Aluminum Engine Part Failures in Yanmars ?

[Dockhead]

I ran across this and it gave me pause:

Diesel Engines: Aluminum Cooling System Component Failures

I always thought it was odd that there are no zincs inside my Yanmar engine. And now this. Has anyone experience this type of problem with a Yanmar engine?

[never monday]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

I ran across this and it gave me pause:

Diesel Engines: Aluminum Cooling System Component Failures

I always thought it was odd that there are no zincs inside my Yanmar engine. And now this. Has anyone experience this type of problem with a Yanmar engine?

I have not seen this as an issue yet.

I do take issue with the author and this comment " And, of course, these parts didn't finally fail until the engine was long out of warranty, so the boat owner had to foot the bill."

it appears to me he is saying these engines should last for eternity. The evil manufacturers are skimping the customer by doing this. When the customers demand ever increasing performance from smaller packages at less cost. Something has to give.....
In the race car world there is a saying. Cheap, fast or good....pick two.

I find no fault in an aluminum manifold that has a service life of 20 years.

[mintyspilot]

Originally Posted by never monday

I do take issue with the author .....

Me too. He advocates the use of brass. In a marine environment?

[Blue Stocking]

IMHO, the deterioration is often accelerated by promoting un-necessary current flows thru the block by attaching multiple grounds. On the Yanmars, I have observed that this shows itself early by corrosion lifting the paint at the head/block interface.
Can't remember if the senders on these engines are isolated, or common grounded, but there's another path for stray current effect.
I could be wrong, so feel free to enlighten me

[Hud3]

The article was written over ten years ago. Surely there must be more recent assessments.

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by never monday

I have not seen this as an issue yet.

I do take issue with the author and this comment " And, of course, these parts didn't finally fail until the engine was long out of warranty, so the boat owner had to foot the bill."

it appears to me he is saying these engines should last for eternity. The evil manufacturers are skimping the customer by doing this. When the customers demand ever increasing performance from smaller packages at less cost. Something has to give.....
In the race car world there is a saying. Cheap, fast or good....pick two.

I find no fault in an aluminum manifold that has a service life of 20 years.

20 years would be ok, I think. But five years would not be. The question is whether the use of aluminum parts in heat exchangers is really a bad practice. Have people had problems? Or not?

And what about the absence of zincs?

[never monday]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

20 years would be ok, I think. But five years would not be. The question is whether the use of aluminum parts in heat exchangers is really a bad practice. Have people had problems? Or not?

And what about the absence of zincs?

I see more problems from lack of coolant service than anything else.

[David M]

Seems crazy to use aluminum in any marine engine part that is exposed to salt water. That's just asking for galvanic problems. The best exhaust risers are stainless.

[Chief Engineer]

One of the causes of aluminum failures is the use of improper coolant.

Like nalcool..a Detroit Diesel additive...when you go to Yanmar School, they show you what happens to the aluminum when you use it. I belive the chemical is sodium metasilicate...swiss cheese