Pink RV Antifreeze

Chet labrozzi · Oct 10, 2011

Ok, here is a question for you...Why doesn't the pink RV antifreeze that I used to winterize my boat now work with my antifreeze tester? I bought a new boat this year and I'm new to this forum so I have been doing alot of reading an research here. After reading some post about using muff's and Rv antifreeze I decided to go pull off the lines on the block and look, the lines where full so I tried to test it, however it doesn't read on my antifreeze tester? is this normal? I dumped the remaining antifreeze down the hoses and hopefully it's winterized!

oldjeep · Oct 10, 2011

Re: Pink RV Antifreeze

You need a tester that is compatible with propelene glycol. A regular auto type tester is for testing ethalene glycol

Here is one
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_...921x00003a&ci_src=14110944&ci_sku=00916153000

Chet labrozzi · Oct 10, 2011

Re: Pink RV Antifreeze

I was going crazy, I pumped almost over 4 gallon of antifreez into and through the boat, took off the line from the water pump to the engine., it was full with what appeared to be pink antifreeze tested it and nothing! Thanks for the tip, just thought for a piece of mind id slip off a couple hoses and check the levels...I ended up dumping more antifreeze right down the hoses so hopefully im ok.

bruceb58 · Oct 10, 2011

Re: Pink RV Antifreeze

Did you drain the block properly first before you dumped the anti-freeze in? If you didn't, you wasted your time.

Chet labrozzi · Oct 10, 2011

Re: Pink RV Antifreeze

I ran the engine till it was really warmed up ran it for a while around 160 degree's on the gage, I unscrewed a blue drain plug on both sides of the engine. Lots of water ran out, waited till it stopped. Poured 5 gallons of antifreeze pink rv into a can hooked that up to the muff's and then ran the engine, it got up to 180 -200 and then the antifreeze pink started coming out the exhaust. left it run it went back down to 160 degree's ran it for another min or two and shut it down. today i pulled off all the hoses on the front (4) and dumped the remaining antifreeze down them about another half gallon or so, some rain out the back of the motor. Good enough? how much does a 5.7 liter hold?

bruceb58 · Oct 10, 2011

Re: Pink RV Antifreeze

You didn't take all the drain plugs out and you probably didn't get all the water out. You also need to stick a piece of wire in each drain hole to make sure there isn't some crud in there blocking the hole.

Chet labrozzi · Oct 10, 2011

Re: Pink RV Antifreeze

damn even running 4 gallons of antifreeze through? i thought about buying a checker tomorrow and pulling off a hose and seeing what it reads? can i just back fluch the block with more antifreeze from the top hose from the temp housing back?

Chet labrozzi · Oct 10, 2011

Re: Pink RV Antifreeze

I didn't pull the plugs on the block just the upper two which i believe are for the exhaust? alot of water came out of each one of those. Then i pumped about 4 gallons through it with the muffs?

oops! · Oct 10, 2011

Re: Pink RV Antifreeze

Chet labrozzi said:
I didn't pull the plugs on the block just the upper two which i believe are for the exhaust? alot of water came out of each one of those. Then i pumped about 4 gallons through it with the muffs?

its not done right chet.......you will freeze the block......there is no question........drain the block...

look at those links i gave you.

they are from the adults only section of the merc repair forum.......please read them......or it will cost you 5k minimum .....ill guarantee that

Chet labrozzi · Oct 11, 2011

Re: Pink RV Antifreeze

Oooops,

Thanks for the heads up, I found the other two plugs just as described. I tried to buy a tester today however no place had the correct unit so a friend of mine is the service manager at a local marina, he is going to bring his tester by later. I opened one of the drians up an collected some of the fluid, it's definatley pink color however it doesnt appear to be as pink as new? My guess it might be some what diluted, I will check with tester. If it's not pure i'll drain the block, my next question is can i just dump antifreeze down the hoses and will it fill the block?

Chet labrozzi · Oct 11, 2011

Re: Pink RV Antifreeze

is there 4 plus total or 6 on the 5.7 liter I found 2 today that I didnt drain before, way down by the oil pan one on each side and then there are one on each side up high on what i assume is the exhaust sides/ports..

oops! · Oct 11, 2011

Re: Pink RV Antifreeze

the exhaust manifolds ar the big thingys on the side of the block on the back of the manifolds.....there is a big elbow. these things are big....you cant miss them.....follow along the underside of them......near the spark plugs....you will find a drain at the back of each side.

as far as the block filling with antifreeze......you loaded the freeze thru the muffs.....so it didn't really work.....that is the wrong way to do it.....

drain the block.........open the thermostat housing.....take out the thermostat.....and pour the stuff in. then replace the tstat.

H20Rat · Oct 11, 2011

Re: Pink RV Antifreeze

in reality you don't need ANY anti freeze. The goal of winterizing the engine isn't to fill it with antifreeze, its to get the water out. Antifreeze just gives you a little extra insurance that you did actually get the water out. (as well as rust prevention, but that isn't the primary purpose)

That is also the reason you didn't find a tester, I don't know if they even exist. Again, ideally your antifreeze just runs right out of the system. Air is better than ANY liquid.

John_S · Oct 11, 2011

Re: Pink RV Antifreeze

If you are going to go through the trouble of using anti-freeze instead of just air, I would us a different procedure and different anti-freeze. Pink RV anti-freeze is for keeping drains and traps from freezing. It does not have a rust preventative package. You can buy specific anti-freeze for I/O storage that has it, or use automotive anti-freeze. Just keep in mind the toxicity and try to capture all spillage.

As far as procedure, drain all water, including big hose. Put all plugs and hoses back on. Remove water inlet supply line at thermostat housing. Attach hose and slowly pour anti-freeze in. From memory, about 2.5 - 3 gallons.

Pink RV Antifreeze

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