Hello fellow boaters,
I took the plunge and attacked the Heat exchangers with the purpose of removing and cleaning them for the first time since purchasing the boat last March. I started with the Port engine. I am not sure why but I expected the HEs to have at least a good amount of deposit and in need of heavy cleaning. On our last trip, the engine coolant was a few degrees higher that expected temps.
Once I opened both bonnets on the Port engine, I was surprised that the tiny tubes looked pretty good with vey minor surface deposits between openings. I ran a semi-rigid 14guage wire through every tube and maybe a couple of the tubes had tiny cruds (less than 1/32") that dislodges very easily and pushed out from the other side.
The port saddle fuel tank is 18" from the side of the HE that pulls out. The HE bundle is about 24". So it is almost impossible to take the HE on the Port side out for boiling and such.
My question is: is a shop chemical cleaning or boiling necessary if the HE looks clean and the tubes and open and free of deposit? Is there something that I am missing?
I intend to still run a solution of barnacle buster once I figure out which hoses to disconnect to run the solution. Any hints would be appreciated.
As a side note, my HEs did not have a gasket on either side (only O rings). However, caterpillar sell a set of O rings and gaskets for both sides. I did purchase the kit but now I see that I wont be able to use the gasket on the side where I cannot pull the HE bundle out.
I would appreciate any guidance or comments, please.
Thanks very much
Streff
I took the plunge and attacked the Heat exchangers with the purpose of removing and cleaning them for the first time since purchasing the boat last March. I started with the Port engine. I am not sure why but I expected the HEs to have at least a good amount of deposit and in need of heavy cleaning. On our last trip, the engine coolant was a few degrees higher that expected temps.
Once I opened both bonnets on the Port engine, I was surprised that the tiny tubes looked pretty good with vey minor surface deposits between openings. I ran a semi-rigid 14guage wire through every tube and maybe a couple of the tubes had tiny cruds (less than 1/32") that dislodges very easily and pushed out from the other side.
The port saddle fuel tank is 18" from the side of the HE that pulls out. The HE bundle is about 24". So it is almost impossible to take the HE on the Port side out for boiling and such.
My question is: is a shop chemical cleaning or boiling necessary if the HE looks clean and the tubes and open and free of deposit? Is there something that I am missing?
I intend to still run a solution of barnacle buster once I figure out which hoses to disconnect to run the solution. Any hints would be appreciated.
As a side note, my HEs did not have a gasket on either side (only O rings). However, caterpillar sell a set of O rings and gaskets for both sides. I did purchase the kit but now I see that I wont be able to use the gasket on the side where I cannot pull the HE bundle out.
I would appreciate any guidance or comments, please.
Thanks very much
Streff
