over the winter.

In that case, I think you should be okay. As outside temperature rises, the coolant in the engine will tend to expand, and that could be the reason for the drips.

 

[Mark David]

thanks, appreciate the input!