Beta diesel engine antifreeze change made easier - 2016

Beginning of October 2016 - Tied up in Marina Mazatlán, Mexico

   The way we currently have to drain the antifreeze from our Beta 38 hp diesel engine is not good for the engine hose.

We now need to disconnect the special hose that is connected from the heat exchanger to the water pump. This will wear out this hose at the connection point where we continually remove it and re-connect it.

Here we have purchased:

• Two 3/4 to 5/8 hose barbs (129-1012 5/8X3/4 Male Hose Barb)
• One 3/4 “T” (3/4 BRZ Tee)
• Two threaded 3/4 pipe (¾ X Close BR. Nibble)
• And one 3/4 pipe cap (3/4 BRZ Cap)
• 4 hose clamps (SCI #8)

 We are thinking we have an extra 3/4 inch valve at the boat to put in between the two threaded 3/4 pipe pieces and then have the cap as yet an extra safety stop.

 

  Each year we need to drain the antifreeze and remove the heat exchange stack tube, cleaning it and replacing the “O” rings from the Beta 38 hp diesel engine as per the maintenance manual.  We want to make this easier.

The accumulator tank and hot water heater are in the cabinet above the engine to the left (port) next to the Mermaid Marine Air that you can see.

We have an accumulator tank as our hot water (antifreeze) is plumbed through the hot water heater so we get hot water when running the engine. That means the pet-cock on the side of the motor does not drain all the antifreeze from the motor. There is a lot left to drain out. To make this a simple thing to do we want to install a drain on the starboard heater hose coming from the accumulator tank and going to the motor. A picture or two while doing this project later will explain it a lot. We purchased these parts at Marine Exchange when we were in San Diego. It is near impossible to find a 3/4 to 5/8 bronze hose barb in Mexico. Plus, we have an account at Marie Exchange making the pricing way better then Mexico for this kind of boat thing. This will be below the water line and we use double hose clamps for that.