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raw or fresh water cooled?

1K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  abrahamx 
#1 ·
How do i know for sure if I have a fresh water or raw water cooled engine. I have a tartan 30 with a beta diesel. the 20 hp 3 cyl. I am on the the great lakes so on fresh water. My first year winterizing here in MI and need to make sure if I have to remove t stat when running antifreeze through.
 
#2 ·
if you have a heat exchanger and both a raw water and fresh water pump then it is a fresh water cooling engine. if the water from the thur hull inlet goes to a pump and direct to the engine then you have raw water cooled engine.
 
#3 ·
Sometimes it is difficult identifying what you are looking at if you are unfamiliar with engines. A quick google of Beta engines show that the company came into being in 1987. My guess is that they always made fresh water cooled engines as I believe that fresh water cooling was the norm by then. To make sure, why not contact a dealer and ask them?

Tod
 
#4 ·
Raw or fresh, the winterizing is the same: When the engine is running and warmed up, remove the cooling water inlet hose from its seacock and dunk it in a bucket of antifreeze (whatever is acceptable in your area - the red RV stuff, ethylene glycol, etc). When the color of the liquid coming out the exhaust matches whats in the bucket, you are done. I have been winterizing my marine diesels in the great white north for 20+ years and never had to pull the thermostat.

PS: if freshwater cooled, you should also check that the coolant under the 'rad cap' is rated for your lowest winter temperatures.
 
#5 ·
Well not quite the same. I did not have to remove the t-stat to get anti freeze in the block. After calling beta marine and doing a little reading and going out to the boat and seeing that it had a heat exchanger I obviously figured out its a fresh water cooled. Thats, in fact, all they make. The boat has been in the same slip and yard for six years here in MI and was in ohio and canada previously so I am going to assume the correct coolant is in the radiator.
 
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