Zincs for Universal Diesel?

My E28+ has the Universal 11HP diesel. It is ocean water cooled without fresh water. Runs like a swiss watch since 1983. Anyway, does this block have zincs to replace? I only have seen mention of zincs on these engines when they have a heat exchanger.

E 28+ Zincs

Hi RPM We have the same boat and motor. Only zinc that we have discovered is the in the fw heat exchanger that we installed. Best Regards Pat 1981 E28+ Chips Universal 5411

Heat Exchanger?

Where do I get one or after 30years is it too late?

Heat exchangers usually (?) use pencil zincs. You can get them from all the usual places. Just need to match the size of the plug that it's attached to.

If there is an appropriate plug in the water jacket of your engine, you can always add one there too.

Heat Exchangers E28+

Hi RPM
We bought out heat exchanger direct from Sen-Dur in about 82. We have friends that installed their first fw heat exchanger at 30+ years and are very satisfied at 40 years. We have other friends that have the same Universal 5411 that you do and they are still sw cooled at about 35 years. The swcooled 5411 engine looks pretty nasty but it runs just fine. I believe that you mentioned that you flush with fw after you use your sw cooled engine. It must look pretty darned good. I don't think I would change. Installing the necessary fw water pump behind the sw pump was difficult to do. The plate that has to be removed to install the fw pump might be very difficult to unbolt and break free (maybe not.) If you get stuck on the removal you likely could have to pull the engine to finish the job. Your call?
Best Regards
Pat 1981 E28+ Universal 5411

Really?? No zincs

Scary stuff, my 5411 is saltwater cooled, no exchanger, and by rights should be a pile of rust with 4000 hrs. But not so. It is good and reliable. ( personally I think the hours meter has bee left running at the dock to rack that many hours).
Why would anyone make a marine diesel without zincs in the block? As long as nothing is broken I won't add an exchanger yet.

5411 Cooling

Hi RPM
As you have read these engines are almost all tractor blocks and pretty darned tough. I agree tho when we bought the boat I could not wait to put in the heat exchanger and protect the block. It amazes me that many of the sailboat owners in the mooring area have sooo (30 to 40 years) many years on swcooled engines. Glad I did it for the peace of mind and I got to know the engine cooling pretty good. It does seem sort of crazy tho.
BTW gave the boat its second day with a mechanic in 30 years. First day was 20 years ago. I'm not as nimble as I used to be. I was asking the mechanic how long this and that would last and he finally said "how long do you think you will last?" I guess that means everythink has a lifetime warantee just like my mechanical heart valve? I think our engines have the same warantee?
Best Regards Pat 1981 E28+ Universal 5411

Mysrery solved?

Is it possible the block is protected by the zinc on the prop shaft??? Think about it....

rpm said:

Is it possible the block is protected by the zinc on the prop shaft??? Think about it....

Click to expand...

It's possible. It's also possible it is protected by a bonding wire between the block and something else that is protected. Some boats, for example, have a wire between the block and a fastener on the strut, which has a zinc on it.