Is red pop safe to use?

[ccustomrides]

Hello,
Last year I used the 5 gallon method with red pop -50F.
This year went I went to westmarine tand he dude told me not to use red pop since it's not safe for the block??? I know they have 2 other rating like -70 and -100 and they are a lot more money.
I didnt have a cracked block last spring from using red pop and why did the guy tell me it has no rust inhibitor when it DOES. It says so right on the bottle. So Am I crazy and need to switch or red pop is fine. Also everyone I know always says to use red pop plus how can I dilute with water when 4.3 only holds 2.5 gallons of raw water and I am pouring in 5 or more?
I run 5 gallons into my 4.3 and call it a day.
Thanks guys.

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: Is red pop safe to use?

I have never heard of red pop short of the drink.
Just pull the drain plugs and let out all the water. NO water, NO freeze. It will dry and not rust. Easy, and fast.

 

[ccustomrides]

Re: Is red pop safe to use?

red pop is -50F marine/RV antifreeze. Looks pink in my book.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Is red pop safe to use?

Just drain the water from the manifolds/block. Don't put antifreeze/pop/etc in there. Air can't freeze and crack the block.

 

[tkrfxr]

Re: Is red pop safe to use?

Hello,
Last year I used the 5 gallon method with red pop -50F.
This year went I went to westmarine tand he dude told me not to use red pop since it's not safe for the block??? I know they have 2 other rating like -70 and -100 and they are a lot more money.
I didnt have a cracked block last spring from using red pop and why did the guy tell me it has no rust inhibitor when it DOES. It says so right on the bottle. So Am I crazy and need to switch or red pop is fine. Also everyone I know always says to use red pop plus how can I dilute with water when 4.3 only holds 2.5 gallons of raw water and I am pouring in 5 or more?
I run 5 gallons into my 4.3 and call it a day.
Thanks guys.

I run 5 gallons per engine and call it a day. Last year I drained everything and took out the impellesr, leaving the systems dry. But with new impellers, I will again leave the system filled with pink stuff. I do check the effluent at the end, to be sure it washes out all the water and meets at least -20F...

There is a thread on testing the antifreeze somewhere and the last few pages of this forum....

BTW, the only reason to talk to a West Marine guy, is to find stuff in the store. You get better advice here, from people who work on their boats.

-Good luck.

 

[eclark53520]

Re: Is red pop safe to use?

Just drain the water from the manifolds/block. Don't put antifreeze/pop/etc in there. Air can't freeze and crack the block.

Air can't freeze, your right. But i look at it this way. If somehow, water is introduced to the block during storage(anything is possible), and i have no antifreeze in there, it could pool somewhere, freeze and crack something.

If i do have antifreeze in there, it won't freeze because it will mix with the antifreeze and be harmless. Seems like pretty cheap insurance to me.

 

[skargo]

Re: Is red pop safe to use?

I made a homemade winterizing kit out of a 5 gallon bucket and fittings and hose. I use the "red pop" BUT I have closed cooling. It makes it SIMPLE for me to winterize, since the closed side already has automotive antifreeze in it. If I did not have closed cooling, I would just drain the block.

 

[wire2]

Re: Is red pop safe to use?

....
Just pull the drain plugs and let out all the water. NO water, NO freeze. It will dry and not rust. Easy, and fast.

Well, no, it won't dry, unless you blow hot air through it for several hours.

There will always be *some* water sitting in there in several places. So now you have a humidity chamber for 6-8 months and it will rust. Granted, it won't rust through a heavy block, but it will eventually restrict coolant passages, especially in the heads. Been there, done that.

 

[Jeepster04]

Re: Is red pop safe to use?

Air can't freeze, your right. But i look at it this way. If somehow, water is introduced to the block during storage(anything is possible), and i have no antifreeze in there, it could pool somewhere, freeze and crack something.

If i do have antifreeze in there, it won't freeze because it will mix with the antifreeze and be harmless. Seems like pretty cheap insurance to me.

OOOORRRRR

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=446036

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: Is red pop safe to use?

Well, no, it won't dry, unless you blow hot air through it for several hours.

Really? So your saying your driveway will never dry after it rains unless there is a hot breeze blowing?

 

[Brentathon]

Re: Is red pop safe to use?

Remember, people (like me) have raw water cooled engines that also have hot water heaters.........I use the "pink" antifreeze to also make sure that the raw water side of my hot water heater doesn't get damaged. Not to mention all the antifreeze I use for my potable water system and head/holding tank. An extra 5 gallons used on the engine, is not that much additional work or money, just to make sure nothing gets damaged (even hoses, t-stat housings, powersteering cooler, circulating pumps, etc.).

 

[stonyloam]

Re: Is red pop safe to use?

Really? So your saying your driveway will never dry after it rains unless there is a hot breeze blowing?

The air inside of the block will quickly reach 100% relative humidity (saturation) and with no fresh air circulation (lay a waterproof tarp on your wet driveway) any remaining water will not evaporate, and the inside of the block would stay wet. Same for rust, with no fresh air supply, the oxygen in the air inside of the block would be quickly consumed by the rusting process, and rusting would stop. I believe that is why Mercruiser recommends putting the plugs back in after draining the seawater, on my 470, and the 3.0 L at least. "Red pop" should be just fine. Just my opinion.

 

[eclark53520]

Re: Is red pop safe to use?

Really? So your saying your driveway will never dry after it rains unless there is a hot breeze blowing?

Yeah...some critical thinking here....

Driveway is open to the air....the inside of your block, not so much.

 

[wire2]

Re: Is red pop safe to use?

Really? So your saying your driveway will never dry after it rains unless there is a hot breeze blowing?

No, I'm not saying that. That's apples/oranges.

IF I were to put a totally sealed cover over my driveway after a rain, then it would be a closer analogy.

Put 5 drops of water in a glass jar, put the lid on tight and leave it for 8 months. The water will still be there. Same as in a sealed engine block. The water can't just "go away".

This topic has been debated many times. I've seen first hand what happened to my 5.7 heads from several years of draining only, and I choose to run anti freeze. To each his own.