Intake water cooling system antifreeze

Engines, Drive trains, Propellers, Steering, Ground Tackle and other mechanical system
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Tmack
Posts: 32
Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2019 5:07 pm

Intake water cooling system antifreeze

Post by Tmack »

Hi group,

I'm looking for recommendations on an antifreeze for the raw water intake cooling system (the exhaust system, open loop). The green antifreeze, ethylene glycol base, has beneficial engine additives but it's also toxic and I winterize my boat in a community with drinking water wells. So I won't use the green. Is the pink RV type, propylene glycol, sufficient? After changing other engine fluids I plan on running 2 gallons through the system and shutting down. Are there any non toxic antifreezes that are better for the engine?

Thanks.

RobertNJ
Posts: 5
Joined: Fri Oct 14, 2016 3:01 pm

Re: Intake water cooling system antifreeze

Post by RobertNJ »

We use the non-toxic pink ATF here in NJ and it works fine. We use about 15 gals for engine, AC, water system, bilge pumps etc. I will admit to using 1 gal of the green in the holding tank - Robert
F36 Paradigm hull #83
Atlantic Highlands, NJ
Robert
S/V Paradigm 1988 Freedom 36 (hull #83) Atlantic Highlands, NJ

Erik
Posts: 35
Joined: Thu Dec 14, 2017 7:24 pm
Location: Stony Point, Hudson River New York USA

Re: Intake water cooling system antifreeze

Post by Erik »

I have been using the pink stuff for years. You can get it at Walmart for under $3 per gallon. At West Marine its a bit more. This year there has been some question with the formulation so I have used the more expensive in the raw water system and the cheaper in everything else. My 33 Cat Ketch usually takes 8-10 gallons.

F32Circle
Posts: 90
Joined: Thu Nov 08, 2012 9:14 am

Re: Intake water cooling system antifreeze

Post by F32Circle »

Some of the pink RV/marine antifreezes contain alcohol. Avoid those. Be sure to read the labels. You want propylene glycol.
F32 Hull #67, Saybook CT.
Yanmar 3GMF, Loose-footed Main, MaxProp, Ronca, Muir windlass,
Heart Interface inverter/charger, SeaFrost

Tmack
Posts: 32
Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2019 5:07 pm

Re: Intake water cooling system antifreeze

Post by Tmack »

Thank you. I appreciate the feedback.

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