Running hot, cleaning heat exchanger with Barnacle Buster

[Mickey Panayiotakis]

Hey y'all

My 4.108 was running around 190 "ish" a couple of weeks ago. I didn't like that, especially since the bay water will probably warm up another 5-10 degrees by August. Drastic times require drastic measures, but of course I'm lazy and want to try the easy stuff first.

So I ran a gallon of barnacle buster through my engine (raw water system, same flush as you would do when winterizing).

I fully expected: nothing. I was certain I had just given West another $25 to polish up my "loyal customer" plaque.

Last week: holding steady at 175! Needless to say I was impressed. 

For the rydlyme lovers out there: I _did_ consider rydlyme but BB is phosphoric acid which I thought may be a little gentler.

Hope this helps someone

mickey

[jpcorri...@gmail.com]

I am having the same issue.  Thanks for the info.  I'll try that before I pull out the tool box.

[Mickey Panayiotakis]

Let me know how it works out.

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[LB Home]

I guess I missed something. Are you doing this in the water or on the hard. 

If in the water how do you get the Buster in the raw water system?

Larry

 

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[Mickey Panayiotakis]

The same way as you would winteize the engine. Turn off the raw water intake valve and rig something to let engine suck from a bucket.

[S/V Oceanghost]

My Westerbeke runs 190' all the time. Never goes above that though. Not sure what the perfect operating temp. is, but it runs fine and never overheats. I have a new mixing elbow and had the heat exchanger dipped recently. Good info on the barnicle blaster.

[LB Home]

Ok thx Mickey,

Living where I do mine is alway winterized from the marina via the raw water intake on the hull before they put it away in the fall.

Never did it this way.

Larry

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[Tom Fuhs]

Bill,  be careful winterizing via the thru-hull.  If the marina does it where they run the engine and allow the engine's raw water pump draw the anti-freeze in through the thru-hull fitting, that's fine and really the same as what Micky mentioned.  However I've seen some yards use a system where they don't run the engine, but rather have an external electric pump and they pump the anti-freeze in through the thru-hull and engine.  I know of two engines that were ruined this way.  It's really difficult to pump exactly enough anti-freeze in with this method.  Too little, and you risk freeze-up.  Too much and you risk flooding the engine (hydrolock).  Just a heads up :)  -Tom

[petes...@gmail.com]

I've experienced the same issue on my WB46. In my case I took the HX off. It was probably 80% blocked - it didn't look like it was ever cleaned.

I used Ridlyme. Circulating it through the HX in a bucket for an hour resulted in a perfectly clean, like new HX. Temperature now steady at 175.

Question for the group - where do I find a new mixing elbow?

I don't trust mine anymore - I don't think the PO ever changed it

Pete

Sent from my LG G4, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone

[LB Home]

My marine attaches the suction cup and draws from a 200 gal tank of antifreeze. The also check the exhaust several times to make sure it checks to -40 or 50.  Professional operation.

The other is good information on what not to do.

Thx

Larry

Venteux

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[Mickey Panayiotakis]

Pete, what engine?

[Tom Fuhs]

Pete,  I'm pretty sure the mixing elbow is sole sourced from Westerbeke.  It's part of the marinazation that Westerbeke did.  Parts like the exhaust manifold and exhaust elbow are only available from Westerbeke.  Other engine parts may be sourced from a Mitsubishi dealer (may be difficult, but possible).  The W46 is a Mitsubishi 4DQ5.  -T

[Calypso Poet - CR38 #116]

Thanks Tom / Mickey

I have the original 1986 Westerbeke 46HP.

Sourcing it only from WB  is what I feared - I'm sure they'll take off their highway robbers masks and very politely rob me without even blinking... :)

Pete

On Tuesday, June 7, 2016 at 9:50:31 AM UTC-4, mickey wrote:

[Tom Fuhs]

You can at least feel better knowing that you're being robbed a bit less violently than if you had a Volvo. ;)

[Daniel Sanders]

My W46 mixing elbow was replaced as part of the negotiations to buy the boat.  The previous owner paid the bill drop shipped from Westerbeke factory,took 3 weeks to get it. If my memory serves me correctly, the price was close to 700 dollars. I will look at the invoice when I get back to the boat.

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[Calypso Poet - CR38 #116]

I hope I'm right, but it looks like there is another supplier for the W46 exhaust mixing elbow - one that is slightly less damaging on the pocket than Westerbeke.
Hope this helps someone else