flushing coolant on a westerbeke

[George Harris]

last spring when the heat exchanger was failing over a period of time and during the removal and replacement of the unit it appears that a significant amount of dirt was introduced into the freshwater side of the system - enough so that the expansion tank return hose opening occasionally clogs and the coolant doesn't go back into the engine and air is introduced and overheating  occurs.
I have a 44A and will be flushing the system myself this week. Anybody done this and is there a preferred method/anything to watch out for, etc?
tia

--
George Harris
S/V Sophia
www.sailingwithsophia.com
917.721.0801
Skype: gharris

It is better to be a cowardly sailor with a boat than a macho sailor without one

[Rick Donovan]

On May 14, 2012, at 12:01 PM, George Harris wrote:

Anybody done this and is there a preferred method/anything to watch out for, etc?

Hey George

not positive about locations of things on the 44A but our 473 had a Westerbeke 63C and I would expect the drains to be similar in function and location.

on our engine there was pipe plug with about a 5/8 " hex head into the water jacket for the fresh water side of the engine as I recall. it was fairly easy to access, located just above the flange on the block for the oil pan on the 63C. this drain was located below the expansion tank of the engine (starboard side).  I never had the need to drain this but I expect most of the coolant will  end up in the coolant pan under the engine no matter what you try to catch it in. that will probably be the bigger hassle in doing the entire job, the clean up after.

if you have ever done this on a gasoline car engine, you will have no problems. the process is near identical. I would suggest removing the thermostat to refill. I find this much easier to get rid of the air lock that seems to always come when you get running again. if you are really dirty I might suggest doing this a couple of times with straight water to be sure the worst of the crud has been removed before replacing the engine coolant in a 50/50 mixture. be sure to clean inside the over flow can as well.

good luck

Rick Donovan 

Biddeford, Maine

=====================

I found this discussion for you with a Google search........ take a look.

full discussion is here http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/printthread.php?t=134419

or this portion seems to be what would benefit you the most. what this guy is recommending is more professional than the method most of us will try to use for this job.

Maine Sail

10-10-2011 07:23 am

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If changing antifreeze, the best thing to do, especially if your engine had or has "Death-Cool" in it, is to thoroughly flush it out, clean it, and start fresh.

To do this on a Westerbeke; 

1- Remove t-stat and replace cover housing using a spare gasket

2- Remove HX (might as well clean and have pressure tested)

3- Purge old AF out of engine with pump into 5 gal bucket. 

4- Use an acid resistant pump and circulate Rydlyme through engine block to clean cooling passages

4- Flush Rydlyme with water then fill bucket with distilled water and circulate through engine

5- Drain off what you can of the distilled, replace HX, t-stat and add antifreeze. The "Globals" are good. Death-Cool (AKA Dex-Cool) does NOT like all the dissimilar metals in marine engines and can create Dex-Sludge.

Death-Cool Sludge:
http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/image/108349271.jpg


6- Purge air and test AF concentration with AF tester..

Circulating Rydlyme:
http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/image/122459307.jpg

Connection points:
http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/image/122459310.jpg


For air purging I replace the cheap "pet cock" on top of the t-stat housing with a 1/4 turn ball valve. I then add a barb and some clear hose to it. Run the hose well higher than the highest point in the cooling system. Fill the hose with AF using a transmission funnel, open valve and start engine. As the t-stat opens and closes AF will gravity feed into engine and no air will be left in the system. Air=bad. Once the system is no longer taking AF out of the clear tube close the valve and drain the hose back into the AF container..

Air Purging Valve:
http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/image/112297123.jpg

[George Harris]

Rick, thanks for your help as always

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