Antifreeze for raw water side?

[Prospective]

Just got my bill for winterizing my engines, I did all the fresh water stuff.

The stuff he did was all pretty reasonable. The only thing that caught my attention was $144 for 12gal of "Perm. Antifreeze" to winterize engines and genny. This was just materials as labor was listed seperately. I know from previous experience he doesn't mark materials up. One reason I like him. But that's over $10/gal. I was under the impression you used the same $5/gal pink stuff you find at West and can get cheaper elsewhere.

Do you use this or is there some other antifreeze more expesnive that's used for the raw water side of a closed cooling system?

 

[Robbins29]

The "Perm." part makes me suspect that he did the green stuff on the FW side. The RW side should be the non-toxic pink stuff at about $2.99/gal if not marked up. Or, did his billing assistant make a mistake? Only way to find out is to politely ask him.

 

[Prospective]

Puzzled by this one. Just talked to mechanic. He said he did put in permanent antifreeze because he prefers it on the raw water side in case they don't get all the water out. He drained the mufflers and the heat exchangers but said he still likes the permanent stuff. There's no mark-up so it's not a profit motive. Just never heard of anyone feeling the need to do this?

 

[LouC]

Don't know if it's what he used, but the -100 stuff with corrosion inhibitors at West Marine is about $10/gallon, its no tox and is especially for engine systems....

 

[MIke F]

12 gal of permanent antifreeze is on the high side. I have twin 350 cu. in. crusaders and a 7.5 Kw Westerbeke genny. I use a total of 7 gallons of full strengh green antifreeze mixed 50/50 for a total of `14 gallons--5 gallons for each crusader and 4 gal for the westerbeke. Mixture protects to -34 F and has all the corrosion inhibitors etc. I typically find the antifreeze on sale for about $9/gallon for a total cost of $63. In spring I flush engines and genny into a bin (hoses on exhaust) and dispose of properly.