Draining Coolant In Westerbeke W27

[pesarsten]

I need to drain and replace the coolant in my 1981 W27 engine installed in my Sabre 34. The coolant / rust inhibitor is over 5 years in service so I think it is time.

I am at a loss as to how to drain the Coolant, is there a drain petcock that I haven't found?

[Exile]

Originally Posted by pesarsten

I need to drain and replace the coolant in my 1981 W27 engine installed in my Sabre 34. The coolant / rust inhibitor is over 5 years in service so I think it is time.

I am at a loss as to how to drain the Coolant, is there a drain petcock that I haven't found?

I can't speak to the W27, but on my Westerbeke engine & genset there are drain fasteners just below the water pumps. Usually you'll be able to see the copper seal washer which should get replaced. But these drains on mine are not at the low point so I have to pull & drain the lowest coolant hose as well. It was hard in my case not to make a big mess. Be sure to disable your primary bilge pump if it's hard-wired so the mess stays contained. The factory service manual should also help.

[pesarsten]

Any other recommendations?

[Stu Jackson]

Sure. Don't use the petcocks on the engine, if you can find any. They are usually in hard to access areas, and petcocks, based on my many years in the HVAC industry are prone to getting clogged with small bits of debris.

Find a suitable hose connection and drain from there.

Like this:

Engine Overheating 101 - How to Burp Your Engine (Reply #6) Engine overheating problem (with Instructions "How To Burp!")

[a64pilot]

I'm probably going to get some grief from this, but I believe Ethylene Glycol when diluted with sufficient water is not toxic and actually breaks down pretty quickly into I believe carbon dioxide and water maybe?
I know when I was working for Uncle Sam, there were many things we had to be very careful to not discharge, but I don't think anti-freeze was one of them.

Assuming you collect it all up and don't spill a drop of it, what do you do with it?
I'm sure in California it's probably re-cycled, but I haven't seen it myself?

[Exile]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

I'm probably going to get some grief from this, but I believe Ethylene Glycol when diluted with sufficient water is not toxic and actually breaks down pretty quickly into I believe carbon dioxide and water maybe?
I know when I was working for Uncle Sam, there were many things we had to be very careful to not discharge, but I don't think anti-freeze was one of them.

Assuming you collect it all up and don't spill a drop of it, what do you do with it?
I'm sure in California it's probably re-cycled, but I haven't seen it myself?

My local landfill will take it, but I would also try auto parts stores. Like used oil, they may be required to take a certain amount of it (with a fee, maybe).

I've heard the same thing about EG, namely that it's OK to dispose of down the sink. But don't know for sure, and have never allowed it to get pumped out the bilge.