Process for replacing engine and skin tank coolant

[Nev]

As I had a hose split last year and I topped up with water I need to replace the coolant as the % antifreeze mix is low (about 14%)

 

I'd like to replace the coolant but I am unsure on the process plus the total capacity of the cooling system. The Beta maintainance manual advised the engine coolant capacity is 4.1 litres. However I cannot find out or have any idea what the average skin tank and hose capacity is to add to this 4.1 litres?

 

So if there is a simple process ....

 

What I am intending doing is draining the engine using the drain plug - I'd expect to get the 4 litres out. I was then going to take off the lower skin tank pipe that is connected to the water pump and let the skin tank drain.

 

After reconnecting the block drain plug and the lower skin tank hose I would then refill the engine via the water filler cap (4 litres of 33% antifreeze mix) and then refill the skin tank from the upper hose.

 

Run the engine and then top up as necessary via the water filler cap.

 

The latter was how the RCR engineer did it when we had the split hose last year.

 

Any comments is there an easier way to do it and also what is the likely capacity of the skin tank and coolant pipes?

 

If it is too difficult I may just remove the top hose from the skin tank - pump out a couple of litres of water and replace with a mix of antifreeze just to give me frost protection. The anticorrosive protection will have to wait till the spring.

 

Thanks in advance

 

 

Nev

[nb Innisfree]

Our 6.5 sq ft skin tank and Lister Petter LPWS4 hold, together with hoses and header tank etc., approx 6 gal (27 lts) of coolant, of which skin tank is about 5 gal (23lt)

Edited January 4, 2010 by nb Innisfree

[Iain_S]

(snip)

 

What I am intending doing is draining the engine using the drain plug - I'd expect to get the 4 litres out. I was then going to take off the lower skin tank pipe that is connected to the water pump and let the skin tank drain.

 

After reconnecting the block drain plug and the lower skin tank hose I would then refill the engine via the water filler cap (4 litres of 33% antifreeze mix) and then refill the skin tank from the upper hose.

 

Run the engine and then top up as necessary via the water filler cap.

(snip)

 

The way I did it was to remove the bottom hose from the skin tank and remove the filler cap. This will drain both the engine and skin tank. For the refill, I reconnected the bottom hose, and removed the vent plug from the skin tank, and filled the system. The vent plug was replaced and the engine was run with the engine filler cap off for about ten minutes, topping up and bleeding the skin tank as necessary. The engine filler cap was replaced, and the expansion bottle topped up. Job done.

 

Iain

[nb Innisfree]

If you remove bottom hose you could insert a T piece into it with a valve and a hose barb. I fitted this to ours and all I need to do is slip a hose over the barb, open valve and use a vacuum type oil changer to extract coolant. Very handy also if a leak develops as you can very quickly drop coolant level, in fact I keep the extractor connected all the time (needs a container handy to transfer coolant from extractor)

[Nev]

Thanks both for taking the time to reply - I'll give it a go today and let you know how I get on,

 

Nev

 

 

The way I did it was to remove the bottom hose from the skin tank and remove the filler cap. This will drain both the engine and skin tank. For the refill, I reconnected the bottom hose, and removed the vent plug from the skin tank, and filled the system. The vent plug was replaced and the engine was run with the engine filler cap off for about ten minutes, topping up and bleeding the skin tank as necessary. The engine filler cap was replaced, and the expansion bottle topped up. Job done.

 

Iain

[John Orentas]

The worst thing that you can do with cooling system is to drain it off regularly and give those nice ferrous component in your engine and other places a new supply of oxygen so they may resume their corrosion with increased vigour.. That horrible black stuff you intend to pour down a grid is de-oxygenated water, just what you need..

 

Same goes for your heating system too.

[Nev]

Got 5 litres in without much problem - I like the option of the T piece with a tap.

 

Blogged about it here

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

 

Nev

The worst thing that you can do with cooling system is to drain it off regularly and give those nice ferrous component in your engine and other places a new supply of oxygen so they may resume their corrosion with increased vigour.. That horrible black stuff you intend to pour down a grid is de-oxygenated water, just what you need..

 

Same goes for your heating system too.