Coolant Hose in Port Locker

[DarthOccam]

I've been thinking (a dangerous thing) and thought I would run this by the group before I started drilling holes.  I searched the board but didn't see a posting on this subject.

Serenity is a 2005 MKII model.  In the middle of the port locker, toward the forward end of the locker, is the overflow coolant hose. As you can see in the pictures (1:  view of hose running through floor of locker; 2: hose and coolant tank; 3:  hose running up forward of the fuel tank to the floor of the locker), it comes up from beside the fuel tank, through the floor of the locker, and then runs under the seat to the coolant tank.  My issue is that it is located in an awkward location, preventing me from using the full locker and at risk of being damaged by something heavy sliding around (I keep the stern anchor in a crate in the locker).  

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Has anyone else addressed this?  One option is to move the hose to the corner of the locker, getting it more out of the way.  It would still be vulnerable, but the seat above would keep the anchor crate from hitting it.

Another option would be to completely relocate the holding tank, perhaps to inside the engine compartment.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Michael

[Ken Juul]

I agree that looks like an accident waiting to happen.  Looking at pictures of the MKII engine room on Yachtworld it does not look like there is a convenient place to put the overflow bottle as it needs to be at least as high or higher than the coolant tank. I also don't see a need for the large loop attaching it to the bottom of the seat, think they did that to get it off the locker floor.  Not sure of the exact layout, is it possible to make a hole in the vertical part of the locker floor at position 1 or 2?

[Dave Spencer]

Hi Michael,
The coolant bottle location you have looks to be vulnerable to gear shifting in your locker as you have suggested.  My boat is quite a bit older but my bottle is located under the sink in the head accessed easily through the door under the sink.  There is a picture in Reply #1 of this recent thread. http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6728.0.html  (I know I don't have the proper hump hose on the muffler... I'll get to it)  You can see the bottle is just above the remote regulator.  Some have devised a simple cover for the regulator made from old tupperware or equivalent to prevent any coolant drips from damaging the regulator; something I haven't done yet but I will get to it.  I find it convenient since it is easily accessible when I'm inspecting the engine.  I have to transfer the coolant mixture from the 4 litre jug into a smaller container to fill the bottle but this is done infrequently and is not a real inconvenience.  Locate the bottle as high as possible on the head side of the engine bulkhead and it will be out of harms way from the gear in your cockpit locker.  

Does anyone know why this wouldn't work on newer C34s?

[DarthOccam]

Thanks for the feedback.  I think you're right, Ken, about the loop just being to route the hose to the overflow bottle.  The Universal installation guide just says that the bottle has to be level or above the manifold.  Nothing about a loop.

Regarding your suggestion about bringing it up through the vertical part of the locker floor, I probably took about 50 pictures while I had the panels off in the aft cabin.  But that's the one area I didn't photograph.  The closest I have is the picture below.  My arrow #1 roughly correlates to your arrow #1.  The sloped area is for the opening port.  The vertical part of the locker floor is to support the top of the plywood panel, which slides into it.  I could probably pass the hose through a hole drilled in the vertical part that's above the cabin roof, but I would definitely have to notch the plywood.  That would put the hose exit right below the bottle.

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That would solve the issue of the hose being in the way.  The downside of this approach, other than notching the plywood, is that the coolant tank is still in the way and subject to being hit by objects in the locker.  The engine compartment is definitely tight--would need a shoe horn.  I kind of like Dave's idea of moving the whole works to the bulkhead under the head sink.  To be honest, that's probably a more convenient location to check than the locker (or the engine compartment), and a lot more protected.  I don't remember anything being in the way there, but will have to check this weekend when I'm down at the boat.

I can't believe I'm the only MKII owner who's wondered why that hose is sticking up in the middle of the locker.  Maybe they only did it on a few of the C34s.

[Ken Juul]

Perhaps the easiest place to move it to is right above the engine in the aft cabin.  I looks like it could be mounted on the port wall just above the shelf.  If the wall is thick enough use screws, if not through bolt into the head.  Out of the way, easy to view/service.

[mel low]

My 87 does not have a coolant tank and I would like to add one. Would like to hear from M-1 as to where their tank are mounted. My wall inside the head has the fuel pump and large fuel filter so this area is used. I mounted my regulator for the alternator on the back wall under the sink in a Plexiglas box I made. So not much room left under the sink.

[Ralph Masters]

Mel,
My 87, hull number 367, has a make shift one sitting on the deck sort of behind the engine.  It is one of many items on the "to do list".  I'm looking at putting it on the shelf in the aft cabin, above and behind the engine.  It's funny how when you cross one thing off that list, you have to add two more to it.  At this rate the next owner will have nothing to do but sail.  Like I'd sell at this point.

On a different note, for all in and around San Diego, the Parade of Lights was a BIG hit.  We volunteered our service and was picket boat position 14, one of the best seats in the house.

Ralph
Ciao Bella

[Ron Hill]

Michael : I'd definitely move that bottle out of the port side locker, for all of the reasons mentioned.  You can look under the sink in the head or as Ken mentioned in the aft cabin.

Here are a few other ideas.  It's something that you periodically check, as the coolant level will only change if you have a leak or have a hose failure.  Those situations usually happen with older hoses.  I'd recommend checking the coolant as often as you check the engine oil.
When I installed my new engine it had a coolant bottle similar to yours.  I went and purchased a tall narrow 20oz Rubbermade bottle because it fits just behind the engine.  So there's nothing saying that you have to use the same bottle!! Nor that the coolant feed has to be in the bottom - my tube comes in the top!!

mel : I wrote a Mainsheet Tech notes article (early 1990s) on how to add a coolant recover system on an M25 &M25XP engine.  A simple task and I (then) used a 1 qt Rubbermade bottle and wire tied it to the rear port side of the engine compartment.  The wire tie (holding it in position) also served as the line to measure the coolant level in the bottle.

A few thoughts

[Les Luzar]

Mel low,
My 87 is set up just like yours under the sink in the head. I have a fuel pump, and fuel filter mounted on the wall and no room for a coolant tank. Looks like my boat never had a coolant tank or perhaps a PO removed it? Is there a critical reason to add one other than to easily check the fluid level? I have never in the five years of owning my boat seen coolant spill out into the engine compartment. If there were a leak in the system, it would replenish the coolant tank from the overflow reservoir, but that would only buy time unless the leak was spotted. And since we should be inspecting our engine frequently, is this reservoir really necessary or simply convenient?  

[Ron Hill]

Les : It's the convince like your auto of not to have to open the "radiator cap" to check the coolant.

You also allow air into the coolant system and air (oxygen) is a needed ingredient to make rust. 
Also, I got tired of having some coolant spit out on the flooring between the engine and the port side engine wall.

Just makes for a cleaner engine compartment.

[Jack Hutteball]

My tank is located in the same place as yours and I have never had a problem with it and it is easy to check fluid levels.  I don't think my hose connection to it is routed the same way as yours is, but I do not remember how it is routed.  I will go to the boat tomorrow and check to see what I have.

Jack

[Les Luzar]

Ron,
Those are good points. Thanks. I have always thought about adding this coolant reservoir but so far, this project keeps slipping down the list. Like Ralph says, the project list is endless.... and, I now have more ideas about where to locate it!

[DarthOccam]

Perhaps the easiest place to move it to is right above the engine in the aft cabin.  I looks like it could be mounted on the port wall just above the shelf. 

An interesting spot, but that shelf is hinged (piano hinge on forward edge) and opens to allow access to the rear of the engine.  There's no clearance between the shelf and the wall.  Going by memory, I don't think there is space inside the engine compartment below that shelf either, due to the exhaust riser and the need to have access to the heat exchanger to remove the zinc. 

Ron:  Agree about checking it frequently.  As part of learning the boat and systems, I compiled a set of checklists including periodic maintenance.   Engine oil, transmission fluid, coolant, all get checked at the same time.

I'll have to poke around in the boat this weekend, but for now I'm leaning towards relocating it to under the head sink.

Thanks,

Michael

[Ken Juul]

A lift up lid.  Great idea! That opens up some other options.  How about here?  Mounted on either the stbd or aft side of the engine box so it is away from the exhaust.  High enough so the top to the bottle is just under the lid for easy servicing and viewing.

[DarthOccam]

Here's where the coolant recovery tank ended up.  It was a very easy mod as the coolant hose was routed through this compartment as part of the black bundle in the middle of the picture running from left to right.   There were two existing screws (to hold the platform above the engine) at just the right location and distance apart, so I didn't even have to get out the drill.

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I haven't made up my mind whether to keep it here or move it to the back wall under the sink, mainly because I've also decided to move the primary fuel filter here as well.  I hate having to crawl under the mattress and floor board in the aft cabin to check the fuel separator, especially while under way.  There appears to be enough room for both.  The fuel hoses (feed and return) are the other two hoses in the bundle, so the hardest part of the mod would be drilling the holes to mount it.

I gained almost a foot of length in the port locker by moving the hose, and now I don't have to worry about the hose being damaged.

Thanks for the suggestions...

Michael