Ballpark figure for coolant capacity.

[Southern Star]

I need to replace two coolant hoses which are starting to perish ( and don't look to be suitable anyway) so this seems a suitable time to renew the coolant, as I don't know when this was last done. I'm away from the boat at the moment so can't supply measurements but wonder what a typical coolant capacity for a 1987 42' Peter Nicholls boat with a BMC 1.5 engine, a skin tank, a calorifier in the galley and a water heated towel rail in the wet room might be?

 

If it's any help, there's a photo of the skin tank here.

 

 

I need to get the coolant concentration somewhere between 33% and 50% so an approximate figure would be helpful.

[bigste]

I don't have a BMC engine so cannot help but would be surprised if there is a ball park figure as they will vary so much.

[Southern Star]

I don't have a BMC engine so cannot help but would be surprised if there is a ball park figure as they will vary so much.

For sure, but I'd be interested to know if other people with similar set-ups have a rough idea of what their coolant capacity is. Personally, my "guesstimate" for my system is around 20 litres, but I'd be interested to know if other folk who have done coolant changes can say if that's a fair estimate or way off of the mark.

[Ray T]

Our boat has a Lister Petter LPWS3. The coolant capacity for the engine cooling system and the calorifier heating coil is 25 litres.

 

Our central heating and heating coil in calorifier are a separate circuit run off an Eberspacher.

Edited September 4, 2015 by Ray T

[TheBiscuits]

More than half will probably be in the skin tank, even with long pipe runs.

 

Work out the volume of the skin tank, buy that volume of antifreeze from somewhere that will let you bring back the unopened ones.

 

Add 1 Antifreeze, 1 Water until system is full, or 2 Antifreeze 3 Water if you don't want 50%

 

Return unused antifreeze to shop.

 

 

Edit to add I wouldn't go for the minimum 33% personally, as if it's a bit stronger you can top up if needed with just water.

Edited September 4, 2015 by TheBiscuits

[Bee]

I would buy 10 litres, mix it in a bucket to (eg) 40% then put it in , buy some more if you need to, if you get a bit left over then drain and re fill the car.

[Karen Lea Rainey]

Ive got a 1.5 bmc but dont have enough access to get to the bottom hoses (to empty the system) without ripping out the fixed stairs, i hope these hoses dont perish sometime soon or it will mean a rebuild of a staircase / fixed pannels. When i had a top hose go some months ago i got a 5 ltr concentrate antifreeze and i had to remove the return pipe hose by the thermostat. It took about 3 ltres from that point, then i had to run the engine until the thermostat opened with the pressure cap off, with a few blip, blips on the throttle! It cleared any blockages of air. I have since added a bit more antifreeze to increase the strength but it has been less than 5 ltres without radiators and heaters tank.

[Tony Brooks]

There is no way anyone can give a reliable ball park figure unless theirs and your boats are EXACTLY the same. The volume of the skin tanks vary considerably as do the length of hose runs and weather a calorifier is fitted or not. Oh, and you have a towel rail and unknown distance from the engine.

 

The Biscuits have it right, do the job once and note how many pints you put back in, then you will know for YOUR boat.

[Southern Star]

There is no way anyone can give a reliable ball park figure unless theirs and your boats are EXACTLY the same.

The whole point of a ball park figure is that it is not exact.

[Tony Brooks]

The whole point of a ball park figure is that it is not exact.

 

 

In that case choose either of the figures given above and if you run out of antifreeze accept that it was always likely to happen - that or you may buy too much. Boats are NOT like trucks and cars where the engine manufacturer knows the capacity of the engine, hoses and radiator. They all vary, even between two by the same builder and fitter out.

[Neil Smith]

Stick in 10 litres of pink antifreeze and top up with water and you will be fine.

 

Neil.

[nb Innisfree]

LPWS4, skin tank, two calorifiers, Mikuni, 6 rads, 56 litres the lot, I once calculated about half for engine, skin tank and header tank. So about 25-26 litres.

[Canalwatcher]

Our Isuzu 42 with skin tank and calorifier circuit takes 26 litres to fill.

Radiator circuit have not changed and is completely separate from engine coolant.

 

Mick

[magnetman]

What is a ball park anyway?

[Canalwatcher]

 

.

Edited September 5, 2015 by zodiak

[Neil Smith]

What is a ball park anyway?

Football pitch ?

[Ray T]

Football pitch ?

 

Baseball I believe as the stadium is referred to as a Ball Park.

 

ball·park (bôl′pärk′)

n.

1. A park or stadium in which ball games are played.

2. Slang The approximately proper range, as of possibilities or alternatives: Your estimate is high, but still in the ballpark.

adj.

1. Of, relating to, or used in a park or stadium: ballpark lights; ballpark seating.

2. Slang Being approximately proper in range: gave a ballpark estimate of future unit sales.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ballpark (ˈbɔːlˌpɑːk)

n

1. (Baseball) US and Canadian a stadium used for baseball games

2.

a. approximate range: in the right ballpark.

b. (as modifier): a ballpark figure.

3. a situation; state of affairs: it's a whole new ballpark for him.

 

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ballpark

Edited September 5, 2015 by Ray T

[magnetman]

A bit to amerkin for my liking - what's wrong with "approximate" ?

 

Sorry to be annoying

[Chewbacka]

in this case 'rough guess' may be better

[Arthur Brown]

I think I'd be inclined to mix 20l first then add water and concentrate in moderate lots alternately til full. Say 20l of mix then 500ml of conc and 500ml of water. This way you don't mix too much and keep roughly to the ratio you chose.

[Sea Dog]

Well, by way of a higher end parameter for your ball park, my Beta 43 set up takes 32ltr cnc skin tank and calorifier. The engine capacity is relatively small - the skin tank on the other hand....!

 

I think most here would advise that you pre-mix your coolant to avoid potential locks in the flow.

[Arthur Brown]

Please remember that the antifreeze mix that you discard is harmful to river/canal life, It needs to go down a mains drain or into a proper recycling facility (but not into waste oil recycling).

[Tony Brooks]

No need to premix antifreeze for engine circuits as long as you do not put all the antifreeze in and then top up with water. The engine water pump will circulate and mix the antifreeze over a few hours running. However if you intend to refill and then not run until spring it would be vital to pre-mix. I central heating systems, particularly gravity ones that must always be pre-mixed.

[bizzard]

And I strongly recommend not using tap water, especially if your local water is hard. Distilled or de-ionized water can be bought from motor factors by the gallon quite cheaply, also for topping up batteries. Rain water is also good, even river water is usually better than tap water, but filter it through a bit of cloth, (cotton T shirt or underpants). You'll be surprised how much it helps to keep your cooling system and central heating cleaner and free'er of rust and corrosion without additives.