Accidentally bought a trawler ;)

[foggysail]

Originally Posted by diver dave

In my Southern Latitudes, where the ocean has more salt, GM risers and RW cooled elbows are on 4 year schedules for replacement. Anything over 4 years is very risky. I had a OEM elbow clog on a passage one time; the exhaust hose started burning, smoke out the exhaust. Luckily, with a V engine and one still good side pumping water, the fiberglass muffler did not burn down below deck. That Crusader elbow was 4 years old. Been through 4 replacement cycles and at 4 years, the cast iron passages are very small, lots of scaling rust.
As a side note, I did a FW flush after most every use for a full 4 years. Still a shocking amount of scaling free rust at 4 years.

Sure..... a fresh water flush is the way to go! You pointed out a problem where the water passages plug which is serious! Bu t a rust hole allowing raw salt water to enter the exhaust system is an engine killer.

Here in Massachusetts, guys just seem to overlook, not care about their risers to my astonishment. One guy I know had a rust hole in an elbow that allowed wet exhaust to escape. His fix.......epoxy! The same guy has another boat with 454's (1989) whose risers/elbows are originals.

My risers remain cool with the engines running but I have no intention of going beyond this season without changing them. Much less expensive than changing an engine AND I will try to implement provisions needed for flushing!

[diver dave]

My experiences were on a Gen IV 454. My point on the FW flush is that it did not prolong the life of the cast iron. It might help the coolers, but not even positive about that. Salt % in MA is certainly lower than FL. Plus the boating season south is all year.

[foggysail]

Dave-- so from your experience, the only benefits provided by doing a flush is the purging of salt? But if that is a benefit, why would not the life of the cast iron be extended? Salt is the corrosive agent that results in rapid rusting compared to freshwater.

I gave thoughts to adding a flush some years ago, just never got around to making it happen. Later I thought that after 5 years or so, why bother. You're mention of it just reminded me that after I do change my risers, introducing a fresh water flush should also be incorporated.

[diver dave]

I was surprised at the data. Since I did this, someone else mentioned that chloride attack is at its worse when warm and when in motion. That seems reasonable, but I have not done more research. The iron is pretty stressed with hot exhaust temperature at one side of the wall and fairly cold, fast moving raw water on the other side. The salt beating up the scaling iron surface.
Maybe the next experiment would be simply hang a new riser in salt water for 4 years? dunno. Note that most of the water drains out of risers when engine is stopped.

[diver dave]

Also, here is some of the data from the NASA Aquarius satellite.. It measures surface salt content of the world's oceans. A huge diff from MA and FL.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xQP...el=NASAGoddard

[Gwilliams]

Wow, you guys have been busy

I wasnt getting new post alerts.

On engine temps, I replaced sending units too w/no change.
I have an IR temp gun but based on above, wouldnt expect to see anything.

If weather permits, Im going to start going up on weekends and doing chores.
I will pull heat exchangers and have them boiled out and change pump impellers which I no no history on.

Will change oil/filters too.

On cosmetics, I am having all new stripes and graphics made, in blue to match canvas.
Should really pop and make it look 10 yrs newer.

Got our new carpet installed last fall and that was a huge improvement to interior.
Now I have 3 TV's to hang and see if theres a way to make all 3 work off of one antenna.

Also need to do final install for my dinghy davits.
Ran a 10' inflatable (w/inflatable keel and wood floor) w/a 25 hp motor last yr and was disapointed in how it ran w/that much power.
So I decided over the winter, the answer is to build one.

Bought a set of plans for the 10' skiff "Squirt" from Glen L and am underway.
I measured the transom on the Mainship though it is only 11' so to prevent the dinghy or motor from sticking past hull sides, I modified the design to inset the motor a foot.
Am restoring a '1981 35 hp Evinrude for it.
I really like the dinghy design and has the '40's era lines to it w/a semi barrel back after section.

[foggysail]

I think you will be wasting both time and money "boiling out" a heat exchanger. Mine soaked for 4 days at a radiator shop and the only change was the exterior paint peeled off.

The fastest, least expensive approach to "cleaning" heat exchangers is to rod them yourself. Just my humble opinion.

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Well, I think I consider myself fortunate in that the water injection for my exhaust is about 7'-9' downstream from the exhaust elbows. That section from the exhaust elbow rises ~3' vertically upwards then traverses about 3'-4' horizontally then vertically downwards and into the water lift "can". Cooling water injection is in the first 1' of the 4' downward run to the can. There is a SS bellows adjacent to the engine and the SS exhaust pipe is jacketed with insulation. I don't expect there is any significant amount of rust inside. I'll have to inspect that some day.

[Gwilliams]

Originally Posted by foggysail

I think you will be wasting both time and money "boiling out" a heat exchanger. Mine soaked for 4 days at a radiator shop and the only change was the exterior paint peeled off.

The fastest, least expensive approach to "cleaning" heat exchangers is to rod them yourself. Just my humble opinion.

10-4

I'll look at them.
I'll have to sweat the end of the housing off to get to the tubes correct?

[foggysail]

I am not sure about that, you will need to look. Those on my Silverton were held with simple bolts, one on each end. I cleaned mine in less than 5 minutes each. I do know that the oil coolers are sweated on so cleaning those things would be both difficult and messy.

EDIT:

I used a SS welding rod for the job but anything will work. A 22 caliber cleaning rod might fit.

[Gwilliams]

Originally Posted by foggysail

I am not sure about that, you will need to look. Those on my Silverton were held with simple bolts, one on each end. I cleaned mine in less than 5 minutes each. I do know that the oil coolers are sweated on so cleaning those things would be both difficult and messy.

EDIT:

I used a SS welding rod for the job but anything will work. A 22 caliber cleaning rod might fit.

Excellent

I remember that style. Hopefly that's what I have and will take my gun cleaning kit.
Thx for the great tip.

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. Gw. I think oil and transmission coolers are considered throw away items being they are relatively inexpensive. Your engine manufacturer/parts supplier should be able to tell you what the suggested replacement schedule for these items is. If you have the option of Cu/Ni replacements, buy those (longer life). Heat exchangers, on the other hand, are pricey but pretty easy to service AFAIK.

[HopCar]

GW, the Squirt is a really pretty boat but how did you decide on a fully decked speed boat as a dinghy?
https://www.glen-l.com/designs/outboard/squirt.html

[Gwilliams]

This just in......

Foggy sail, did the heat exchangers and the gun cleaning brush fit but their shafts did not.
They were spotless clean anyway.

RT, remember, this is a freshwater boat.
It's neglected but clean as a pin.

Went through water pumps today and think I solved our cooling issues 😉

[Gwilliams]

Impeller

Both the same.

[HopCar]

Yup, that would do it.

[Gwilliams]

Hopcar, really like the lines and building it as an open runabout.
Finishing restoring an '81 35 hp Johnrude I bought from a closing shop.

Once complete im going to look at engineering remote steering and controls if I can make it fit.

I have a vision of the finished product, now to see if I can get there 😎

[foggysail]

Originally Posted by Gwilliams

Impeller

Both the same.

GOOD FOR YOU! Nice to read about successes. Did you find all of the impeller pieces?

[HopCar]

GW, please post pictures as your build progresses. I love watching boats go together.

[Gwilliams]

Thx

Yes on the impeller pcs.
Never been so happy to find two mulched impellers.

Pulled the windlass and refinished it and working on replacing all the teak trim, probably with Plasteak.

Spent $500 for all new graphics that should really make it pop.
The buffer gets fired up as soon as the weather breaks.