Winterizing Antifreeze

[Midnightsun]

Seems like my local marine store does not have any engine/metal/lubricated/non alcohol antifreeze this year. The good stuff which is not alcohol based like the cheap pink stuff usually found everywhere. Salesman there is trying to tell me the alcohol stuff is the same, yeah, right!! The easy way to distinguish between the 2 is to look for the flammable label, you do not want this.

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/wint ... ml?loc=plp

Came across this searching for the good stuff which is what I will be using this year. This is a new product from Winterproof.

https://winterproofprotects.ca/product/marine/

Canadian Tire carries it.

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/wint ... ml?loc=plp

[buster53]

Here’s what I get..
The basic pink for water and head.
For a couple dollars more per gallon, West Marine offers a better pink designed for engine use. Basic pink is pretty much on the shelf all the time. When it comes to the engine pink, local stores will only get one shipment in the fall and when it is gone…it’s gone. I’ve got a buddy who works close to the local WM store and he checks with them frequently to find out when the shipment hits their floor, then we both stock up. My Carver has twin big blocks and a genset and my Chapparel has a small bock, so I need a lot.

[Midnightsun]

The good vs the cheap is only $2 more a gallon. I get comfort knowing the potable water pump and the wash down pump diaphragms are not sitting in alcohol all winter long. Same for the duck bills for both heads and whatever other rubber stuff there may be in there. I need about 23 gallons of the stuff so yeah, quite a bit. Cost almost more than all my oil I need for the oil changes which is around 13 gallons.

Winterization products with all engine filters comes close to $550 and this is being frugal and all DIY. Cannot even imagine what a marine facility would charge to do this but giving them my first born in exchange does come to mind.

[km1125]

Source of the post The good vs the cheap is only $2 more a gallon. I get comfort knowing the potable water pump and the wash down pump diaphragms are not sitting in alcohol all winter long. Same for the duck bills for both heads and whatever other rubber stuff there may be in there. I need about 23 gallons of the stuff so yeah, quite a bit. Cost almost more than all my oil I need for the oil changes which is around 13 gallons.

Winterization products with all engine filters comes close to $550 and this is being frugal and all DIY. Cannot even imagine what a marine facility would charge to do this but giving them my first born in exchange does come to mind.

Yikes!! 23 gallons is a LOT! I thought I bought a lot with my raw water engines! How does that number break down in the different uses (engines, HVAC, potable, etc?)

[Midnightsun]

It's probably overkill however when I purchased the boat I asked their mechanic how he winterized the engines and he said 5 gallons of antifreeze/engine and 2 1/2g for the generator through the strainer so thats 12 1/2 gallons just for engines. Now I could probably get by with less but then again a diesel engine is a heck of a lot of money so a few extra gallons of antifreeze is cheap insurance in my book. After 8 years of successful winterization with temps down to a max of -35C and zero issues, I will continue this way.

The rest goes into the potable water system, the 2 vacuflush heads, The 3 AC systems, the front and rear wash downs both fresh and raw water. Usually have a gallon or 2 to spare when all is said and done. Never bothered to break it down for individual systems. Nothing goes into my potable water tank or the water heater as it is bypassed and both are completely drained.