Replace Coolant / Clean Cooling System – 4-tec engines

[devonte007]

Hey everyone,

Since spring is approaching and many of us (up north) are eager to get our Seadoo’s back on the water, thought I would post a question about replacing coolant and cleaning the cooling system in the 4-tec engines.

The manual states that every time the coolant is replaced the system also needs to be cleaned using Valvoline Zerex Super Cleaner or equivalent. Although, this should be a fairly easy task it will mean 2 days of work and pulling the boat in and out of the water a couple times.

That being said, if you are good about replacing the coolant once a year, it is really necessary to go through the cleaning process every time?

Anyone have any experience or tips for those of us tackling this task for spring maintenance?

Thanks a bunch for any input!

 

[kustomkarl]

I would check the condition of the anti-freeze before you just do a change. It should be checked just like your car. If the fluid appears clean with no nasty residue and meets spec, let it fly.

Karl

 

[devonte007]

I kind of figured this was the case but thought I should you experts out there first. I may just clean the system every 2-3 years for piece of mind. Thanks a lot for the info!

 

[KevinLab010]

I kind of figured this was the case but thought I should you experts out there first. I may just clean the system every 2-3 years for piece of mind. Thanks a lot for the info!

Did you happen to do this in the spring this year? I was planning to do this in spring of 2013.

I found the following on the SBT forum:

Proper Sea-Doo 4tech coolant installation
1) Remove cap from coolant tank in engine compartment.

2) Remove allen head drain plug from back end of ride plate. (This is located on the
out side of the hull, in the back at the very bottom just below the jet pump nozzle)

3) Place a clean empty bucket underneath to catch the extra coolant.

4) This step requires two people. One person adds coolant to the holding tank and
the other watches for coolant to exit the ride plate drain hole. Once the coolant
flows at a steady stream and does not have air interruptions in the stream the
system should be purged of air.

5) Reinstall drain plug and torque to 73 in/lbs

6) Now finish filling the coolant tank to the specified max level. Do not install
pressure cap yet.

7) Start engine with garden hose attached to the flush system with water flowing
and run for no more than 1 minute. ALWAYS remember to start engine before
turning on garden hose water and ALWAYS remember to turn off hose then
immediately shut off watercraft (the exhaust pressure takes the water away from
the engine – if the engine is not running the water will find it’s way back through
the exhaust manifold INTO the engine). Recheck coolant level, add if necessary
and reinstall pressure cap. Always check coolant level before riding

Does this appear accurate guys? It does not mention the cleaner.

 

[devonte007]

Yes, I did replace my coolant last year and used the exact procedure you described, which is the same that is in the shop manual. It really does require two people to refill the coolant, one at the back of the boat and someone constantly adding coolant to the reservoir.

When I originally posted, I was concerned about the actual cleaning of the coolant system after you drained the old coolant. The shop manual states that you need to clean the system with a coolant cleaner/flush prior to adding new coolant. What I discovered from others on this forum is that if you are diligent about replacing the coolant every 2 years or so there is no need to actually run a cleaner through the system. So now, I just drain and replace coolant every 2 years, and do not bother with the cleaner. I would suppose you would need to actually clean the system if the coolant was very dirty/corroded or if you experienced an overheat issue.

The only step you may not have complete is the last one. There is no way to run the engine out of the water long enough to allow the engine to reach normal operating temperature and open the thermostat without doing damage. It would probably take a good 15 min. at idle and by that point your drive shaft seal would probably be shot. even with the hose running. To get all the last bit of air out of the system you really need to drop the boat back in the water and run it. Get the engine warmed up and check the reservoir level, and top off as needed and until it no longer drops. The trapped air in the system will not dissipate until the thermostat opens fully, then the level in the reservoir will drop accordingly to fill the voids.

Hope this helps, let me know if you have any other questions. It is an easy job to do if you have a helper.

 

[KevinLab010]

Thanks Dev good stuff to know! Incidently, how does the coolant circulate back and forth through the wear plate? I have not found that yet in the manual.

 

[devonte007]

There is a water pump, just like in your car, that circulates the coolant through the ride plate (heat exchanger), engine, and oil cooler. The water pump housing also includes the thermostat which controls how much cooling the engine gets depending on its need. Here is a good illustration from the shop manual: