Volvo Penta 4.3 GXi-JF closed cooling draining

saaristo

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Sep 22, 2017
Messages
190
Hi. I'm preparing to winterize my boat that has a VP 4.3 GXi-JF engine from 2008. Since the pictures of the manual that came with the boat and actual engine look a bit different I'm hoping to get some help from discussion here.
To the raw water side I will just hook up a canister of AF on the engine flush port which will run through the impeller housing and pushed through the heat exchanger and manifolds and exhaust. Afterwards probably also drain the impeller tubes and manifolds. Probably also tape the drive intake holes so it wont suck air instead of AF from the flush port. I understand that the power steering cooler will drain itself when the impeller tubes are disconnected since the part is under an angle in the back of the engine, correct?

Howevever, since the boat is new to me I also want to drain the closed cooling part. Anotherwords, since I don't know the coolant's properties, I will treat the coolant as if it were water. So I need to drain it and replace with proper coolant. The manual only says "Make sure the coolants freeze point is adequate for expected temperatures", nothing about how to perform the procedure.
So I was thinking to drain the engine block from both sides.
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On my case, there is a defroster hooked up to the engine so I'll just take the hose of from engine drain and thats that.
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Then, I understand I also need to drain the fuel pump from coolant, so probably just unhook the lower end of this tube, correct? One tube also runs from the fuel pump into the exhaust manifold, should I also disconnect that one??
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Since the heat exchanger is lower than the engine block drains it will still hold the old coolant, what would be the hoses to disconnect to get everything out?

Every bit of info is appreciated, up here some have already reported first snow:)
 

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alldodge

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Flushing RV AF thru the raw water side is up to you, but its just going in and drained back out

So far as draining everything it looks like you have it figured out. Some of the plugs like on the circulating water pump should not need to be removed because they would drain when the block drained. The onse close to each other are for adding hoses to a hot water heater. Do remove the large lower circulating water pump hose on the bottom to complete draining.

Also don't see the need to drain the fuel pump unless you think the lines are clogged. The lines will drain when everything else is drained. Cooled by raw water from the main pump, the raw water is pushed thru the pump and into the exhaust man

Normal mix is 50/50 and look at the AF being used to determine protection. Unless you flush the block with fresh water you shouldn't have much of a chance to dilute the new AF going in. If concerned use 60/40 mix but suggest not going above that.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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47,296
You have a half system. That means the block, heads and intake have glycol in them

You need to drain the exhaust manifolds and pull the raw water impeller and back-flush the supply hose with AF
 

saaristo

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Sep 22, 2017
Messages
190
Thanks for input. I was planning to substitute the existing coolant with original Volvo green ready mix, that should probably be suitable for keeping the boat outside through wintertime. Even if there will be some of the existing coolant left in the closed system it would mix with the correct coolant and still be ok. And the old coolant that I drain out I will use to flush through the raw water part of the system since it probably has some AF properties left and raw water part will be drained anyway.
Also planned to take the cap off from the water separator lower part so water would drain out from there also?
Other thing that I see a lot is that the leg oil will not be renewed in autumn, but it will be just left to drain through the winter and new oil added before the season starts again?
 

QBhoy

Fleet Admiral
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Mar 10, 2016
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You could buy an antifreeze tester kit. They are pennies
 

saaristo

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Sep 22, 2017
Messages
190
A year has gone by and was thinking of adding couple of thoughts/questions on the topic.
Anyway, when performing the same procedure couple of things that I did differently
1. didn't drain the closed cooling part of the system, but when I opened left manifold drain port a decent amont of water came out, at the same time no water from the right side manifold?? Poked it with long wires both directions and still nothing, just couple of drops. How's that possible? Could it be that the water was "pulled out" via left side since the sides are connected through heat exchanger?
2. Made a 50:1 mix with 2T oil and stabilizer and ran it through the system. Then pulled the spark plugs and sprayed fogging oil ~3 sec into each hole and turned the engine couple of turns, put back the plugs. Do I have to remove the oil somehow in spring or can I just start the engine and it will burn the oil?
3. Opened also the water separator bottom hole and drained tiny amount of water but also like pint of fuel. Again, do I have to fill somehow the separator with fuel or will the pump suck out the air and prime the system itself?

Thank you in advance!
 

Lou C

Supreme Mariner
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Nov 10, 2002
Messages
11,798
Honestly if I had that set up on my engine that is one case where I'd use the winterizing tank, with a livewell pump to pressurize the flow, and -100 antifreeze or 50/50 Sierra mixed up with water. That will fill the raw water intake hose, impeller, raw water side of the H/E and manifolds with antifreeze. One two three done!
 

saaristo

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Sep 22, 2017
Messages
190
Honestly if I had that set up on my engine that is one case where I'd use the winterizing tank, with a livewell pump to pressurize the flow, and -100 antifreeze or 50/50 Sierra mixed up with water. That will fill the raw water intake hose, impeller, raw water side of the H/E and manifolds with antifreeze. One two three done!

That's an idea worth considering, honestly. I'll give it a try, then it would take care of the manifold where no water came out.
Could you also suggest regarding the two other points - fogging oil and fuel system priming?

Thank you in advance!
 

Lou C

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 10, 2002
Messages
11,798
The fogging oil will just burn off, I fill the fuel filter with gas to make it easier for the fuel pump to prime. Important esp with electric pumps.
 
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