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Leaking Engine Coolant

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CharlieHCAN View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CharlieHCAN Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Leaking Engine Coolant
    Posted: 23 November 2021 at 00:52
Hi All 

Well I haven’t  had much success on finding answers on our forum  to this item and also not too much posted online. I have the Volvo D2 75 in my 470.  I also have the Sigma 22 litre hot water tank that heats off the engine coolant.  I also have the expansion tank for the coolant fitted above my engine in the engine compartment. What is happening is after I run the engine and shut down the next day I come down to the boat I find a fair amount of coolant in the bildge sometimes a 18 - 1/4 of a
cup (engine compartment).  When I search for any signs of where it comes from there is no apparent signs of its location.  Now I have run a number of scenarios and what conclusions I am at this week is that it may have to do fresh water pump being on seems to create this leak as I’ve tried to warm engine up and with no fresh water pump on and it seems to not reproduce the leak.  So that all being said I’ve set paper towels up below the engine and lines that run to the hot water tank and will test my theories later this week when I can stay and monitor the engine cooling.  I have read some online articles stating that this may be to do with air in the coolant lines to the hot water tank and may have expansion going on that forces coolant out but I don’t know where it comes out ….not the greatest explanation I’m sorry but I’ve gone through many days of searching for this frustrating leak!!

Just a note to see if anyone has had this challenging leak in their boats to date?

Thanks 

Charlie 


Edited by CharlieHCAN - 23 November 2021 at 00:52
Charlie
2012 Hanse 470 - "Good Humour"
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tobo2 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tobo2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 November 2021 at 12:45
We had issues with overflowing coolant with our 470e. As the waterheater is placed above the engine the water flows in the coolant circuit in case the heating spirale is broken. I don't know if you have some valves to cut off the waterheater of the cooling circuit. Like this you can at least exclude this possibility.



Edited by tobo2 - 23 November 2021 at 12:48
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CharlieHCAN View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote CharlieHCAN Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 November 2021 at 14:15
Hi Tobo 

Thanks for the reply - well unfortunately I don’t have shut off valves on my system but I have a couple questions.

Online I read some threads from other boaters and it stated it could be the fresh water system pushing back into the cooling system as you state.  How does this system work then as I would have thought the coolant would be in a closed loop and could never have the chance to contaminate the fresh water system?  The second item this other forum stated was to try and bleed any potential air that might be in the lines as that also may be the problem - how does one bleed the system as I don’t see any bleeder valves?

Thanks again 

Charlie 
Charlie
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tobo2 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tobo2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 November 2021 at 15:26
The fresh water cooling circuit of the engine is closed as long as the heating spiral is not leaking. The spiral is stainless steel and should hold a couple of years. So if you see signs of rusty/brown water in the expansion tank it is a sure sign of a leak in the spiral.


Edited by tobo2 - 23 November 2021 at 15:27
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Wild View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Wild Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 November 2021 at 16:01
Charlie
How to check the heat exchanger of the boiler?
Disconnect the in and out cooling water tubes from the waterheater.
Put a wooden tap in bought tubes or connect then together.
Set pressure on your fresh water system by running the fresh waterpump and close all the fresh water taps.
If there is a leak in the heat exchanger of the boiler water will coming out and after a while your fresh water pump will start to run by loosing pressure.


Wild and Wet
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JonB View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JonB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 November 2021 at 16:20
Charlie,

Assume it is fresh water and not a leak from the exhaust?
Jon B
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CharlieHCAN View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote CharlieHCAN Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 November 2021 at 21:51
Thanks gang for the replies and pics - helpful!  
Wild : I like your idea but I have something to run by you on this idea but I may be wrong - so lets say the spiral/llop/coil (whatever is the official name) in the hot water tank does have a crack or leak.  If I was to plug the inlet/outlet and pressurize the water system by turning on pump - the leak wouldn't  show up as the water cant get out the coolant lines??  What the assumption is with this theory of the coil leaking is the engine coolant is being replace by water in the coolant system? Maybe the right step is if I shut the coolant supply off to the loop as TOBO suggested with valves then try to duplicate the coolant leak again by running the engine and having the water pump pressurized after shut down to see if I find coolant in the engine bay.  Therefore it would suggest a leaking coil and coolant is being replaced by water into the system??  Does that make sense or did I confuse the situation even more ...Im still very confused though where the leak is on the engine itself.

Jon what's leaking isn't water its coolant (yellow for Volvo) into the engine bilge.   

Thanks again 

Charlie
Charlie
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JonB View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JonB Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 November 2021 at 22:06
Volvo's have a habit of warping their aluminium heads. Have you at anytime run a hot engine whether having the revs up to 3000rpm+ to either 'clean' the exhaust or to get you out of a situation?
Jon B
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Wayne's World View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Wayne's World Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 November 2021 at 00:12
Charlie,

We had a leak of Volvo coolant into the engine bilge which was from the plastic engine coolant header tank. If the coolant pipework in the heater was leaking into the water heater water it would be very diluted and and water coming out the over pressure valve on the water heater would be very light green (Volvo coolant colour is green normally). If the water in your bilge is "coolant green" then it is probably coming from the engine directly into the bilge. I would check all the coolant pipework connections for leaks and especially the header tank pipework. The D2 Volvo branded engine is very different to our D3. But the piping of the coolant and the water heater circuit are very similar. Good luck. 

Wayne W
Cruising, currently in the Caribbean and will head across the Pacific early 2024
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Fendant View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Fendant Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 November 2021 at 09:16
I had a small leak from the inner circle coolant pump, which was unnoticed for probably several month.
Coolant leaked out and got absorbed by the oil binder mat  Doe to elevated temperatures in the engine room these mats dried quickly. Check the coolant level in the translucent reservoir.
Check the surrounding surfaces for any suspicious traces. 
Do not mix the green Volvo coolant fluid with red one from other sources.
Frank
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