D1-20 coolant draining

[MollyJo]

Ok having had the new Volvo Penta D1-20 serviced each year by VP during its warranty period, it’s time for me to do it.
Not being at the boat I am wondering if anyone can tell me what size hose/tube is required to drain the coolant?
And secondly, when it comes to flushing the raw water system, the manual talks about using a 50/50 mix of glycol/water. Is that a different product to the coolant being used for the internal cooling system.

[tkeithlu]

I can't speak to the drain size. I just find the lowest hose and release it into a bucket.

Confusion in wording. They've used "raw water" to mean "coolant" while you and I use it to mean "raw water going through the heat exchanger." The 50/50 is conventional for coolant systems, and you certainly don't want to pump it over the side.

[MollyJo]

Right, got that done but what a PITA.
Couldn’t use a drain hose anyway because the drain plug had been changed out for a blanking plug. Access in the tiny engine bay is almost non existent. I was able to position a bin bag under the engine and successfully caught 99% of the old coolant. Flushed the internal system with water, making a mess with hose ends disconnected and falling out of the catchment bucket. Doubled up the hose clamps, surprised VP didn’t do that and refilled the coolant.
Then flushing the seawater side with Glycol/water mix was easy. Credit to the mechanics who work on these small boats, it’s challenging.

[tkeithlu]

I'll let you in on a nasty little secret, Molly Jo. Ease of access for flushing the cooling system does not sell boats at boat shows. Making a 30' boat look like a 40' boat inside sells boats. Designers do not waste that valuable space on things like ease of maintenance, to the point that you just experienced.

The problem usually comes up on the forum when someone wants to substitute a different engine in his/her boat, and finds that it won't fit. It has come up in a current thread because Lagoon mounted propellers aft of the rudders to (we guess) save space in the hulls, meaning the rudders slam over every time the poor owner goes into reverse. He is not a happy camper.