RaggedEdge

I would think a loooooooong time. The reason I run it thru a filter is to get rid of the chit that it might collect running thru the bilge. Then the next fall I just check for strength, beef it up if needed, and dump it back in. I've always set it for - 50 degrees. Anti-freeze does have a life span when in a running engine, but just sitting in there for the winter I figure it will last close to forever.

TOMMY HIWAVE

i have never thought of reusing it new ideas.

Macklin

Good god man! I commend you for recycling your antifreeze...but really? That's A LOT of effort for a few gallons of pink stuff...unless you are talking about the super duper Banfrost stuff that is...maybe worth the effort. Tough to find around here. Until I walked into our new dock shop, after I finished winterizing, to find it sitting on the shelf.

I used the purple stuff thet West Marine carries that goes to -60 and has added anti corrosive properties. Bout the same price as Banfrost when you consider that Banfrost says to cut with 50% water.

Still looking for some feedback from HP525 owners. I know there are several out there. What are you guys doing?

Griff

The pink rv anti freeze does not have anything to prevent corrosion. Also, it will actually freeze. It just does not expand. I would drain it.

Macklin

OK, thanks for you input....but did you read my previous post?

Prostreeter

I think the antifreeze in the block thing must be a midwest and east coast deal.I've been performance boating in Colorado for 15 years and always have my boat professionally winterized and wraped.

No marina in Colorado uses antifreeze.The engines are completely drained and fogged.Have never had a problem.

Macklin

That might be because the air is so dry out there. I lived in Boulder for two years and could not believe the difference in humidity levels. There is NO humidity out there. 32 degrees here is like 0 degrees out there!

SkiDoc

With my Stellings headers, I run 50/50 antifreeze mix through them and then drain the headers. I guarantee this way that there is no pocket of water in the supply to each individual runner without dissassembling them. I beleive that there is no way to blow it all out, I have tried, then taken of the supply and still found water...I believe is cheap insurance for little effort. As far as the block goes, I always fill with antifreeze. It is a fact there will be less internal rust and better conditioning of the seals. If you don't intend on keeping the boat for a long time, probably won't matter to you. I like the idea of reusing the antifreeze, I always use Prestone low tox but admittedly some always ends up in the drive and yard.

RaggedEdge

I'm not not that much of an enviromentalist, but I've always used the old fashioned green stuff, never felt the pink stuff did much in terms of anti-corosion protection, so for the benefit of the green, IMO, I do the little bit of extra work. This deal was with FWC engines in the past.

I bought a 2006 Fountain with the 525's late this fall, so the program is going to change some now. Part of my deal was that they, East Coast Flightcraft, winterize the boat. They drained and then pumped the cooling system / exhaust full of the pink stuff. That is their standard procedure. The boat is in a heated building now so I'm not too concerned. The big issue here, from what I pick up, is the leak problems with the CMI's, and the anti-freeze getting into the engine. Mine being an '06 it has the newer style CMI's, it's also a side by side set up having the shorter, and lighter, tail pipes and was a fresh water boat. I did some research on here about the CMI leak issue when I was shoping for a new boat. What I felt was that the problems were more the older design, staggered or triple set ups with the real long and heavy tail pipes, and in some cases those did not have the additional supports installed, and last, but not least, the salt water deal.

My own thoughts for next year, doing my own winterizing, is to drain the cooling and exhaust, then pump some sort of anti-freeze thru, likely the pink stuff, then drain it down again. I don't know that leaving it in is a bad thing, I just don't fully trust the pink stuff when it gets down to -30 or 40 degrees, which it can do up here where I live.

RaggedEdge

Bingo !!! A little extra work, but a lot of peace of mind when the old mercury take a big dump.