Coolant leak on 2014 Ranger 31

[OldSailor41]

I have been having to add the yellow coolant fluid, so I began searching for a leak. If I shut off the two valves leading forward from the engine, the leak stops, so it is clear that the leak is somewhere in the lines going to the cabin heater and the hot water heater. I checked the cabin heater connections and see no evidence of leaks. I do see yellow fluid down below/behind the hot water heater, but I don't see any leaks around the clamps on the hoses going in and out of the hot water heater. If there was a leak in the hot water heater itself, would I be seeing the yellow liquid below it? I am just trying to determine if I need to focus on the heater itself or keep looking for leaks at hose connections.

 

[Brian B]

I replaced the Seaward hot water heater on my 25SC. I was told by Seaward that the coolant lines inside the tank are double walled. The internal tank lines would have to leak through both lines and if that happened you would smell coolant in the hot water at the faucets. After I installed a new tank I had to retighten the hose clamps a couple of times to get seepage to stop so tighten the clamps even if you think they are not leaking. There is a pic in my photo album of the tank disassembled.

 

[dante3756]

In addition to double checking the hose clamps, check all other plumbing fittings at the hot water heater - had the same issue, which were leaks at both a hose and at an piping elbow. Run the engine and hot water when checking for the leaks since that will cycle coolant through the hot water heater.

 

[Salty7]

I had the same issue on my water heater. Eventually I removed all the clamps and replaced them with high quality non-perforated AWAB stainless clamps. It still took two additional tightenings after full hot and cold cycling to stop the weep. When I removed the original clamps, installed by the factory, three of the four clamps were stripped, the originals are terrible clamps! I have since replaced the original clamps on the fresh water side of the heater too after one of them almost let go when under pressure.

 

[OldSailor41]

Thanks very much everyone. This is quite helpful.

 

[2islanders]

I had a very similar problem that turned out to be loose clamps as well at the hot water tank (2012 R25SC). I finally purchased a mighty vac pressure tester for about $70 (MV 4560) which let’s you bring the system up to operating pressure and check all connections (cold) and then leave the pressure on as long as you need to make sure you actually solved the problem.


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[AGLyme]

Took the boat out yesterday. Noticed a slight coolant smell in the salon, ditto the last few trips of the '24 season. I have a 2013 RT 31cb. I think this issue is probably similar to the issue listed here which is why I am asking within the framework of this thread.
When I returned to the dock last eve, I tried using hot water to wash dishes, water was cold. I thought I remembered from last season (year 1 of owning the boat) that the hot water "automatically" heated up after the engine was running. I did NOT toggle the 'Hot Water" switch on however - it was in the off position. I don't remember toggling the hot water switch on last year. Maybe I did... anyway... I'll experiment with that.

So my question is this please... where does the coolant circuit go from the engine? - to the hot water heater, and, then another line to the space heater in the salon within the boat? I do not have a diesel fired heating unit shown in the R31 manual.

I want to check the clamp tightness first for weeping, but do not know where anything is - other than the hotwater heater under the lazarette just beyond the entrance door.

Thank you in advance.

 

[AGLyme]

For posterity… and the next owner:
I discovered the lack of hot water issue after running the boat in the early season. The idiot who winterized the boat (me) forgot that the hot and cold lines were joined by a temp makeshift hose at the water tank.
Makeshift hose removed, hot and cold water lines re-attached to the hot water heater. That’s fixed. PS it takes a while for the hot water tank to fill before water comes out of the spigots.

Re the coolant smell, I tightened up the clamps on the hoses coming from the engine in the engine compartment - and the clamps at the hot water heater. All 6 required tightening.

I haven’t figured how to get to the coolant line at the salon heater which is at floor level in the first mate’s seat area. Access from the cave probably.