Walmart non-toxic antifreeze

Jay Bird said:
a few years ago all the pink stuff I bought was propylene glycol then it changed formulation to ethyl alcohol .
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Jay, I'm not sure why you had a hard time finding the stuff, but it is still produced and available. Any RV or Marine store "should" carry it...... :smt001
 
Wow!! This is like one of those February threads!! Ding-Ding!! End of round one!
 
tdschafer said:
Wow!! This is like one of those February threads!! Ding-Ding!! End of round one!
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OK ready for round two? All I said in my first post was that Walmart had non-toxic antifreeze for $2.97 a gallon that was it nothing else. I never told any body to use it in their engines or sugested that they do. I said that I've been using it with no issues and posted the ingreadience. I am in salt water and sometimes forget that a lot of you on this board are in fresh water (Sorry) and Yes I do know that the great lakes are fresh water even though I never said anything about the great lakes or fresh water.
Dave
 
No scientist here, just another question, but could it be that without the corrosion inhibitors the antifreeze is more corrosive than salt water, hence the recommendation from the manufacturer?

MM
 
2 years ago when the NE had that really bad winter, there was a guy at the marina who had lost his job, just got divorced and was really down on his luck. This guy decided to use windshield washer fluid because he could not afford pink. The boat sat until a month ago when he sold it. The boat fired right up with no leaks, no issues at all... The boat is docked at the marina next door. The new owner uses the boat on a daily basis. Hasn't put a dime into it....
 
Wow I wonder if the water was a nice brown color when they flushed and started the motor after that long. Most cast iron parts are thick enough to take it but the freeze plugs are another thing. The water may have eaten as much as half of the plug metal away. Wise thing would to be to pull the freeze plugs this winter and reinstall new.
Just my opinion.
 
Henry Boyd said:
Huh? I do the same but have one less big block and use on average three gallons. I also drain and by-pas the water heater which saves six gallons.

Henry
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Henry, do you worry at all of whats left in the bottom of the water tank with the drain above the bottom. I have wanted to do that, but end up just using the extra pink
 
Brian 59 said:
Henry, do you worry at all of whats left in the bottom of the water tank with the drain above the bottom. I have wanted to do that, but end up just using the extra pink
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No, after isolating the heater, I add the AF to the water tank. I run the taps til pink flows. I also have a hose adaptor with a valve. This is attached to the wash down pump. I use that to pink the traps, the shower sump and AC cooling line. And we are done. In the spring I start filling the water tank with the wash down valve open (before connecting the heater). That flushes the AF out of the tank. Flushing the lines is a breeze after that.

Henry


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Henry Boyd said:
No, after isolating the heater, I add the AF to the water tank. I run the taps til pink flows. I also have a hose adaptor with a valve. This is attached to the wash down pump. I use that to pink the traps, the shower sump and AC cooling line. And we are done. In the spring I start filling the water tank with the wash down valve open (before connecting the heater). That flushes the AF out of the tank. Flushing the lines is a breeze after that.

Henry


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What is the "wash down pump"? I didn't realize there was more than one fresh water pump on board. I thought the single pump feed all the water lines, including the wash down shower on the transom (or are you talking about a different "wash down"?)
 
Sorry, on the 280 there is only one pump. There is a faucet (outdoor garden type) located in the transom locker. This has a threaded end for garden hose.

Henry


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Not putting any pink in the HWH is a great way to do things. I'll add that, if you wanted to, you could skip the fresh water tank, too. But, you either have to have good access to the fitting on the tank or install a bypass valve. The general idea is to then draw off a bottle of the pink stuff as your "fresh water tank". Or, put a couple gallons into a bucket so you don't have to switch AF jugs during the process. But, there's more than one way to skin a cat!
 
Lazy Daze said:
Not putting any pink in the HWH is a great way to do things. I'll add that, if you wanted to, you could skip the fresh water tank, too. But, you either have to have good access to the fitting on the tank or install a bypass valve. The general idea is to then draw off a bottle of the pink stuff as your "fresh water tank". Or, put a couple gallons into a bucket so you don't have to switch AF jugs during the process. But, there's more than one way to skin a cat!
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I take the fitting from the line coming from the tank off, right at the pump in the bilge (plenty of working room in my bilge). Then just screw on a fitting with short hose on it to do just as you recommend. Then blow out the line to the tank (with shop vac on reverse) and reconnect it all up as it should be.

Thanks Henry. I figure that is what you meant. I have the exact same plumbing.
 
ZZ13 said:
I take the fitting from the line coming from the tank off, right at the pump in the bilge (plenty of working room in my bilge). Then just screw on a fitting with short hose on it to do just as you recommend. Then blow out the line to the tank (with shop vac on reverse) and reconnect it all up as it should be.

Thanks Henry. I figure that is what you meant. I have the exact same plumbing.
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I pull the line off at the tank, as well. I think I'm going to look into getting a 3-way valve this year and install that. I'm thinking that in regards to the "T" portion of the valve, I'll use a vinyl hose that's long enough to reach up to the cockpit and just dunk that in a bottle (or bucket) of pink. I've already configured my main line such that there are no "dips" for water to collect (no need to blow it out) - I'll just need to make sure this new valve is positioned such that I can keep doing it like that. Trouble is, I have 15mm lines (not 1/2") and it's been hard to find exactly what I want in a 3-way shut-off valve.

I might as well finally install a bypass system on the hot water tank, as well. I've just been pulling the two hoses and connecting them with a scrap of garden hose. Works fine, but there's always room to make it look "fancy"!
 
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Antifreeze is one of those things we, as a dealer, make about a buck a bottle off of. Not even worth thinking about. Might add $4 profit to a boat winterization. I can't believe all the hype about antifreeze. People go crazy shopping around for the best price and trying to rationalize if it is good enough for their boat or not. All to save like $7. Penny wise and pound foolish if you ask me. Just buy the stuff designated for boats at your local marine store and be done with it.
 
CSR_Admin said:
Antifreeze is one of those things we, as a dealer, make about a buck a bottle off of. Not even worth thinking about. Might add $4 profit to a boat winterization. I can't believe all the hype about antifreeze. People go crazy shopping around for the best price and trying to rationalize if it is good enough for their boat or not. All to save like $7. Penny wise and pound foolish if you ask me. Just buy the stuff designated for boats at your local marine store and be done with it.
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I agree 100%, but it sure is hilarious to read some of the rationalizations.......
 
Wow, I never expected this thread would reach 40 posts! Makes me wonder if the general attitude has changed regarding trying to save a few bucks by using a substitute for recommended products. A couple years ago a few people were all over me because I suggested someone spend $9 more on an oil change by using Quicksilver Oil over Auto Zone brand auto oil.
 
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How has no one brought up the "winterizing" with vodka topic yet?
 
ImpulseIII said:
Or, in the words of that old Chinese philosopher One Hung Low.........."Pay Crap---Get Crap"
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I got into a heated discussion one time with someone on Facebook who said he found he can boat cheap. Then again the dude only paid 5K for his boat. So I told him, yea he can get away cheap, if the boat breaks just throw it away and get another one!
 
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