Antifreeze in Bilge

Russ Calasant

Russ Calasant

Active Member
Dec 9, 2009
2,128
East Greenwich, RI
Boat Info
2001 480 DB
Engines
CAT 3196
Is anyone familiar with the practice of pouring antifreeze in the bilge? I have never wintered in the water but I looked at a boat recently that is. I noticed what looked and smelled like antifreeze in the bilge, a lot of it. There was almost 20 to 30 gallons between the bilge, flow ways and under the motors submerging the shafts almost to the transmissions. Is this common practice? Or is there a possible issue?
 
thats sounds very strange. I store my boat out of the water but I like to leave 1/2 pint or so of pink antifreeze in and around the bildge pumps. the bilge should be all but dry, even in the water. if there is that much fluid of any kind in there, the pumps should be kicking on. If the hardware down there is submerged with ANY fluid, there is a problem. bad idea. keep it as dry as possible except for extremely small amounts of bio-degradable AF around your pumps if you feel the need to have some in there.
 
Russ,

I always pour few gallons of pink in the bilge. I do it for several reasons:

1. I run the pink though all the bilge pumps and make sure the pink comes out of the through-hull fitting. This keeps my pumps and check valves from freezing up.
2. There are always some spots where it's hard to get to and clean all water and pink out (it's not a problem on my 420, but this was very much the case on 320DA). So, leaving the pink there ensures me that a small amount of remained water would be mixed with pink and my pumps won't freeze.
3. While the boat is all done and covered (regardless if it's on hard or in water), there's always a possibility of some rain/snow water collect in the bilge and freeze the pumps if there's no antifreeze present.

As you can see that all above are my maintenance items that requires only few gallons of pink. Since we're talking about 20-30 gallons it sure raises questions:

1. Did you ask the owner/seller about it?
2. What color was the antifreeze? If it's anything other than pink ........"Huston, we have a problem", unless WB takes pink coolant (anyway 20-30 gall. is something way out of the proportion)!
3. Did you see any leaks?
4. Did you ask the seller if he has to add antifreeze during the season?
5. Did you see genny and mains coolant level?
 
I did ask the seller, he was unaware and surprised. He immediately called his mechanic to inquire but I have yet to hear. It was pink and I didn't see any leaks or check levels. The owner state the bilge was normally dry and engines run like a top needing nothing. He has owned the boat for 4 years, changes oil and filters annually with Cummins genuine parts only. Other than that he has recently replaced the alternator but that's it. What is the first scheduled service recommended? - would be the same as yours.
 
I usually vacuum the bilge - since I drain the hot water heater and you get 6 gallons of water in the bilge from that and just some from winterizing everything. Then I pour whatever is left of the non-toxic antifreeze in the bilge - less than a gallon and then turn on the bilge pump and vacuum out the rest. I have looked at winterized boats and have seen where some people leave the pink stuff in the bilge. But usually a few gallons at most.
 
skolbe said:
I usually vacuum the bilge - since I drain the hot water heater and you get 6 gallons of water in the bilge from that and just some from winterizing everything. Then I pour whatever is left of the non-toxic antifreeze in the bilge - less than a gallon and then turn on the bilge pump and vacuum out the rest. I have looked at winterized boats and have seen where some people leave the pink stuff in the bilge. But usually a few gallons at most.
Click to expand...

That's what I thought, I think this was water, a lot of it, mixed with a couple gallons of antifreeze. Now they need to figure out what the source is before I will move forward. Thanks for your input.
 
Russ Calasant said:
...It was pink and I didn't see any leaks or check levels. The owner state the bilge was normally dry and engines run like a top needing nothing. ......... What is the first scheduled service recommended? - would be the same as yours.
Click to expand...

That's a good news, now we just have to find our why so much? I'll email you the rest of the stuff you need.
 
Wait.........Did you taste it?

Some coolant is dyed red when it is prediluted. Caterpillar ELC is a superior coolant and is red. Many technicians use it because it is a good value (by the case) and it is easy for them since there is no measuring or mixing and is safe to use in anything. An engine will hold about 10 gal of coolant and a little coolant in water can certainly look pink. A little coolant looks like a bunch when its in the bilge of a boat.

Just be sure you know what you are dealing with and don't make any assumptions here.
 
Frank,

This one is with Cummins, so as far as I know it uses blue coolant (at lease that's all I've seen). Based on this assumption I thought it was good news that the bilge had pink stuff and not blue.
 
It could be pink from the fresh water system, maybe a whale or quick connect fitting cracked and released the pink.
 
No, I didn't taste it but I could smell it and it sure smelled like antifreeze and it was pink. Good call Dave, I hope that's what it is. We have agreed on everything else pretty much but I have told them I'm not comfortable moving to survey not knowing the source, not on my dime. So I asked them to figure it out so we could agree on a resolution prior to me investing in the surveys- what do you guys think?
 
BTW - I am dealing with the broker, that I don't know but I have met the owner and he is a very nice guy, is easy to work with and has been very accommodating. I trust him but I don't want to get into something without knowing about how deep it is.
 
How many gallons does hot water hold. Engines most likeley hold that much total. If rhe person winterizing the hot water heater did not close drain valve he just pumped it in.
 
Russ Calasant said:
No, I didn't taste it but I could smell it and it sure smelled like antifreeze and it was pink. Good call Dave, I hope that's what it is. We have agreed on everything else pretty much but I have told them I'm not comfortable moving to survey not knowing the source, not on my dime. So I asked them to figure it out so we could agree on a resolution prior to me investing in the surveys- what do you guys think?
Click to expand...

Russ,
This is exactly how I would approach it. If as you say the owner seems cool then he should understand and accomodate you. I wouldn't want to invest mega-bucks on mechanical and structural surveys when there is something so obviously amiss at the beginning. Let them figure out "A" before you proceed to "B", IMHO.
 
vandal said:
How many gallons does hot water hold. Engines most likeley hold that much total. If rhe person winterizing the hot water heater did not close drain valve he just pumped it in.
Click to expand...

Only 8 gallons. I don't think it's engine related but maybe shaft seals or rudder(s) but it just speculation.
 
tdschafer said:
Russ,
This is exactly how I would approach it. If as you say the owner seems cool then he should understand and accomodate you. I wouldn't want to invest mega-bucks on mechanical and structural surveys when there is something so obviously amiss at the beginning. Let them figure out "A" before you proceed to "B", IMHO.
Click to expand...

thanks Todd, my thought too
 
Look at the AC units and see if there's a loose fitting. If there is, and there WAS some pink in the bilge, it might dilute it to the volume you see. Those units move a lot of water, and it doesn't take much of a leak to create a bunch of water in the bilge. I had this problem, and it was an intake line on one of the ACs that had almost backed off the fitting.
 
Russ, I have poured Pink in the bilge in the past when winterizing in the water... This year I vacuumed the bilge, and only left what poured out of the manifolds I removed... What probably happened, is who ever winterized the boat spilled AF when pouring pink in the strainers... I have hose attachment to all my RW inlets, and don't spill any AF when I winterize... AF in the bilge is not a big problem... I don't like a any fluid in my bilge because of humidity... I would be more concerned if there was water in the bilge from a leak...
 
rcknecht said:
Russ, I have poured Pink in the bilge in the past when winterizing in the water... This year I vacuumed the bilge, and only left what poured out of the manifolds I removed... What probably happened, is who ever winterized the boat spilled AF when pouring pink in the strainers... I have hose attachment to all my RW inlets, and don't spill any AF when I winterize... AF in the bilge is not a big problem... I don't like a any fluid in my bilge because of humidity... I would be more concerned if there was water in the bilge from a leak...
Click to expand...

Thanks Rod, that's the problem, I don't know if it's diluted with fresh or seawater or just antifreeze. They are looking into it now.
What's this I hear your not coming up in August!?? WTF? You guys have to come
 
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