Draining Antifreeze from Yanmars

[Honeyman]

It's finally time for me to drain the 3GM30F in my 35.5 and replace the antifreeze mixture. I've read and printed out several articles on how to do it and I know where all the drain petcocks are and that I need to clear out the hose to the hot water heater. What I'd like advice on is HOW do you get the water from the petcocks down to a drain pan? Is it as simple as putting a larger piece if tubing around the tubing hanging off the petcock? Originally, I thought I'd just drain it to the pan under engine and suck that out with a wet/dry vac...got to be a better way. Advice please.

 

[Lee Coller]

I use an oil change pump to suck out all the anti-freeze, I have a dedicated one I use solely for this purpose, it works great.

 

[orion]

The easy way is to insert the plastic hose from the petcock into a plastic one gallon milk jug and drain the antifreeze into it. There is only a couple of gallons. As for the water heater let gravity drain the hose the same way. Then flush the system with a garden hose until you get pure water through the system.

 

[Honeyman]

Lee...so you suck it out through where the radiator cap is? Do you feel like this gets it all.

Orion...wish I could get a garden hose to the boat!

 

[petersea]

Originally, I thought I'd just drain it to the pan under engine and suck that out with a wet/dry vac...got to be a better way. Advice please.

Why not just open petcock directly into shop vac hose ? Shop vac should be able to suck it all up wihthout a mess in the pan.