Cummins 6bta in Northeast US – RW Antifreeze?

[Kevin Tisdall]

I’m not new to small sailboat diesels but I am new to our recently purchased mainship390. Has 2001 Cummins 6bta 330 engine.

I keep hearing that I should use “Green” antifreeze to winterize raw water side of engine, vs the “pink” potable stuff I’ve always used in small yanmars.

What product name is that? What is the chemical composition? If it’s not potable, what do you all do to recover what comes out of the exhaust, and then what do you do to dispose of it?

Topic

[Kevin Tisdall]

Thanks Russ – good luck!

–Kevin

[Russell Monaco]

Good Luck Kevin!
I too will be winterizing my big boy engine for the first time.

Russ

[Clark Leighs]

GREEN A/F is ethylene glycol which is poisonous.

Unless you can recover all of it do not use it.

THe Pink RV antifreeze does a good job and does not have the recovery problem.

I’m sure at some point it too will be deemed not suitable to just let go but we are not there yet.

The pink RV stuff is what I use in my boat.

[Rob Schepis]

Only guys I know that use the coolant type antifreeze are trailer boats where they can capture, store and reuse. Been winterizing diesels for decades with the non-tox. Too easy. Here’s a prior with some info:

Winterizing Anti Freeze

[bluebyu]

Many opinions on this subject.

For me, leaving my boats (past and present) in the water, have been using RV antifreeze on raw water side.
6 Gallons per engine. This has worked fine for the last 15 years.

Ensure the fresh water side of engine has correct mix of the proper antifreeze!

We are located in the Northern Chesapeake.

Hope this helps

[Author]

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