CliffA
Well-Known Member
- Dec 29, 2009
- 4,712
- Boat Info
- 2001 Sea Ray 340DA
Name: 'Happy Place'
4.5kW West. Generator
Purchased Nov. 2014
Fresh Water Use
- Engines
- Twin Merc. 6.2L (MPI)
640 hp (Total)
Raw Water Cooled
V-Drive Transmissions
i'm just trying to learn when i ask this question so please understand i am not taking a position for or against the use of antifreeze in our boat engines during winter storage.....i'm just interested in hearing the pros and cons....sure this has been debated many, many times but i have not found an answer to my basic question concerning this practice....
i understand the primary reason to fill the water passages with antifreeze is to offer the walls of the passages protection from corrosion....what i don't understand is why this is so important because the other 8-9 months out of the year when the boat is being used no one seems to be concerned about this corrosion protection....is the rate of the corrosion somehow accelerated during the winter storage months when no water is being circulated through the engine?..i would think just the opposite is true...since the walls of the water passages are not being exposed to circulating water during winter storage i would think the rate of corrosion would naturally slow on its own even if no antifreeze is used because the walls of the passages would be dry....does the slowing down of the rate of corrosion for 3-4 months out of a year really extend the life of the engine and exhaust components that much?....
personally i have always just drained the water from the engine and exhaust and do not add antifreeze...i currently subscribe to the theory that 'air doesn't freeze' so once the water is drained the engine is freeze protected....i also boat in fresh water so the rate of corrosion is significantly slower for my engine vs. engines used in salt water....
i am certainly open to consdering starting to use antifreeze for the corrosion protection if someone can convince me it is really needed...
thanks....
cliff
i understand the primary reason to fill the water passages with antifreeze is to offer the walls of the passages protection from corrosion....what i don't understand is why this is so important because the other 8-9 months out of the year when the boat is being used no one seems to be concerned about this corrosion protection....is the rate of the corrosion somehow accelerated during the winter storage months when no water is being circulated through the engine?..i would think just the opposite is true...since the walls of the water passages are not being exposed to circulating water during winter storage i would think the rate of corrosion would naturally slow on its own even if no antifreeze is used because the walls of the passages would be dry....does the slowing down of the rate of corrosion for 3-4 months out of a year really extend the life of the engine and exhaust components that much?....
personally i have always just drained the water from the engine and exhaust and do not add antifreeze...i currently subscribe to the theory that 'air doesn't freeze' so once the water is drained the engine is freeze protected....i also boat in fresh water so the rate of corrosion is significantly slower for my engine vs. engines used in salt water....
i am certainly open to consdering starting to use antifreeze for the corrosion protection if someone can convince me it is really needed...
thanks....
cliff
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