Winterize Coolant Replacement

[06RXTrider]

Hello everyone, I'm Dan..I am new to this forum but a SeaDoo RXT owner for 6 years...

Its time to winterize my seadoo and for the last couple years I have been doing it myself. This winter I am replacing the coolant myself for the first time. In the shop manual it says when flushing the system "Install watercraft in a water tank or ride on a water plane for 15 minutes mostly at full throttle." ??? wtf?.. I called the local seadoo service shop and they said I can run it on a hose at half throttle for 15 min. and that they never heard of using a watertank or waterplane. Is it good to run my seadoo on a hose at half throttle for 15 min?

Also the shop manual says to leave the Valvoline Zerex Super Cleaner in the system for 12 hrs. But the service shop said all they do is run de-mineralized water threw the system when they to a coolant flush. And that using the super cleaner for 12hr soak is unnecessary. Are they right or just cutting corners? Any advice would be very much appreciated..

 

[BMANN06]

Hi Dan welcome, That seems like an awfully expensive avenue to just change the coolant.

While its on the trailer crank the tongue of the trailer so its up past level. Open the coolant fill cap (engine cold) then I believe its a 5mm allen you'll need to remove from middle of ride plate at the back. Make sure you have a catch tray because coolant is going to come gushing out. Let it drain, if your feeling energetic you can put a garden hose in the coolant fill bottle and flush it out a bit more.

When its all drained out get someone to help you. Leave the allen fastener out of the ride plate and have someone start slowly pouring new coolant in. You stay at back an watch the flow of coolant coming out of the ride plate. When its a steady stream (this means most of the air is purged out) of fresh coolant coming out tighten the allen key back up and fill the coolant until its at the line on the coolant bottle. Leave the cap off coolant bottle, hook garden hose up to pump. Start the ski, then open the garden hose tap. Let it run on the trailer on the hose for 5 mins or so. Shut off garden hose then shut off engine. Check coolant level you may need to add some. Keep doing this until your at the line on the bottle. Also, for the first few rides come spring have a bottle of coolant around, the system will automatically purge some of the trapped air in cooling system so you may need to top it up. Just becareful when removing cap on HOT engine.

Hope this helps, I've used this method numerous times.

 

[richny]

Super Easy to do...just follow what BMAN says. I use the Prestone 50/50 mix...I personally don't use a cleaner beforehand. It will need to be refilled back to the line a couple of time as the air is purged out when you run it. Save your money and do it yourself...you will need the money for gas

 

[red2blue]

I'd cut down the time leaving the ski running on the hose. Maybe have to do it a coupla more times but...I wouldn't leave the ski on the hose for more than a coupla minutes at a time. The threat of messing up the carbon seal is enough for me.....just sayin.

I've had my ski since '05...never changed the coolant...yet. Guess I will think about doing so, this winter. Thanks BMANN.

 

[ski-d00]

3-4 minutes on the hose at idle is all you should do. drive system has no cooling when not in the water.

I'm still not convinced that the antifreeze ever needs changed. I just rebuilt an 02 4tec(crank bearing at 560 hours) that I serviced it's whole life and I never changed the antifreeze and the entire coolant system looked brand new, no corrosion anywhere.

So, why are we changing the antifreeze? If it still tests like it should with a refractometer, why ever change it? How many people change their antifreeze in a car? I normally am all about preventive maintenance but I struggle with this one.

 

[door54]

Ive had my 07's since new and have never touched the coolant. The level on each unit is the same as it was on day one, and never a problem (knock on wood). Thanks BMANN, when the it's time for a change I'll refer to your thread. But I lost the scent at '5mm allen you'll need to remove at the ride plate' Could you give us a little more on that? The rest of the dots all connect though.

I'm with Red regarding a 5 min run on a hose...that would pass the limit for me... I'm good with 2-3 minutes

Hey ski-d00 could you give us a bit more on the refractometer? I've not heard of that one, but if it isn't cost prohibitive that's going to be the next addition to my toolbox. What is it that breaks down in coolant?

Preventative Maintenance- An ounce of prevention vs. a pound of cure

 

[ski-d00]

an automotive refractometer will measure the freeze point of the antifreeze mixture by finding the specific gravity. similar to the cheap floating balls type hydrometers but more accurate, although I doubt you need any testing in Vegas. they are kind of expensive and not necessary unless you are storing your seadoo in Siberia.

anti-freeze is really just ethylene glycol and it doesn't really break down in a sealed system.

 

[06RXTrider]

Thanks Bmann, and all the other members. I agree with ski-doo, if the coolant passes a density test why ever change it. Plus its an enclosed system. Thats why I waited 6 years to change it. The coolant change recomendation in the shop manual is major overkill, the shops dont follow that procedure either. I will use Bmann's technique. Thats the way the service shop explained it to me as well.

 

[Coastiejoe]

I called the local seadoo service shop and they said I can run it on a hose at half throttle for 15 min. and that they never heard of using a watertank or waterplane. Is it good to run my seadoo on a hose at half throttle for 15 min?

Also the shop manual says to leave the Valvoline Zerex Super Cleaner in the system for 12 hrs. But the service shop said all they do is run de-mineralized water threw the system when they to a coolant flush. And that using the super cleaner for 12hr soak is unnecessary. Are they right or just cutting corners? Any advice would be very much appreciated..

Absolutely NOT... Unless your ski has the carrier bearing style seal on the drive shaft, you will smoke the carbon seal running it that long on a hose. Plus, the hose water does NOT cool the engine on a 4-tec ski. The ride plate does. These two reasons are why you operate the ski in a ride-tank.

As a side note, I just replied how I do my ski's and vehicles in Post #3 if you care to read it. But I take it to the ramp to get it hot.
http://www.seadooforum.com/showthread.php?81325-Self-vs-Shop-Maintenance-(Coolant-pump-etc-)

 

[Coastiejoe]

I agree with ski-doo, if the coolant passes a density test why ever change it. Plus its an enclosed system..

Coolant can last 20 years and be good from the freezing aspect. However,,, there are additives that do two main other functions.
1). Lubricant: There is a lubricant in the coolant that lubricates the moving parts within the water. Such as the water pump. The engine oil lubes bearings within the engine. The water pump gets no such lubricant. Therefore, good coolant is important to maintain the life of the water pump.
2). Rust/corrosion preventative: This is added to coast any surface the coolant touches. Many of the internal surfaces are rough and allow for corrosion to build up. The additive prevents this and adds life to all the metal parts as well as the moving parts such as the water pump.

You can do a little self test. Put your fingers in new coolant and rub them together. It will be MUCH more slippery and have a unique odor as compared to the old coolant in your ski, car, sled, truck, ect ect

 

[3ftDeep]

Never run your ski without being in water for more than a few minutes. Here's a video for the coolant replacement ...
https://youtu.be/OzGqZ1SCkDo

 

[Grapeescape]

In my occupation we have boiler systems both open and closed with up to 2000 gallons of antifreeze ethylene and propolene glycol and have never changed any of the systems coolant in 30 years. We do have it tested on an annual basis and 99% of the time it's fine. Just another gimmick to sell product and pollute the environment with waste.

 

[lamajama]

Stupid question. I need to put a few inches of AF into my Doos to get to the max cold
line and I know they do not recommend "mixing" different coolants but I have no idea
what brand is in the seadoos. Is it really an issue for that little?

 

[Grapeescape]

I don't see an issue. Test the concentration and if it's good just add some distilled water, otherwise add same colour AF. If I recall it's green. Any off the shelf AF should be good. It's not rocket science as the manufacturers would let you believe as all they look for is parts sales. Remember when they recommended 4 oil changes a year. Now I'm down to one a year on my vehicles per vehicle computer.