Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 24-01-2018, 09:04   #46
Registered User

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Santa Cruz
Boat: SAnta Cruz 27
Posts: 6,711
Re: Running hot in Caribbean

With marginal cooling in the tropics, you can gain a few degrees by running non-antifreeze coolant and removing the thermostat. The auto parts store will stock a coolant that has corrosion inhibitors.

I don't remember whether you had checked for restrictions upstream of the water pump">raw water pump, but I certainly have seen a few in the past. Pull the inlet hose off the pump and put it on the end of a dock hose and see if you can get full backflow without pressure buildup.
donradcliffe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-01-2018, 09:05   #47
Registered User
 
jr_spyder's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Boston area
Boat: Little Harbor 46 (1988)
Posts: 326
Re: Running hot in Caribbean

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sea Life View Post
JR,

Given the size of your boat, and my assumption of hp, that flow rate sounds very low. Heat rejection varies etc. etc. but for comparison NL gen 1800rpm 3cyl, ~10hp needs 300gph or 5gpm.
Oops, typo - that's 14 gpm, not gph.
jr_spyder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 24-01-2018, 09:20   #48
Registered User
 
jr_spyder's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Boston area
Boat: Little Harbor 46 (1988)
Posts: 326
Re: Running hot in Caribbean

Quote:
Originally Posted by donradcliffe View Post
With marginal cooling in the tropics, you can gain a few degrees by running non-antifreeze coolant and removing the thermostat. The auto parts store will stock a coolant that has corrosion inhibitors.

I don't remember whether you had checked for restrictions upstream of the raw water pump, but I certainly have seen a few in the past. Pull the inlet hose off the pump and put it on the end of a dock hose and see if you can get full backflow without pressure buildup.
Being a normally northern boat with annual winterizing I have made it easy to put antifreeze in the raw water side for the winter with one of these mounted on the seacock:


Dock-hose flow from here through strainer to water pump is good. Seacock itself looks good from both sides.
jr_spyder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-2018, 15:21   #49
Registered User
 
jr_spyder's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Boston area
Boat: Little Harbor 46 (1988)
Posts: 326
Re: Running hot in Caribbean

Hello all, this is a long overdue update - with the problem solved (I think).

I got back to the boat in Antigua a few weeks ago with a bag full of parts. Unfortunately the new exhaust elbow was the wrong one! I ordered the correct one listed in the parts manual, and Westerbeke shipped me that part number which was for an elbow that looked right to me while at home but once on the boat I realized it was wrong. The output end was smaller than my original. Getting back in touch with Westerbeke they figured out the right one, but it was, of course, back in the States. Nonetheless I installed the new wrong one temporarily filling the gap with scrap hose material for now. It held fine, but I was worried the smaller output would restrict flow and therefore not prove anything about other repairs.

I also replaced the thermostat and completely flushed the engine leaving the coolant side filled with fresh water only. I captured every drop that was flushed out and it was pretty darn clean. Just a small amount of grit came out.

With everything reassembled and filled I started her up and ran for over 30 minutes, plenty of that at high RPM (2500) and in gear (tied solidly to the dock, so a reasonable load.) The temp gauge settled at about 175 F, about 10 lower then my previously normal operating temp, with no sign of spiking higher. My IR thermometer read a steady 180 on top of the thermostat housing. Perfect.

I then installed a new temp sender but the gauge continued to show 175. So the old sender was just fine. I then drained the water one last time and put in a proper mix of coolant and water. Again the temp gauge settled at 175, and IR thermometer at 180. All I can conclude is the old thermostat was flaky, but I've never seen a thermostat fail with the sort of intermittent behavior I was experiencing. Maybe the original elbow was restricted after all, but it didn't seem to be. Perhaps it was something else causing my problem that all my other fiddling cleared out. No way to know for sure now.

I was alone as my wife still can't travel so I didn't get away from the dock for a true sea trial and load on the engine, but I think my dock test was pretty good, especially since before all these repairs the dock test showed me over-temp.

I have the correct size elbow now from Westerbeke and will install it on my next visit. Hopefully that will be the end of this saga and I'll have happy sailing and motoring days ahead.

Thanks for all input here.

JR
jr_spyder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-2018, 15:31   #50
Marine Service Provider
 
boatpoker's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Port Credit, Ontario or Bahamas
Boat: Benford 38 Fantail Cruiser
Posts: 7,061
Re: Running hot in Caribbean

Damn ... glad you finally got it. I've done everything you've done plus replaced the gauge and am still getting 15 degree difference between the gauge and my IR gun.
__________________
If you're not laughing, you're not doin' it right.
boatpoker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-2018, 21:36   #51
Moderator
 
JPA Cate's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: aboard, cruising in Australia
Boat: Sayer 46' Solent rig sloop
Posts: 28,438
Re: Running hot in Caribbean

boatpoker, can you borrow someone else's IR, and check yours against it? Maybe it's become flaky.

Ann
__________________
Who scorns the calm has forgotten the storm.
JPA Cate is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-03-2018, 21:53   #52
Marine Service Provider
 
boatpoker's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Port Credit, Ontario or Bahamas
Boat: Benford 38 Fantail Cruiser
Posts: 7,061
Re: Running hot in Caribbean

Quote:
Originally Posted by JPA Cate View Post
boatpoker, can you borrow someone else's IR, and check yours against it? Maybe it's become flaky.

Ann
thanks but I've done that too. I am completely stumped.
__________________
If you're not laughing, you're not doin' it right.
boatpoker is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-03-2018, 07:25   #53
Registered User
 
jr_spyder's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Boston area
Boat: Little Harbor 46 (1988)
Posts: 326
Re: Running hot in Caribbean

Boatpoker,

I haven't admitted yet what might have really been the cure. I invoked some magical incantations and nautical sacrifice while working on the engine. This involved plenty of four letter words, blood mixed with grease, and various tools and nuts and bolts sacrificed to the bilge. Under a full moon on an astronomically high tide of course. Oh, and rum.

Try that.

JR
jr_spyder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-03-2018, 07:44   #54
Marine Service Provider
 
boatpoker's Avatar

Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Port Credit, Ontario or Bahamas
Boat: Benford 38 Fantail Cruiser
Posts: 7,061
Re: Running hot in Caribbean

Quote:
Originally Posted by jr_spyder View Post
Boatpoker,

I haven't admitted yet what might have really been the cure. I invoked some magical incantations and nautical sacrifice while working on the engine. This involved plenty of four letter words, blood mixed with grease, and various tools and nuts and bolts sacrificed to the bilge. Under a full moon on an astronomically high tide of course. Oh, and rum.

Try that.

JR
That's my next step
__________________
If you're not laughing, you're not doin' it right.
boatpoker is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
Caribbean, rib

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
HOT HOT HOT! running AC on Honda generator sailorboy1 Plumbing Systems and Fixtures 79 27-06-2019 07:21
Hot Spigot produces cold, then hot, then cold etc. rwells36 Plumbing Systems and Fixtures 15 04-01-2016 14:56
Hot Water System - Extra Hot Water Needed ? Harben Plumbing Systems and Fixtures 8 07-10-2010 16:20
Hot water is TOO hot. By Invitation Construction, Maintenance & Refit 10 18-08-2007 06:02
Ohhhhh Hot! Hot! Hot! knottybuoyz Marine Electronics 6 01-06-2007 07:43

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 02:53.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.