I went for my last sail of the season on Tuesday. Afterwards I topped off the fuel tank and winterized the engine. I noticed there was no anti-freeze in the overflow tank at all. When I took the anti-freeze filler cap off I couldn't see any liquid. So I topped it off with a 50/50 mixture and it took about a half gallon to reach the top. I didn't place any into the overflow tank. Is losing anti-freeze normal or should I be concerned? My engine bildge is always dry. I have no fluid leaks of any kind and I check it all the time. Thanks, Joe Mullee
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could be
Hate to start off with the bad possibilities but if there is no sign of external leakage it could be a bad head gasket or cracked head or leak in some other internal part of the engine. Do you have any unusual smoke/steam from the exhaust? Does the oil look nice and black on the dip stick? Is the oil level high?
Hate to start off with the bad possibilities but if there is no sign of external leakage it could be a bad head gasket or cracked head or leak in some other internal part of the engine. Do you have any unusual smoke/steam from the exhaust? Does the oil look nice and black on the dip stick? Is the oil level high?
It is in something
It is either in the bilge, in the exhaust or in the oil. No place else that it can go. Sorry.
It is either in the bilge, in the exhaust or in the oil. No place else that it can go. Sorry.
Heat Exchanger or boiled off from loose flush port
There are alots of resons this could happen. A pressure test might help fining a leak ot tell if you have one. So why are you winterizing now its almost (wishfull) time to luanch?
There are alots of resons this could happen. A pressure test might help fining a leak ot tell if you have one. So why are you winterizing now its almost (wishfull) time to luanch?
Water lost from engine.
Check the lines that run from the engine to the hot water tank. I had this same problem on my old 35 and found the leak at the heat exchanger of the hot water tank.
Check the lines that run from the engine to the hot water tank. I had this same problem on my old 35 and found the leak at the heat exchanger of the hot water tank.
Check your oil first.
Joe: I would check my oil first. This would probably be the first place to look. If the oil shows no signs of contamination you need to do some real research. I would agree that the heat exchanger. You can take it off without too much ado. If it is not apparent that there is a leak, you can take it to a radiator shop and they should be able to bench test it. If you have a cracked head gasket, there is usually some signs of oil contamination. If you do not have any signs of anti-freeze in your bilge you probably do not have cracked block either. Have you tried starting it again?
Joe: I would check my oil first. This would probably be the first place to look. If the oil shows no signs of contamination you need to do some real research. I would agree that the heat exchanger. You can take it off without too much ado. If it is not apparent that there is a leak, you can take it to a radiator shop and they should be able to bench test it. If you have a cracked head gasket, there is usually some signs of oil contamination. If you do not have any signs of anti-freeze in your bilge you probably do not have cracked block either. Have you tried starting it again?
Engine Runs Fine
My engine starts and runs fine. The oil is black and there's not a lot of smoke. I'll check out Carl's idea and keep searching. Thanks for the help. Joe Mullee Takn'MyTime H34 #170
My engine starts and runs fine. The oil is black and there's not a lot of smoke. I'll check out Carl's idea and keep searching. Thanks for the help. Joe Mullee Takn'MyTime H34 #170
Water Heater
Joe, I assume you have the factory water heater installed under the aft dinette seat. I would check the hose connections for weakness/cracks and tighten the hose clamps on each end of each nose. The green engine antifreeze has a distinctively "sweet" smell when it's hot that should make it easy to find if leaking (besides the color). Check the starboard bilge under the water heater between the two lateral stringers for antifreeze residue by crimping a piece of rag in the twisted end of an unbent coathanger and shoving it through some opening in that area (like a gun barrel cleaning rod) and swabbing it around before pulling it out. S/V Intrepid H34 #113
Joe, I assume you have the factory water heater installed under the aft dinette seat. I would check the hose connections for weakness/cracks and tighten the hose clamps on each end of each nose. The green engine antifreeze has a distinctively "sweet" smell when it's hot that should make it easy to find if leaking (besides the color). Check the starboard bilge under the water heater between the two lateral stringers for antifreeze residue by crimping a piece of rag in the twisted end of an unbent coathanger and shoving it through some opening in that area (like a gun barrel cleaning rod) and swabbing it around before pulling it out. S/V Intrepid H34 #113
Heat Exchanger Failure ??
Joe, I had an internal failure of my heat exchanger. All the antifreeze flushed through the system and was replaced with seawater. What a surprize when I discovered that I now had a raw water cooled engine! Fortunatley the water heater portion of the system hadn't failed yet. I took the heat exchanger out of the loop and flushed the system with fresh water and then installed the new heat exchanger. Spendy $$$$ little piece!!! Fair winds, Dave C38 #148
Joe, I had an internal failure of my heat exchanger. All the antifreeze flushed through the system and was replaced with seawater. What a surprize when I discovered that I now had a raw water cooled engine! Fortunatley the water heater portion of the system hadn't failed yet. I took the heat exchanger out of the loop and flushed the system with fresh water and then installed the new heat exchanger. Spendy $$$$ little piece!!! Fair winds, Dave C38 #148
Maybe the water heater
This is actually not the first time I noticed the anti-freeze being low. I went through the log and sure enough I topped it off last June. I use the boat regularly and have never had a problem so I'm hoping it's not too serious. When I winterized the water tanks in December there was moisture where the hot water tank is located. I'll check all the hoses again and see what turns up. Thanks again, Joe Mullee
This is actually not the first time I noticed the anti-freeze being low. I went through the log and sure enough I topped it off last June. I use the boat regularly and have never had a problem so I'm hoping it's not too serious. When I winterized the water tanks in December there was moisture where the hot water tank is located. I'll check all the hoses again and see what turns up. Thanks again, Joe Mullee
Sweet smelling smoke
I used to be an engineer in the coast guard. If your heat exchanger is not leaking the glycol into the raw water discharge, you could be burning your glycol. You could have a cracked block. It is hard to imagine that glycol will burn up and evaporate through your exhaust mainifold, but it can happen. It will give your exhaust a sweet smell. Good Luck.
I used to be an engineer in the coast guard. If your heat exchanger is not leaking the glycol into the raw water discharge, you could be burning your glycol. You could have a cracked block. It is hard to imagine that glycol will burn up and evaporate through your exhaust mainifold, but it can happen. It will give your exhaust a sweet smell. Good Luck.
Can The Engine Run With A Cracked Block?
OK, some of you have mentioned a cracked block as a possible problem. As I said earlier I've had to top off the anti-freeze before. My engine appears to run very well. If I had a cracked block wouldn't it be evident besides just being low on anti-freeze? Joe Mullee
OK, some of you have mentioned a cracked block as a possible problem. As I said earlier I've had to top off the anti-freeze before. My engine appears to run very well. If I had a cracked block wouldn't it be evident besides just being low on anti-freeze? Joe Mullee
any anti-freeze in the bilge?
Joe: There are the hoses that run from your engine to the water heater. Have you checked that area for any signs of anti-freeze? It does not seem that you are using a lot of anti-freeze so some of it may be evaporating and you may not notice it. I would check anywhere that the engine hoses run. It would not seem to be your engine if it is still running that well, but there could be a crack between the water jacket and the exhaust too. This would never appear inside the boat. You just need to keep searching. If you remove the exhaust hose off the mixing elbow, you may see some signs of antifreeze in the exhaust hose! Good luck
Joe: There are the hoses that run from your engine to the water heater. Have you checked that area for any signs of anti-freeze? It does not seem that you are using a lot of anti-freeze so some of it may be evaporating and you may not notice it. I would check anywhere that the engine hoses run. It would not seem to be your engine if it is still running that well, but there could be a crack between the water jacket and the exhaust too. This would never appear inside the boat. You just need to keep searching. If you remove the exhaust hose off the mixing elbow, you may see some signs of antifreeze in the exhaust hose! Good luck
Last Question
You guys mention the "water jacket". Can you explain what that is and where it is. No more questions, promise. Thanks again. Joe Mullee
You guys mention the "water jacket". Can you explain what that is and where it is. No more questions, promise. Thanks again. Joe Mullee
Joe
Recheck your coolant level frequently for the next few weeks. It's posible you had an air bubble in the water heater that finaly settled out. Pat McCartin Inland Marine Diesel Buford, Ga imd_ga@hotmail.com
Recheck your coolant level frequently for the next few weeks. It's posible you had an air bubble in the water heater that finaly settled out. Pat McCartin Inland Marine Diesel Buford, Ga imd_ga@hotmail.com
Water jacket
Joe, I think Ross is referring to the heat exchanger that transfers heat between the closed water system where your green antifreeze is, and the freshwater drawn in and expelled through the exhaust. If there is even a tiny leak between the two systems, antifreeze could be drawn out and so diluted that you wouldn't notice it in the exhaust output. S/V Intrepid H34 #113
Joe, I think Ross is referring to the heat exchanger that transfers heat between the closed water system where your green antifreeze is, and the freshwater drawn in and expelled through the exhaust. If there is even a tiny leak between the two systems, antifreeze could be drawn out and so diluted that you wouldn't notice it in the exhaust output. S/V Intrepid H34 #113
Understood
I'll be checking some of this stuff out if I get to the boat this weekend. That's only if I get the taxes done first
Thanks to everyone. Joe Mullee
I'll be checking some of this stuff out if I get to the boat this weekend. That's only if I get the taxes done first
Thanks to everyone. Joe Mullee
No . I was refering to cracking the engine block
to the outside without cracking a cylinder. If at sometime the engine was put away with too little antifreeze in the coolant the engine could have frozen and caused a crack that would leak antifreeze. The stuff is green so it is easy to find the source of the leak. Fill the system and pressurize it and look for the leak.
to the outside without cracking a cylinder. If at sometime the engine was put away with too little antifreeze in the coolant the engine could have frozen and caused a crack that would leak antifreeze. The stuff is green so it is easy to find the source of the leak. Fill the system and pressurize it and look for the leak.
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