Hose can be had from Macmaster Carr. The injection elbow itself. 316L stainless ones can be had for the same price as the black steel Westerbeke one. As mentioned fabricated your own nipple
Hello Everyone!
Following up on the coolant ‘leak’ and possible heat exchanger replacement:
As noted previously, I took a risk and ordered a new heat exchanger. without testing the old one. Mr. Cool’s customer service was very good, and answered some questions/provided good input/clarification on 1 or 2 follow-up calls. One call involved using the brackets that came with the new heat exchanger - I wasn’t clear on how to attach them. The Mr Cool rep was very patient while explaining how to configure the new brackets to replace the old brackets. However, one bracket wouldn’t work without modification as the engine housing blocked the bracket placement and I would have had to perform some surgery on the bracket to remove some of it’s corner to make it fit… I decided I would re-use the original brackets if I could get them off of the old exchanger… they are solid brass, but I was able to spread the arms far enough apart, using just my hands, to get them off of the old exchanger and onto the new.
After figuring out the bracket issue, everything else went smoothly and I used the correct size tailpipe (no need to step down hose sizes) that I ordered from Nassau National Cable (price was right, though shipping took a little longer than expected (surprising as they aren’t that far from where I live).
Ran the engine (sometimes with some load) on multiple occasions for an hour to two hours each time, and coolant level remained stable (and no leaks)!
Here are a few photos of the old exchanger coming out, and the new one going in:
Had to move (but left all connections in place) the fuel pump (black cylinder w writing) to get to the heat exchanger - luckily, not difficult
The original heat exchanger brackets - 1 with 1 without the bolt in place.
Old exchanger removed
Old exchanger out! Couldn’t get the old tailpipe (left side facing camera) to budge… glad I ordered a new one!
New exchanger in place with hoses reattached (except for new tailpipe (left side) hose that goes to the
transmission oil cooler - did that after this photo was shot), Fuel pump et all re-mounted.
Again, thank you to those who supplied input for this venture!
Peter Grabow
S/V CAKE WALK III
1987 30U 430
Stamford, CT - SHYH
Can someone tell me how to remove the ends of the heat exchanger. More specifically, do I just close the raw water intake and remove the end to check it out? Is it only water that will come out? Is there anything I need to do after putting the end back on with a new gasket?
Thank you
David Godfrey
NS 30 Thursdays Child
Halifax Nova Scotia
Hi David,
On my 30U I have a Westerbeke 27A… for this engine I take the ends off using a socket wrench, as the ends are held on with a hex-bolt. The Starboard side has the raw water connection, so when you remove the end cap on the starboard side you will get seawater coming out. It is highly advised to close the raw water intake first!
The port side of the heat exchanger, if you open this end, will have coolant (anti-freeze) that will come out. There should be a pet-cock valve on the underside of this port-side of the exchanger from which you can drain the coolant in the exchanger first (into a small bucket, etc) to prevent coolant from going into the bilge. There is a zinc on this portside as well and you may want to change that, especially if you find shards of the zinc if/when you open the portside endcap.
And you should definitely replace the endcap gaskets everytime you remove the endcaps. They ‘mold’/take on the impression of the endcap/heat exchanger body… you want a fresh one!
On some heat exchangers there is also a small O-ring that slips over the retaining bolt on the caps… inspect that too and if worn/cracked replace.
Again, this is how my W27A engine is set up… there may be variances depending on your engine. Easiest way to know which side is which is follow your raw water hose and engine coolant system hose… they will probably be on the opposite sides of the heat exchanger and the side to which they are connected has that fluid at the endcap.
Peter Grabow
S/V CAKE WALK III
1987 30U #430
Stamford, CT
Peter, thank you for the explanation. I couldn’t find that info anywhere.
Yours truly,
David Godfrey
Hi David,
Happy to assist.
I dont believe I mentioned my set up is a V-Drive, so my engine is ‘in backwards’… altenator, drive belts at the stern, heat exchanger on the forward end…
Peter
Mine too Peter.
Yours truly,
David Godfrey
I have a v-drive as well Peter so thank you for clarifying. When you add coolant, do you put it in the resevoir or in the starboard side top of the engine where I believe there is a radiator like cap.
Yours truly, David Godfrey
Hi -
Top of the engine thru the ‘radiator cap’… to just below the lower rim of the cap but covering the plates/fins.
If you drained the coolant and are putting in fresh coolant, you will most likely need to bleed the air from the system (a fairly easy process). Once the air is bled from the system, and the engine is cold, I top off the coolant thru the ‘radiator cap’ to the same level as before. Then I fill the overflow bottle to between the min and max marks, run the engine to operating temp once again and then shut down. Once cooled (the next day?) I check the reservoir bottle and add if needed.
Peter
S/V CAKE WALK III