Non-toxic engine antifreeze/coolant

[Jammer]

All,


I have a Yanmar 3JH2E. As with most boats there is a coolant loop in the potable water heater. It is time to flush and replace the existing coolant and I would like to use a non-toxic antifreeze. Boat spends winters on the hard in the Great Lakes where it gets cold.


No idea what the existing coolant is and no way to find out. It is orange. :/


Suggestions? All I can find are two products labelled "Star-Brite Biosafe" and "Star-Brite Star-cool"; the star-cool is prediluted and claims to have an organic acid anticorrosion additive (like Dexcool) while the Biosafe does not. Neither inspires confidence in the absence of more data.

[FPNC]

Don't.

Stay with the orange long life coolant. It is may be toxic but it is maximized for performance in an engine. Dispose of it properly.

[pcmm]

Originally Posted by Jammer

All,


I have a Yanmar 3JH2E. As with most boats there is a coolant loop in the potable water heater. It is time to flush and replace the existing coolant and I would like to use a non-toxic antifreeze. Boat spends winters on the hard in the Great Lakes where it gets cold.


No idea what the existing coolant is and no way to find out. It is orange. :/


Suggestions? All I can find are two products labelled "Star-Brite Biosafe" and "Star-Brite Star-cool"; the star-cool is prediluted and claims to have an organic acid anticorrosion additive (like Dexcool) while the Biosafe does not. Neither inspires confidence in the absence of more data.

the water heater loop uses the same coolant as the engine Yanmar has a technical bulletin on this, but generally you are looking for an OAT antifreeze which gerenally is the stuff labeled for Asian vehicles. Save the starbright stuff for the raw water side. Use the green stuff its rated to -100c

[jtsailjt]

It’s super important to not mix types of anti freeze. A mechanic or his helper topped off my orange, ethylene glycol engine anti freeze with the pink, propylene non toxic type, and when they mix they form a muddy substance that will clog engine passages and cause overheating. So stick with whatever type is in there now and you’ll be fine.

[GreenWave]

Shell Rotella ELC is a recommended Yanmar coolant. It is the "orange" stuff. Since you cannto isolate the water heater you are stuck with this type. As said- do NOT mix!

[Wolfe10]

Two things:


Not sure what the water heater has to do with changing engine coolant (other than bleeding the air out of the coolant system). The coolant look is totally unrelated to the potable water portion of the water heater.



And, totally agree on not mixing coolants. Best to buy coolant CONCENTRATE and distilled water.


Flush with tap water until clear. Last rinse with distilled water. Then add 50% of system capacity in concentrate and top off with distilled water. This is a lot more accurate (to achieve 50% concentration) as the amount of residual water in the engine, lines and water heater are not relevant using the concentrate.


Dispose of old coolant properly.



I may get pushback on this, but I use the old coolant to winterize the raw water side of the engine cooling system. I reach over the side with a bucket so I can catch the coolant coming out the exhaust and have someone start the engine with someone else pouring the old coolant into the raw water strainer. Ya, my labor costs for the help run about a 6 pack. As soon as solid coolant "color" comes out the exhaust, shut it down. Never spilled a drop of coolant overboard doing it that way. And when de-winterizing, am also able to catch all the coolant coming out the exhaust for recycling.

[Jammer]

The concern is that the loop in the water heater will sometimes develop a leak. Since marine water heaters are not always pressurized (e.g. if the pump is off) it is possible for engine coolant to leak into the potable water supply. Ethylene glycol is toxic to people in relatively small amounts. I don't want to die from contaminated spaghetti. I understand that there are propylene glycol-based antifreeze products available that are specifically designed for use as engine coolants. The examples I provided are in that category and are not the same products as those intended for seasonal protection of water systems, drains, and bilges.


Peak Sierra is another brand that is out there.

[skipperpete]

I remember using the soluble oil that Caterpillar supplied and it seemed to work quite well. Here in Australia there’s a company ( Liquid Intelligence) that still sells a similar product but with an antifreeze component and is designed for vintage and veteran engines with less than optimal cooling systems. Regarding toxicity....I can’t imagine it to be safe but possibly no where near the toxicity of glycol. [ATTACH]266427

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by pcmm

the water heater loop uses the same coolant as the engine Yanmar has a technical bulletin on this, but generally you are looking for an OAT antifreeze which gerenally is the stuff labeled for Asian vehicles. Save the starbright stuff for the raw water side. Use the green stuff its rated to -100c

Dexcool is an OAT.


Try Chevron Delo ELC PG. meets all of your requirements, non-toxic, but not at the corner store.


Calorifier leaks are rare, but I'm still surprised the topic does not get more discussion.


(I'm cheating--25 years in the coolant formulation business)

[rslifkin]

I think most of us don't cook or drink with hot water on the boat and we keep the water system pressurized normally (which is more pressure then the engine coolant when hot). So there's not much risk.

[wsmurdoch]

I have tasted antifreeze and have found it to be extremely bad tasting. I suspect that most antifreeze has Bitrex added to it to protect dogs and children who might be tempted by the otherwise sweet and pleasant taste of ethylene glycol. Check out https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denatonium. My previous employer produced sucrose octaacetate another compound used to make things completely unpalatable. A ethylene glycol antifreeze leak into drinking water might be easily detected. Try a little of your chosen antifreeze brand in water and know for sure.

[CaptTom]

I think you'd know it right away, by the smell, if engine coolant leaked into the water heater. On any water heater I've had, or known of, which failed, the failure was some place other than the engine coolant loop.

I'm sure it can happen. But there are far worse things which can happen. This is not an issue I'd worry much about. And certainly not enough to risk using unapproved antifreeze in the engine. I need an engine much more than I need hot water.

[Rumrace]

We tested water in a marina / yacht club 3 time during 3 weeks of staggered launches for dissolved oxygen available for fish. So by all means keep your dog out of puddles but every year we wipe out perch young bass and loons after them.
It also fries seaweed. A merc v8 can be set up for the exhaust and block to spring drain inboard and never threaten the water.
I think the legislation already has wording for grey water anti freeze teak bleach and other killers for the Great Lakes.
I think it should be part of a winter package for boats and I can see it becoming a requirement.
“ open here , fill that , / spring set hose in drain bottles and open valves”
Then everyone would have a properly wintered engine and control of the toxins.

[shimari]

Originally Posted by GreenWave

Shell Rotella ELC is a recommended Yanmar coolant. It is the "orange" stuff. Since you cannto isolate the water heater you are stuck with this type. As said- do NOT mix!

As others said, don't mix. Flushing with fresh water isn't that difficult, and likely good for the system depending on the age and any sludge build-up.