The plumbing antifreeze sold here is denatured ethyl alcohol (ethanol), which is not great for rubber parts, but not as bad as methanol. As I noted in my last post, there is sometimes available a "premium" version plumbing antifreeze, which does contain at least some propylene glycol, but it contains ethanol as well. I went to some lengths to try and get a product that was based solely on propylene glycol and was not successful here in Ontario, and I could find nothing online anywhere in Canada, except as I also noted previously, the grossly over priced speed shop engine stuff. Either you have had good luck with ethanol, or the plumbing antifreeze that is available where you live is different. I wasn't so worried about the impeller in the engine as I am about all the rubber parts in the head. It is both a PITA and expensive to rebuild.
Steve Thomas C&C27 MKIII Port Stanley, ON ---- "Della Barba wrote: ??? I think you are trying to find engine antifreeze. I have never tried that, I always have used the pink propylene glycol sold all over the place to winterize water systems in boats, vacation cottages, and RVs. It has no ethylene glycol in it, you can drink it. I use the same stuff for the engine and the water tanks. This is not engine coolant and is only used for winter layup. Someone on a forum somewhere also explained that while ethylene glycol is quite poisonous to DRINK, it does about the same harm as propylene glycol if dumped overboard. Joe Coquina Still two months away from antifreeze :) -----Original Message----- From: CnC-List [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Steve Thomas via CnC-List Sent: Friday, October 14, 2016 2:44 PM To: [email protected] Cc: Steve Thomas Subject: Re: Stus-List Winterizing 2GM20F You might think that, but it is not. Recochem used to make a propylene glycol engine antifreeze here that was widely sold under various brand names, notably Prestolite, but they don't anymore. It came as a something of a shock when it was no longer available. Some automotive speed shops have a version that is imported from the States, but it is absurdly expensive. None of the former retailers I talked to, including Canadian Tire, could give me a reason for its disappearance from the marketplace. There is sometimes available a premium plumbing antifreeze that contains propylene glycol in some proportion but it doesn't say in what proportion, and it still contains ethyl alcohol. In short, it is difficult and expensive to find here, and for no apparent reason. I have resigned myself to using the environmentally unfriendly ethylene glycol. Steve Thomas C&C27 MKIII Port Stanley, ON ---- "Della Barba wrote: ?????? Propylene glycol is very easy to get around here. I would think it would be a very easy thing to find in Canada too. You all do have RVs and vacation houses up there, right??? Joe Coquina C&C 35 MK I _______________________________________________ This list is supported by the generous donations of our members. If you like what we do, please help us pay for our costs by donating. All Contributions are greatly appreciated!
