Anyone Ever Use SeaFlush ?

[rpasquarello]

Alex,

Your cap and valve look like the perfect solution for me -- I just need it for the strainer to my A/C as my engine uses the drive. What size threads was the cap?

 

[Havana Shamrock]

Alex, i agree i do plan to flush on a regular basis. My 320 had the factory flush kit it was great and convenient
I read that if you have gen3 cool fuel modules like i do now , you really need to flush more often thats another reason why i need a permanant solution


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Alex F]

Alex,

Your cap and valve look like the perfect solution for me -- I just need it for the strainer to my A/C as my engine uses the drive. What size threads was the cap?

Sorry, don't know the thread size, but if I recall it was a regular 3" cap that you can find in the plumbing department of any HD or Lowes. Your strainer might be 2". Just check the size of the cap and the thread should work fine.

I just want to clarify few things:

1. For gas engines you really don't need anything, unless you wish to have permanent flushing system (like what Joe is trying to make). For those gas inboards the process is simple. Open the cap, stick a garden hose (secure it of course, so it doesn't pop out when the engine is turned on), open city water. Let is spill in the ER, let the pumps get clean water through them too. Fire up the engine and you'll see that the water is no longer spilling out of the strainer, but rather gets out via exhaust.

When done flushing, shut the engine, then shut the water. When running pink, two people is best to be used for the job. One would be turning on/off antifreeze supply and second would control the engines. The process is the same, but coordination between two people is important as this is what will prevent either lack or lose of pink. I've done it this way number of times and like I mentioned before I never felt a need for anything like a funnel.

2. The cap with garden hose fitting. I only did it b/c my 420 has diesel engines and they require MUCH greater supply of coolant water. I saw couple of other installations where the cap and the hose are about 1 1/4". Since I had most of my setup from my previous gas boat I wanted to minimize modifications and just added the garden hose fitting to the cap. The main logic behind this setup is that I'm trying compensate lack of volume with extra pressure. This is when the cap comes in to play. The coolant (FW or pink) supply is sealed and forced into the strainer without loosing a drop. Obviously, when flushing the engines all I do is open the valves and city water gives enough pressure to feed the engines with FW. But, when I switch to antifreeze I use FW pump (the same method as winterizing A/C pump) to force the pink into the strainer instead of just using the gravity and let it drain from a bucket, which most likelly be not enough for my diesels and would fry the impellers.

So, this is the reason I asked if Gary used the Groco fitting on his mains, I wanted to know what was his approach on the debate volume vs. pressure. If he thinks that the garden hose size and pressure is enough for his QSM11s, then I think I'll be fine with mine as well.

Also, another benefit for the FW electrical pump forcing the pink in to the engines is that I control it from the bridge (via switch on the pump), so all I need is for the 2nd person to let me know when the pink is coming out of the exhaust. Then, I shut the engine and flip the switch to shut the pump to stop the pink supply.

I hope that helps a little.

Alex, i agree i do plan to flush on a regular basis. My 320 had the factory flush kit it was great and convenient
I read that if you have gen3 cool fuel modules like i do now , you really need to flush more often thats another reason why i need a permanant solution

Joe,

Let me know if you need details on how I did the flushing system on my 320.

 

[Russ Calasant]

I don't agree at all. Pressure can only replace volume to a point, what is that point? Can you see that the strainers are always full "remotely" while operating the pump from the helm? However I don't think the whole operation is that crucial and either method will do the trick but I feel better pouring it in controlling volume and flow, being able to see it. With the Groco you still only have a garden hose and on my application my generator is over the seacocks so they physically will not fit, I also do not want another possible point of failure on a seacock. The funnel does allow you to use the insert and blow out seawater from strainer to intake with shop vac and then dump a bottle in it followed by starting the motor and pouring a 5 gallon bucket of antifreeze in it while someone mans the helm, done. Then it's really handy with the AC, blow out one end then pour antifreeze in and use shop vac to push it through, one AC unit at a time, done.

 

[Alex F]

I don't agree at all. Pressure can only replace volume to a point, what is that point? ...

Ah, got to love the winterizing season......LOL.

I agree, but I think that the pressue provided by the FW pump is good enough for this application.

...Can you see that the strainers are always full "remotely" while operating the pump from the helm?...

The first thing I do when swithcing from water to pink I empty the strainers and turn on the FW pump to prefill the strainers and then flip the switch to stop.

... but I feel better pouring it in controlling volume and flow, being able to see it...

I used to be able to see it on a dancer. With a bridge boat you'll need a 3rd person to see the strainer state.

... I also do not want another possible point of failure on a seacock...

Yep, there's always a trade off with any new gizmo.

...The funnel does allow you to use the insert and blow out seawater from strainer to intake with shop vac and then dump a bottle in it followed by starting the motor and pouring a 5 gallon bucket of antifreeze in it while someone mans the helm, done...

I just use manual pump to get the FW out from the strainers. I still don't see why you need a funner in order to pour the pink in the strainer. Why can't you do it directly in to the strainer? I hope you don't literally hold the 5 gal bucket and pour?

...Then it's really handy with the AC, blow out one end then pour antifreeze in and use shop vac to push it through, one AC unit at a time, done.

You use shopvac I use special bucket with FW pump, diffent parts but they do the same thing. :grin:

 

[Russ Calasant]

Lol, yeah, stand there and pour the bucket into the funnel.

 

[Russ Calasant]

Let me ask you guys a question, someone mentioned to me that they change the zincs prior to winterizing to drain seawater as an added benefit then they winterize. Wouldn't this leave air in the cooling system? Is that okay?

 

[Alex F]

Lol, yeah, stand there and pour the bucket into the funnel.

:lol: I got to get pic of this one :lol:

Have you ever heard things like valves and hoses? :lol:.......Man you're cracking me up....

 

[Russ Calasant]

Valves and hoses!?! Why make it complicated?? Your over thinking it my friend, ever heard of "K-I-S-S"?

 

[alnav]

Let me ask you guys a question, someone mentioned to me that they change the zincs prior to winterizing to drain seawater as an added benefit then they winterize. Wouldn't this leave air in the cooling system? Is that okay?

Russ, believe it was me who said this in a thread of yours. Draining the engine by removing the zincs is actually the first step right out of the Cummins tech manual for my engine. The rest of the procedure is to take out the seawater impeller then pour enough Antifreeze into the system through the top-most raw water hose to fill the heat exchanger then to drain the strainers. So, Cummin's procedure will definately leave air in the system so I would assume they don't think there's a problem with it and I can't think of any harm it would cause. From my perspective, getting as much water out of the engine as possible is probably a good thing whichever method you use to inject antifreeze.

 

[Alex F]

Valves and hoses!?! Why make it complicated?? Your over thinking it my friend, ever heard of "K-I-S-S"?

On the serious note, I'm surprised that your 7.4s took only 5 gallons of pink. I think I ran about 6 on my 5.7s. Therefore, you'll need to get a bigger bucket, b/c your 450s will take 6-7 gallons. I usually put about 8 gal. in my bucket to make sure I have enough. There's usually about 1gal left by the time clear pink is coming out of exhaust and that side is shutdown.

 

[Russ Calasant]

Really? Are you sure? Everyone including boat diesel says 5/6 gallons. I never winterized the 7.4s.

 

[Russ Calasant]

Russ, believe it was me who said this in a thread of yours. Draining the engine by removing the zincs is actually the first step right out of the Cummins tech manual for my engine. The rest of the procedure is to take out the seawater impeller then pour enough Antifreeze into the system through the top-most raw water hose to fill the heat exchanger then to drain the strainers. So, Cummin's procedure will definately leave air in the system so I would assume they don't think there's a problem with it and I can't think of any harm it would cause. From my perspective, getting as much water out of the engine as possible is probably a good thing whichever method you use to inject antifreeze.

Hey Al, I couldn't remember who said it, glad you caught my post. That would make sense if you were not running the motor but if you put air in the system and then run it to draw through antifreeze is that an issue? How exactly do you do yours and how much antifreeze do you use in one motor?

 

[Alex F]

Really? Are you sure? Everyone including boat diesel says 5/6 gallons. I never winterized the 7.4s.

Everyone's comfort zone is different. I never hold back on extra pink. If it takes a little more than expected I don't care, b/c I'd like to see clear pink running through. Taking your numbers (5/6) to me it means I need to have 7gal to be 100% confident that I won't be short. No matter how you twist it and turn it 5/6 means that 5 gal. bucket is no longer doing the trick. You'll need bigger bucket.

Just to give you an idea, here's my setup (the bucket holds about 10 gal.) on which I've received some negative comments from diesel owners here stating that I need more volume instead of a pressure:



Here's what I'm told I should upgrade to (1 1/4" hose and no pump):



Steve, I hope you don't mind me using pic of your gizmo.

Here's the link to our discussion on the setup: http://clubsearay.com/showthread.php/39333-420-44-DB-Owners-Club/page34

 

[Havana Shamrock]

Where do i find out how much to run through my 8.1's? My 320 took exactly 5 gals per motor. Is it the same block?

 

[rpasquarello]

I drove to the boat this evening to scope things out. Since I'm looking to flush the A/C, I'm thinking of splicing into the 3/4" hose either before or after the strainer, and adding a T with a valve and a capped intake and double-clamping it in place. Opinions?

 

[Havana Shamrock]

I still stick by this idea especially as a permanant solution. Groco 3/4" kit for your a/c unit

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[rpasquarello]

Joe, you win. :smt038

I just ordered it from the manufacturer. Probably $15 more than on-line elsewhere but in stock and will ship tomorrow.

 

[alnav]

Hey Al, I couldn't remember who said it, glad you caught my post. That would make sense if you were not running the motor but if you put air in the system and then run it to draw through antifreeze is that an issue? How exactly do you do yours and how much antifreeze do you use in one motor?

Russ, I drain the raw water system through the zincs, replace them, check the impeller then button it up. I used to vacuum the water out of the strainers but intend to blow them out with the SeaFlush this year (I stay in the water so I think this will help me get that part dry). I fill up the strainer as much as I can with antifreeze then use my strainer fitting to a hose into a bucket with 5 gallons of antifreeze and run that dry with a couple of bumps to the engine (literally a matter of a few seconds). Ends up being about 8 gallons total for me. BTW, if you're in the water trying to do this, it's pretty hard to see that antifreeze is really coming out. I use purple to provide just a little bit more degrees of protection plus I have been told (at West Marine and more than once) that purple has more and better protective additives than pink (not sure that's true but the extra $15 doesn't bother me) so the first time I winterized I must have used 3 cases until I went out to observe myself and could just tell it was not water, my daughter couldn't (pink might be easier to see). Now I'm pretty confident in how much I need but if I was doing my first winterization on a new-to-me motor I would err on the side of more rather than less.

 

[Russ Calasant]

Wait a minute, you drain through the zincs, blow out strainer then fill with antifreeze, connect to a five gallon bucket and just bump the motor a couple times, not running it, and it takes in four gallons ? That's it?