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Raw water filter

Lawrence B. Lee

Member III
I just discovered that my recently purchased 1988 E-32-200 has no raw water filter for the diesel cooling system. In the Southeast USA when the water warms up people find gook, algae and even little crustaceans in their raw water filters. Is this usual for Ericsons not to have filters on raw water?
I feel as if I should add this protection ASAP. Any other advice?

Lawrence B. Lee
Annabel Lee
E-32-200
Savannah, GA
 

treilley

Sustaining Partner
You actually do have one. Unfortunately it is your heat exchanger. Add a proper strainer between the seacock and raw water pump. AFAIK, Ericson had these installed at the factory.
 

u079721

Contributing Partner
Our 1989 E38-200 also did not have any type of water strainer for the engine intake - other than the recessed screen covering the opening of the through hull. Don't know if it was an option that was not ordered for use on the Great Lakes, but I installed a Groco bronze strainer under the galley sink where I could easily check on it.
 

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
strainer

I just discovered that my recently purchased 1988 E-32-200 has no raw water filter for the diesel cooling system. In the Southeast USA when the water warms up people find gook, algae and even little crustaceans in their raw water filters. Is this usual for Ericsons not to have filters on raw water?
I feel as if I should add this protection ASAP. Any other advice?

Lawrence B. Lee
Annabel Lee
E-32-200
Savannah, GA

Hi Lawrence,
Our '88 E-bult Olson 34 did not have a factory strainer, either. I added one when I replaced the original thru hulls (article, pics, and several threads on this site).
I vote for the Groco strainer.

Loren
 

tenders

Innocent Bystander
My '69 E32 never had one either. Groco all the way.

That said, I'm not sure what I've exactly been expecting this thing to do. The Groco strains almost nothing out every year. A couple of little shrimp, a few little pieces of bark. I have a 5/8" hose on the intake and the interior diameter of the bronze nipple is a good deal smaller than that. The flow takes a 90 degree bend coming out of the seacock and another 90 degree bend going into the strainer. Several years before I installed the strainer the engine tried to inhale a plastic bag but I don't think the strainer would have prevented it.
 

Dan Morehouse

Member III
I just installed a Groco on mine as well. It had no strainer originally, either. I had room to put it in the engine compartment on the starboard side just ahead of the Racor filter. The last time we took the boat out, the temp started to rise before we cleared the harbor, and the water in the exhaust stream seemed reduced. Couldn't figure out what it was, but after disconnecting the intake hose from the raw water pump and blowing backwards through it, the overheating didn't recur. The screw top on the cannister should be easier to open in order to blow through, if nothing else. Ensenada has a variety of debris floating in the water...once I found a 50 peso note floating in the marina. Sure hope I didn't blow free money out to sea.

Dan Morehouse
1981 E-38 "Next Exit"
 

Glyn Judson

Moderator
Moderator
What raw water strainer to buy.

Lawrence, Consider getting a 3/4" Groco raw water strainer for one good reason. Unless you plan to mount it in a very accessible place, the groco top can be removed with a fully extended arm and a screwdriver or table knife in your hand. Mine is located such that I need to use the entire length of my left arm to even get to it. If your boat is like mine, Ericson used a 1/2" through hull fitting and valve to the water hose so I changed mine to 3/4' and added a real flanged seacock at the same time I also added the strainer. Of course this would require that the boat be out of the water but is not a big job once started. It might interest you to know that my engine exhaust used to have traces of steam in the exhaust which went away as soon as I increased to 3/4". Regards, Glyn Judson, E31, hull #55, Marina del Rey, CA
 
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