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Sea Water Cooling System Problem

Jay Buckley

New Member
I made mistake of running engine with Sea Intake Valve closed for around 20 minutes. Impeller pump disintegrated but no other visual damage caused. Engine still runs smoothly but hot. I have replaced Impeller rubber component, cleaned intake hoses and Sea Strainer leading to the Impeller pump. Some rubber debris from Impeller evident in the intake hose, but not in the Sea Strainer device. Have primed the impeller with fresh water through the intake hose.

This has not resolved the problem. Engine still not sucking sea water through exhaust pipe. Facing on Impeller housing is hot when test running engine, which makes me think Impeller is turning??? It does not appear that the Impeller is sucking in sea water from below as the Sea Strainer water level not changed and intake hoses do not seem to be bringing water into boat. Checked the inake valve, and it seems ok bringing in a steady flow of water from hull.

I am out of ideas. Please contact me ASAP if anyone has any ideas which I have not thought of.:(
 

Sean Engle

Your Friendly Administrator
Administrator
Founder
My next guess would be that you have some debris blocking system somewhere beyond the pump to the exchanger. I would tear it apart and check. It may also be that you have a air pocket caught after the pump that's not clearing because of some of the 'rubber' that's found it's way down there....

I would take it apart...all of it.

//sse

ps: I'll go and change my impeller now....thanks for the 'inspiration'! :)
 

Ray Rhode

Member III
Jay,

I think the most likely cause is part of the impeller blocking passages in the heat exchanger. This is fairly common when a pump looses an impeller blade. Suggest you remove the heat exchanger and open it up. If it is like mine you can remove both ends and clean out the tubes with a wooden dowel. I cleaned mine last fall and removed a lot of calcium buildup. My engine was not running hot but now runs cooler and has more reserve cooing before the temp starts to rise. To prevent a strya impeller from blocking the heat exchanger in the future I installed a strainer between the raw water pump and the heat exchanger. If I lose an impeller I know where to find it.

There should not have been any impeller dibris in the hose from the sea strainer or the strainer itself. The flow is from the strainer to the pump and then to the heat exchanger.

You mentioned that the level in the sea strainer did change. It has been my experience that the strainer needs to be full of water in order to properly prime the pump. I useally open the top and fill it up then close it securely. Another possibility is a leaking gasket at the top of the strainer. This will let air in and reduce or stop the flow of water. I also had this problem and it was very frustrating as the cooling water would flow at idle but stop as you advanced the throttle.

Hope one of these ideas helps.

Ray
 

Ray Rhode

Member III
Jay,

I need to use the review feature before I post. In the third paragraph I was refering to the comment about the stainer level NOT changing. I assume that there was some air visible in the strainer.

Ray
 
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