Replacing Antifreeze.

[Southern Star]

I will be checking the antifreeze on my newly acquired boat this weekend, I don't know the history of it and so I don't know when the antifreeze was last changed or what type was last used. It has a BMC 1.5 litre engine and I'm assuming that it should use ethylene glycol? I dipped a finger in the header tank and licked it (yes, I know you probably shouldn't) and it tasted like ethylene glycol, is this the correct antifreeze to use for this engine?

 

Also, I'm wondering what the cooling system capacity is likely to be, it has a skin tank and there is also a water heated towel rail in the shower room, the main purpose of which I suspect is to add capacity to the system rather than to dry towels.

 

In an attempt to avoid air locks I am tempted to loosen off a hose at the bottom of the system and top up the coolant as the level falls rather than completely draining the system, does this make sense?

 

Any other advice about this job will be gratefully received.

[Grace and Favour]

If I were you I'd make a thorough job of replacing all the coolant - and even risk an air lock on the way, but drain thoroughly.

 

Measure the old coolant (into, say, 5Ltr containers) and replace with ethylene glycol (I understand the relevance of the taste test!), Glycol base is the mnost commonly used I understand.

 

When replacing use between a 30/50% AntiFreeze to water ratio.

 

It's not just the anti-freeze properties that are valuable, of course, but also the anti-corrosion, which are two darned good reasons to change the lot!

Edited October 7, 2014 by Grace & Favour

[peterboat]

You can buy anti corrosion liquids to add to antifreeze I saw some the other day very tempting as my antifreeze is ok with the tester but a couple of years old now might give it a whirl

 

Peter

[ROBDEN]

You can buy anti corrosion liquids to add to antifreeze I saw some the other day very tempting as my antifreeze is ok with the tester but a couple of years old now might give it a whirl

 

Peter

 

Yes I bought some from Morris Lubricants.

 

It's called Ankorsol. About £15 a litre. They recommend a dose of 2-3%. I used 1 litre in 33 litre system. Mixes with any antifreeze.

 

I can't do a linky but look on their web site.

 

Rob....

[David Schweizer]

 

Yes I bought some from Morris Lubricants.

 

It's called Ankorsol. About £15 a litre. They recommend a dose of 2-3%. I used 1 litre in 33 litre system. Mixes with any antifreeze.

 

I can't do a linky but look on their web site.

 

Rob....

 

It is dealt with in some detail in this recent thread :- http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=70074&hl=ankorsol#entry1397904