T&T: Perkins Sabre M135 Heat Exchangers

[L. Shay Glass via Trawlers-and-Trawlering]

I took the end caps off my 2 Perkins Sabre M135 heat exchangers (both
engine coolant and transmission cooler) this week and ran a brush through
each tube to clean them out. I was very surprised how clean they were and
that there were no impeller remnants. I had a little trouble getting one
of the V shaped O rings to seal on the engine exchanger end cap.

My question for those who have the Perkins Saber M135 engines is how long
have your heat exchangers lasted?

Both the one for the transmission and the one for the engine coolant looked
very good but I would rather not wait until they fail to replace them.

Also where have you been able to find the V shaped replacement O rings for
the engine coolant exchanger?

Thanks for your help,

Shay Glass
2002 DeFever CPMY "Escape"
_______________________________________________
http://lists.trawlering.com/mailman/listinfo/trawlers_lists.trawlering.com

To unsubscribe or modify your subscription options (get password, change email address, etc) go to: http://lists.trawlering.com/mailman/listinfo/trawlers_lists.trawlering.com
Trawlers & Trawlering and T&T are trademarks of Water World
Productions. Unauthorized use is prohibited.

[THOMAS DOVE via Trawlers-and-Trawlering]

A couple of months ago, after buying my renovated 1977 boat with its 2001 American Marine 140 engine, I talked with Brian Smith at American Diesel about maintenance. He suggested that the transmission oil cooler should be replaced at 1300-1500 hour intervals. Mine is right at 1300 hours now and working fine, so I’ll probably buy a replacement to keep on hand and just monitor the present one.

Brian Smith appears to be the “Go-To” source for everything with these engines.

I think older FL engines do not have zinc anodes in the transmission coolers, while later models do. This would affect the service life.

Just another data point. I’d also like to know what others on the list have experienced so I know what spares to carry.

— Tom Dove
SNOWBIRD, Grand Banks 32 #599

[Frank Timpano via Trawlers-and-Trawlering]

I don't have the same engines, but spares might be similar..
Impellers
Belts
Belt tensioner pulley/bracket
Coolant pump
Filters all applications
Zincs
Heat exchanger end cap gaskets
Variety of hose clamps
Sections of various hoses
Hose menders double barbed
At least an engine's worth of oil
Small jug of clean fuel for priming filters
Breakers, switches, fuses, connectors, terminals,for most every application
on the boat
Lamps and bulbs, spare wire
Electrical and mechanical tools
Epoxy,rescue tape, duct tape, tapered plugs
Dinghy motor spares plug, prop, shear pin, etc
Genset spares similar to engines'
Bilge pump and switch
Shower sump pump and switch
Snaps and snap installation tool
Head repair /rebuild kit
Probably other stuff I can't remember...

If I only had one A/C pump, I'd carry a spare but I can cross connect the
two I have

Frank
Tiara 3700 Open
" Buoy Scout "

Sent with AquaMail for Android
http://www.aqua-mail.com

On July 22, 2017 1:18:49 PM THOMAS DOVE via Trawlers-and-Trawlering

[THOMAS DOVE via Trawlers-and-Trawlering]

Thanks for the info on spares.

Thanks, also, for the note about running 5000 hours without replacing the oil cooler. Food for thought.

SNOWBIRD has been in south Florida since the renovation, so the engine has always operated in salt water. I expect this is more severe than running in brackish Chesapeake Bay (where we’ll be next year) and certainly worse than fresh water.

[Jim Healy via Trawlers-and-Trawlering]

Too bad we don't have a better search capability for this list. This discussion has been around before.

From memory, a few years ago, there was a post that heat transmission coolers should be changed every 1500 hours (from memory). I didn't do that, and at about 3500 hrs, had a pinhole leak in the shell of my Sendure tranny cooler (12/2008). That was manageable with JB Weld. I eventually replaced it with new, and 3500 hours, had subsequently had another set of external pinhole leaks (09/2015). Managed that one with Rescue Tape. The OEM coolers did not have zincs, which greatly add to the risk of galvanic corrosion. Luckily, my failures were external, in the cooler shell. I did not contaminate the tranny fluid.

The last time, I replaced my cooler with a unit from Mr. Cool LLC (https://www.mrcool.us <https://www.mrcool.us/>). (No personal interest except satisfied customer.) The unit I bought has a zinc that I can replace, so hopefully, will do better in service. If I live long enough, I will add this part to a 6-year replacement schedule.

Jim

Peg and Jim Healy aboard Sanctuary, currently at Rock Creek, Pasadena, MD
http://gilwellbear.wordpress.com <http://gilwellbear.wordpress.com/>
Monk 36 Hull #132
MMSI #367042570
AGLCA #3767
MTOA #3436

[Frank Timpano via Trawlers-and-Trawlering]

More important than engine hours is marine age, that is, time exposed to
sea water, for judging MTBF for marine engine components.

Sent with AquaMail for Android
http://www.aqua-mail.com

On July 23, 2017 11:09:52 AM THOMAS DOVE via Trawlers-and-Trawlering

[Tom Collier via Trawlers-and-Trawlering]

Replace them as Brian says. Waiting for a failure and having a spare is not a good option.

20yrs ago when I first bought my Krogen 42 I had oil samples analyzed. The oil in the transmission looked good to the results showed a very small amount of moisture. Brian's dad Bob told me that it could be the result of a cooler failing and that the cooler was probably replaced and transmission was flushed. Bob explained that it was impossible to remove all of the moisture and that it would collect around the bearings and cause a premature failure. Being a single screw he recommended that I remove the transmission and take it to a Borg-Warner dealer and ask them to replace the seals. He said that the would cost about $300 and they would check everything inside in the process. Two days later the shop called to tell me the rear bearing was just hours away from a catastrophic failure. The lesson here was follow their advice. Nobody knows these engines better.

Tom Collier
KK-42






Sent from my iPhone

> On Jul 23, 2017, at 11:00 AM, trawlers...@lists.trawlering.com wrote:
>
> T&T: Perkins Sabre M135 Heat Exchangers
> Message-ID: <A61446F9-3E3E-4B25...@mac.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
>
> A couple of months ago, after buying my renovated 1977 boat with its 2001 American Marine 140 engine, I talked with Brian Smith at American Diesel about maintenance. He suggested that the transmission oil cooler should be replaced at 1300-1500 hour intervals. Mine is right at 1300 hours now and working fine, so I?ll probably buy a replacement to keep on hand and just monitor the present one.
>
> Brian Smith appears to be the ?Go-To? source for everything with these engines.

>
> I think older FL engines do not have zinc anodes in the transmission coolers, while later models do. This would affect the service life.

[Rudy Sechez via Trawlers-and-Trawlering]

Zincs can be added to coolers or heat exchangers by installing in-line
housings in the hose run, which are wired to the engine. They come
with large, replaceable, standard zincs that are screwed into the
housing. Sen-Dure is one manufacturer that makes these in-line zinc
housings.

--
Rudy and Jill Sechez
Panama City, FL
Briney Bug- A 34' Sail-Assisted Trawler
Now available- "ANCHORING- A Ground Tackler's Apprentice"
850-832-7748

[THOMAS DOVE via Trawlers-and-Trawlering]

Thanks to all for the information. My long cruising history is with auxiliary engines in sailboats, where failure isn’t as serious (you can always set sails and get home eventually) as on a powerboat. Most of the spare parts list is the same…belts, hoses, impeller, etc.

I’m 900 miles from the boat at the moment and cannot check it, but am pretty sure that both heat exchangers have zinc anodes. This American Diesel 6N140 came from Bob Smith in 2001 and seems to be among the last ones sold in the US, so any refinements like copper/nickel cooler materials are probably on it.

Considering my boat's history is in South Florida, I will replace the transmission heat exchanger. It appears that this is not a difficult job for a reasonably competent guy and the access on my boat is good. Anything special I should know before starting to uncouple tubing and loosen bolts next Fall when I commission her again?

— Tom Dove, SNOWBIRD
Grand Banks 32 #599