Drain and Refill Antifreeze, Cat 3126

[Newtrawlerowner]

I've drained the antifreeze and am ready to refill and wanted to know what tricks people used. The expansion tank and pressure cap are just below the floor and are not easily accessible. I've rigged up a funnel/hose devise to fill and am sure this will work but was wondering what others did.
Any help/ suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[syjos]

I have a "T" in the heater hose going to the hot water heater at it's lowest spot. The "T" has a valve and a hose connection. I connect a pump to the "T", stick the inlet hose into a bucket full of antifreeze and distilled water and pump the coolant in.

By pumping the coolant in from the lowest spot, trapped air is forced up and out as the coolant rises in the engine. This makes bleeding out air, which takes a while on some engines, unnecessary.

I reverse pump orientation to pump the coolant out of the engine instead of draining.

The "T" is also used for reverse flushing the coolant passages by pinching the hose on one side of the "T" at a time while running dock water into the "T" and discharging out of the expansion tank inlet.

 

[Ski in NC]

Outboard squeeze bulb fuel line from Walmart can come in handy.

 

[Newtrawlerowner]

I have a "T" in the heater hose going to the hot water heater at it's lowest spot. The "T" has a valve and a hose connection. I connect a pump to the "T", stick the inlet hose into a bucket full of antifreeze and distilled water and pump the coolant in.

By pumping the coolant in from the lowest spot, trapped air is forced up and out as the coolant rises in the engine. This makes bleeding out air, which takes a while on some engines, unnecessary.

I reverse pump orientation to pump the coolant out of the engine instead of draining.

The "T" is also used for reverse flushing the coolant passages by pinching the hose on one side of the "T" at a time while running dock water into the "T" and discharging out of the expansion tank inlet.

Thanks for the suggestion. This would work IF I had a water heater that used engine coolant. I ended up buying a transmission type funnel with a long snout. I inserted a 3 foot piece of vinyl tubing into the end of the funnel. I attached the funnel to a 5 gallon pail on the cabin floor and ran the hose under the floor to the expansion tank above the heat exchanger. This worked well.

 

[Pete Meisinger]

"most" of the time there is a second removable floor panel which will give you better access.

pete

 

[GBPunky]

I have a "T" in the heater hose going to the hot water heater at it's lowest spot. The "T" has a valve and a hose connection. I connect a pump to the "T", stick the inlet hose into a bucket full of antifreeze and distilled water and pump the coolant in.

By pumping the coolant in from the lowest spot, trapped air is forced up and out as the coolant rises in the engine. This makes bleeding out air, which takes a while on some engines, unnecessary.

I reverse pump orientation to pump the coolant out of the engine instead of draining.

The "T" is also used for reverse flushing the coolant passages by pinching the hose on one side of the "T" at a time while running dock water into the "T" and discharging out of the expansion tank inlet.

Syjos, Would you be able to post a pic of your T?

 

[syjos]

Syjos, Would you be able to post a pic of your T?

I'll take a picture next week when I go to the boat.

A brass "T" like the picture below with hose barbs on two sides to install in the heater hose and a valve with a hose connector on the third side.

 

[Newtrawlerowner]

I have a "T" in the heater hose going to the hot water heater at it's lowest spot. The "T" has a valve and a hose connection. I connect a pump to the "T", stick the inlet hose into a bucket full of antifreeze and distilled water and pump the coolant in.

By pumping the coolant in from the lowest spot, trapped air is forced up and out as the coolant rises in the engine. This makes bleeding out air, which takes a while on some engines, unnecessary.

I reverse pump orientation to pump the coolant out of the engine instead of draining.

The "T" is also used for reverse flushing the coolant passages by pinching the hose on one side of the "T" at a time while running dock water into the "T" and discharging out of the expansion tank inlet.

If you have a Cat 3126 I'd like to know where you connected the heater hoses. I don't have those and would like to connect my water heater to the engine as a secondary hot water source. A picture would be great but a description will work. Thanks.

 

[syjos]

If you have a Cat 3126 I'd like to know where you connected the heater hoses. I don't have those and would like to connect my water heater to the engine as a secondary hot water source. A picture would be great but a description will work. Thanks.

I have a Lehman 120.

There has to be a place to connect a hose to plumb to a hot water tank or Red Dot.

Someone with a 3126 should chime in.