Antifreeze under the engine.....? ? ?

[D. Stump, Hanalei]

Was down working on Hanalei this weekend, getting ready to launch weekend after next, and I noticed about 2-3 cups of antifreeze in the tray under the engine (Universal 18, 14 hp diesel). THE question is: Where did this come from? Possibilities: 1. One of the hoses to or from the hot water heater(installed last season)leaked. 2. The engine coolant frooze and broke something on/in the engine.

Number 2 is the one that is really worrying me. If the coolant did freeze, where would damage be likely?

I plan on pouring some water into the waterheater surge tank, and then check to see where the leak is. Anyone have some words of wisdom or ideas as to what I should do?

Thanks in advance for your help....

Dave Stump
Captain commanding
s/v Hanalei CD-30

[Tom C.]

Was down working on Hanalei this weekend, getting ready to launch weekend after next, and I noticed about 2-3 cups of antifreeze in the tray under the engine (Universal 18, 14 hp diesel). THE question is: Where did this come from? Possibilities: 1. One of the hoses to or from the hot water heater(installed last season)leaked. 2. The engine coolant frooze and broke something on/in the engine.

Number 2 is the one that is really worrying me. If the coolant did freeze, where would damage be likely?

I plan on pouring some water into the waterheater surge tank, and then check to see where the leak is. Anyone have some words of wisdom or ideas as to what I should do?

Thanks in advance for your help....

Dave Stump
Captain commanding
s/v Hanalei CD-30

Dave, It doesn't freeze out here in Calif. so I can't help you with that, but I had a problem losing coolant once and could never find the reason. Over a month's time the surge tank would get low and the engine start overheating yet I couldn't find a broken hose or any apparent reason for the loss. I turned out to be that the spring in the coolant cap had weakened over time so that when the engine got hot coolant would weep past the cap and into the engine sump under the engine. When it was cold it wouldn't weep. This is the twist cap on the engine where you'd put coolant in if you didn't have a surge tank. This cap should have 11 pounds of pressure on the spring. Your local garage can test it for you, but they don't cost much and it might be as cheap to replace it. It must have to be really cold to freeze the coolant inside the engine, but if this is possible in your area maybe as the coolant freezes it expands and puts excess pressure on the springs in this cap. In a way a leaking cap would be good because it would be like a pressure relief valve. Just a thought hope it gives you some ideas to work with.



TomCambria@mindpring.com

[Bsinskie]

I have run into the same situation and also traced it to a lose coolant/radiator cap. If the antifreeze that is under the engine is not frozen and the weather has still been cold then that is a good sign that it was a leak and not from freezing and bursting. When I winterize the engine I lose at least a couple of cups from checking the antifreeze levels.

[Capt. Mike]

Dear Dave:
Did you have a strom pass through your area? In a closed system like a hot water heater, a barometric pressure change may result in a gradient change to express the coolant. I frequently see this in my office with the soap dispensers following a low pressure passage. Check for pass weather changes and you may find the culprit. The thought of a cracked cylinder head would cause me several restless nights. Good luck I personally always drain the cylinder heads followed flushing with antifreeze. I trust nothing during the winters of Minnesooota! Have a good launch! Capt. Mike

Was down working on Hanalei this weekend, getting ready to launch weekend after next, and I noticed about 2-3 cups of antifreeze in the tray under the engine (Universal 18, 14 hp diesel). THE question is: Where did this come from? Possibilities: 1. One of the hoses to or from the hot water heater(installed last season)leaked. 2. The engine coolant frooze and broke something on/in the engine.

Number 2 is the one that is really worrying me. If the coolant did freeze, where would damage be likely?

I plan on pouring some water into the waterheater surge tank, and then check to see where the leak is. Anyone have some words of wisdom or ideas as to what I should do?

Thanks in advance for your help....

Dave Stump
Captain commanding
s/v Hanalei CD-30

[Catherine Monaghan]

Dave,

We had a similar occurrence on Realization (CD32). My husband checked all of the hoses and could find nothing wrong. What he forgot to check, and was the culprit, was the fitting that one of the hoses attaches to -- it was loose. He tightened the nut -- problem solved.

Hope it's as easy for you.

catherine_monaghan@merck.com
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay
<a href="http://www.hometown.aol.com/bcomet/real ... lization's Home Page</a>

Was down working on Hanalei this weekend, getting ready to launch weekend after next, and I noticed about 2-3 cups of antifreeze in the tray under the engine (Universal 18, 14 hp diesel). THE question is: Where did this come from? Possibilities: 1. One of the hoses to or from the hot water heater(installed last season)leaked. 2. The engine coolant frooze and broke something on/in the engine.

Number 2 is the one that is really worrying me. If the coolant did freeze, where would damage be likely?

I plan on pouring some water into the waterheater surge tank, and then check to see where the leak is. Anyone have some words of wisdom or ideas as to what I should do?

Thanks in advance for your help....

Dave Stump
Captain commanding
s/v Hanalei CD-30

catherine_monaghan@merck.com

[D.Stump, Hanalei]

Worked on the problem Friday. Found the upper surge tank empty, opened the lower coolant (radiator) cap, and it was low (out of sight!) too! Thought, uh,oh! big time problems! Filled the system with 50/50 antifreeze/water mix, left it sit with the surge tank cap off, and viola! the level didn't change. Therefore, no major leak. It had to be something loose. Checked all hoses and clamps and found one heater hose half blown off right by the water heater. Reset the hose, put on new stainless steel clamp and it's done. It must have been blowing coolant for some time at the end of last season. We didn't notice it because we don't run the engine other than to get in and out of the slip. She never ran long enough to overheat due to low coolant level. Didn't notice the coolant in the bilge as the stuffing box drip does about 2 gallons a week so bilge always slightly wet. Sure glad that's out of the way. Again, thanks for the help....

Dave Stump
Captain commanding
s/v Hanalei CD-30