So I took the drain plug out ...

[Wakatere]

... but nothing happened (coolant not oil). Then I remembered to take the pressure cap off - still nothing. Poking a cable tie into the drain (which has a little elbow on it, so there isn't a clear run) just got some damp gunk out (the coolant higher up the engine is clear).

Anybody have any ideas on how to drain the coolant? It's a Beta 14 (BZ482) and the drain looks like the attached except the tap is replaced with a threaded plug.

TIA
Charles

 

[prv]

On my Yanmar, I couldn't get any water out the drain even by poking things up it. So I assumed it had emptied out through the intake system while being lifted. I then undid the anode to wire-brush it, and out came all the water! So emptying was achieved, even if not by the proper method.

I dried the area as best I could and gave it a squirt of WD40.

Pete

 

[Pye_End]

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=257232

Tell me when you have the answer. I have tried poking an endless selection of wire up it. Have tried to draw out the fluid with a vacuum pump. Have tried blowing air from a foot pump into it, as well as squirting water into it. The only things I have not tried is pressurising the system from the header tank, and squirting with an air line (which was recommended by Beta) when I come out and near the air system.

Grrrr.

 

[Wakatere]

Sorry I didn't see your thread...

 

[Pye_End]

Sorry I didn't see your thread...

No problem. Almost comforting to know somebody else has the same problem with the same engine.

 

[vyv_cox]

This thread suggests there is insufficient antifreeze/corrosion inhibitor in the coolant system. There shouldn't be any sludge in a fully inhibited system. It could be that the bottom of the coolant passage in the block is something of a deal leg but having sufficent sludge to block the drain in an indirectly cooled engine sounds wrong.

 

[SHUG]

This may be nonsense but fishermen allegedly use Coca-Cola to clean out their cooling .
systems. Alternatively you could use brick cleaner (HCl) or alternatively you could wait for VicS to come along with some clever chemistry.

 

[Pye_End]

Vyv - I tested mine for temperature during the cold patch at it looked fine. I forget how much, but 30 to 50% region. It is the pink antifreeze, and probably should have been changed at least a year ago.

I pulled out some sludge right next to the plug, but as I have gone deeper I am not drawing any more out. Because of the bends I can't seem to get any further than about 5cm. No idea which way it goes after that, or what to use that is stiff enough to rod it though, but flexible enough to go round the bends. If it is sludge build up further in then what's the answer, and how urgent is it?

 

[Twister_Ken]

I pulled out some sludge right next to the plug, but as I have gone deeper I am not drawing any more out. Because of the bends I can't seem to get any further than about 5cm. No idea which way it goes after that, or what to use that is stiff enough to rod it though, but flexible enough to go round the bends. If it is sludge build up further in then what's the answer, and how urgent is it?

Not the same application, but I needed to clear a cockpit drain hose that had a bend (and junk) in it. Used a long cable tie, with the lock end being pushed up to act as a clearing tool. It worked, and was flexible enough to go where needed and be wriggled, jiggled and wiggled inside her.

Alternatively - could you use something like the dinghy inflator to pump air up the drain hole and blow any obstruction out into a clearer area, and thus start the flow going?

 

[vyv_cox]

I would think that a good automotive coolant system flushing product would be best. HCl in an indirectly cooled system is risky as there could well be metals in there that are far too sensitive, unlike a raw water cooled engine designed for seawater. I would not buy a flushing product from Halfords or a car parts shop, approach a garage and get some of the professional stuff. The instructions wil probably call for running at speed for a while, so you would need to get the engine driving well, at least 2500 rpm I would think.

 

[Shanty]

Had the same problem with my BZ482. Removed the tap body from the elbow, and a very small amount of gunk appeared, followed by a steady flow of clean coolant. It looks like it doesn't take much to choke this setup.

 

[mattnj]

get some "radiator flush" (search on ebay for that) and run it through, for an hour or so, did it recently on my volvo 2003t amazing how much brown stuff came out.

 

[Pye_End]

I would think that a good automotive coolant system flushing product would be best.

The only worry I have with putting something into the system is finding I still cannot get it out, and then it stay there for x weeks till plan C, or is this not a problem?

 

[vyv_cox]

The only worry I have with putting something into the system is finding I still cannot get it out, and then it stay there for x weeks till plan C, or is this not a problem?

If all else fails take a hose off. That will let it out!

 

[VicS]

If all else fails take a hose off. That will let it out!

Some of it but not all of it!

 

[Wakatere]

http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=257232

Tell me when you have the answer. I have tried poking an endless selection of wire up it. Have tried to draw out the fluid with a vacuum pump. Have tried blowing air from a foot pump into it, as well as squirting water into it. The only things I have not tried is pressurising the system from the header tank, and squirting with an air line (which was recommended by Beta) when I come out and near the air system.

Grrrr.

If you're still having trouble I lost patience, sloshed in some radiator flushing gunk and ran the engine for ten minutes.

As I'd stopped believing I'd ever get it to drain I was caught out and when I took out the plug all the coolant ended up in the bilge - don't care, it's out!


Next question if any body has any ideas - I've filled up with antifreze but it's only taken half as much as the book suggests, and 5 minutes running sets off the overtemperature alarm. Where now?

TIA
Charles

 

[sailorman]

If you're still having trouble I lost patience, sloshed in some radiator flushing gunk and ran the engine for ten minutes.

As I'd stopped believing I'd ever get it to drain I was caught out and when I took out the plug all the coolant ended up in the bilge - don't care, it's out!


Next question if any body has any ideas - I've filled up with antifreze but it's only taken half as much as the book suggests, and 5 minutes running sets off the overtemperature alarm. Where now?

TIA
Charles

airlock in the H/E not allowing enough coolant into the system

 

[Wakatere]

Thanks - I was thinking along those lines.

Any tips on clearing it?

 

[sailorman]

Thanks - I was thinking along those lines.

Any tips on clearing it?

do you have a gearbox H/E or a filler on the water jacket

 

[Wakatere]

In the water jacket - picture on the cover of the manual http://www.betamarine.co.uk/newsite/downloads/handbooks/1590.pdf shows it.