Cooler location

[Brisyboy]

Our boat has twin SP 135s.

Browsing through various threads, it seems that the transmission cooler is normally mounted across the rear of the engine, above the transmission, with the oil cooler strapped below the main engine cooler on the right side.

On ours they are reversed. I have no idea why but that's how they are. Same on both engines

So.....does it matter - it changes the order in which they get the raw water but I`m thinking so what - other than the transmission hoses are much longer

 

[FlyWright]

If vibrations and access are not an issue, I don't think it would matter. Maybe it's all what you're used to.

 

[Capt.Bill11]

Normally you want the oil cooler inline before the tranny cooler so the oil cooler sees water that has picked up less heat. Since the engine oil runs at a hotter temp than the tranny fluid. At least that has been what I have come to understand over the years.

How critical it really is, I can't say.

 

[BruceK]

George, my 120s are as you found on threads, ie.the reverse to yours. Could the 135s be done differently?

 

[Brisyboy]

George, my 120s are as you found on threads, ie.the reverse to yours. Could the 135s be done differently?

Bruce, - pretty sure the pictures were of 135s.

Thinking it through, Capt Bill probably has it - that the eng oil should have first crack at the water before the tranny..... OR hows this for lateral thinking - the engines run at 160degrees at 1700, which is coolish. MAYBE the PO used Capt Baills logic in reverse in an attempt to get the oil temp up - (I realise the 160 is coolant temp, not oil but its an indicator) I said it was lateral thinking............. Unfortunately I don`t have an eng oil temp guage

 

[BruceK]

No oil temp on ours either, but my car has an oil temp gauge and I think it runs cooler than the coolant, initially anyway.
Our first cooler nearest the raw water pump is the engine oil cooler, so it makes sense the raw water goes to it first, the piping has going to be very convoluted for that not to happen.
That said, I`m wary of changing something someone set up, especially if it departs from the expected. With apologies to the late Professor Sumner Miller," Why is it so" ? Sadly my memory of inspecting the boat in 2010 does not extend to the cooler supply sequence.

 

[O C Diver]

Transmission cooler location doesn't matter as far as water temperature. On a keel cooled boat (no raw water system and dry stack) the heat exchanger is plumbed into the engine coolant loop. Now this is a bit bigger heat exchanger, but the cooling fluid is above 160 degrees.

Ted

 

[bluebyu]

Maybe the manual would help?
http://www.nauticat.dk/Medlemmer/Manualer/Ford/Ford-Lehman/Ford-Lehman-manual.pdf