Turnbuckle
Well-Known Member
Do I really need to buy Volvo branded antifreeze for a 2030? What do folks on here use? And where do you buy it? Parts4Engines online?
Volvo 2030 AntiFreeze??
- Thread starter Turnbuckle
- Start date
ithet
Well-Known Member
No, but it is one thing that seems to have 'normal' pricing when bought from Volvo (I get the ready mixed version in 5l about £20).
robmcg
Well-Known Member
No, just use the blue stuff from the motor factors for older engines.
ithet
Well-Known Member
BTW, the Volvo stuff for these engines is green.
Turnbuckle
Well-Known Member
The stuff thats innthere at the moment is Orange!!!
ithet
Well-Known Member
Yeah, that's my point. The colour is not a guide to the type. You need a mono ethylene glycol type (not OAT).
wully1
Well-Known Member
You can have some of mine - it’s all in the bilges ??
VicS
Well-Known Member
That probably means that it has an advanced or long life, OAT type antifreeze in it ,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,OAT types are usually red or yellow ,....... The Volvo Penta stuff , Coolant VCS , is yellow
If you also have a MD 2030 It should have been filled with a conventional , or low silicate type. These are usually blue or green The VP stuff, Volvo Penta antifreeze, is green
The two types should not normally be mixed.
You could flush it out thoroughly and refill with the low silicate type or continue to use an OAT type ... your choice.
( Changing from low silicate to OAT requires a chemical clean to remove all residue of the silicate type but a good flush is adequate if changing from OAT back to silicate type)
VicS
Well-Known Member
Both the conventional, low silicate, and OAT types are ethylene glycol based
RichardS
N/A
Vic is probably correct. If it's orange at the moment then it is probably OAT. Personally, I would stick with OAT/Long Life which you can buy at Halfords or any motor factors.
Richard
Never Grumble
Well-Known Member
I put the blue Morris MEG stuff from ASAP in mine, previously it had some orange coolant in it but exactly what that was I have no idea.
VicS
Well-Known Member
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Hopefully you did not mix the blue Morris MEG antifreeze , which is a conventional silicate/ borate inhibited antifreeze , with the orange antifreeze which would almost certainly have been an advanced / long-life OAT inhibited type.
Hopefully you did not mix the blue Morris MEG antifreeze , which is a conventional silicate/ borate inhibited antifreeze , with the orange antifreeze which would almost certainly have been an advanced / long-life OAT inhibited type.
Never Grumble
Well-Known Member
No I drained it all out and then flushed it through.
Turnbuckle
Well-Known Member
VicS et al, thank you for all your help. My concern is that I have a slight leak somewhere, and it's drying on the top of the engine. I attach a picture. I was also advised by the Boatshed engineer who inspected the engine for me before I bought it a couple of months ago to drain the coolant and flush it - maybe he knew something I didn't.
I was planning just to clean up the top of the engine and winterise it. I can't now be sure what kind of coolant was in there - it dries to a whitish pinkish dust (as you can see).
So my question has now become: If I am not sure what type of coolant is in there, and I have some kind of leak on the top of the water pump, and the engine seems to be using more coolant that I'd expect, what is the best course of action?
VicS, please could you advise on a course of action?
I was planning just to clean up the top of the engine and winterise it. I can't now be sure what kind of coolant was in there - it dries to a whitish pinkish dust (as you can see).
So my question has now become: If I am not sure what type of coolant is in there, and I have some kind of leak on the top of the water pump, and the engine seems to be using more coolant that I'd expect, what is the best course of action?
VicS, please could you advise on a course of action?
Attachments
sailaboutvic
Well-Known Member
Not sure if I should anwrrs as it direct to Vics .
I would start by finding the leak , that needs to be sorted ,
Next a very good flush , then if worried spend the extra few bob and buy Volvo AF what they recommend and be done with .
I would start by finding the leak , that needs to be sorted ,
Next a very good flush , then if worried spend the extra few bob and buy Volvo AF what they recommend and be done with .
Spirit (of Glenans)
Well-Known Member
What happens if you do mix them?
RichardS
N/A
In my experience, nothing at all, although I would normally fully drain the system down and run through with at least one flush of fresh water before refilling.
Richard
RichardS
N/A
I agree. It looks like a typical circulation pump water seal leak and the only solution is likely to be a new pump. The leak will only get worse if it is ignored.
Richard
sailaboutvic
Well-Known Member
Funny you said that Richard , in my last teens and 20sh we all ways mix different AF and mix oils in our cars what ever was the cheapest now we being told we can't ,
Have engines really got that sensitive , or is there just too much goggleing going on .
I can't ever remember emptying my sump just because I could get the same shell or BP oil .
VicS
Well-Known Member
I assume from the pink colour of the deposits that the antifreeze is a OAT type. Although OAT is not the recommended type for the engine I think it would be preferable to continue using that type rather than switch back to a conventional silicate type. An (OAT) antifreeze from your favourite motor parts supplier , Halfords or even supermarket will be suitable. No need to buy the VP branded product.
Unless you are in a area where the tap water supply is soft and low in dissolved solids it is recommended that the coolant is diluted with distilled or deionised water. In this case it is probably worth while buying ready diluted antifreeze ( unless you have free access to a supply of deionised water)
However I am surprised that it dries to dust. Ethylene glycol is much les volatile than water ( boiling point nearly 200C ) Leaking antifreeze does not normally evaporate .. at least not quickly.
I think you need to track down the reason for the coolant loss. In an earlier thread the HE end caps were mentioned. If the larger of the two large clips is not tight or if the end cap does not make a good seal with the HE body coolant will leak.
If the smaller of the two is not tight, or the cap is not making a good seal with the tube nest, coolant can leak into the seawater side and be lost without you seeing where it is going.
If however the water injection point into the exhaust becomes restricted the pressure of the seawater in the HE can rise and then seawater can be forced it the coolant. This results in coolant being lost via the pressure cap and overflow hose but the level in the HE will remain high. Seawater in the coolant is very undesirable.
Hopefully you are not losing coolant via a bad cylinder head gasket.
I would initially concentrate on finding the leak which is causing the pink deposit.
