Fresh Water Cooling Install

[toddster]

I've recently adopted an older A4-equipped boat that appears to have been retrofitted with fresh water cooling. (The engine cover has been modified to provide extra clearance.) I can't seem to identify the source of the FWC components though. Does this look familiar to anyone?


So, yesterday I stopped at the boat on the way to a job and advanced the resurrection project a bit. Drained 10 gallons of five-year-old fuel from the tank, installed new ignition components (the plugs and wires I got at the auto parts store were the wrong ones ) and started cleaning up some of the electrical. While flailing around in the back of the quarterberth, trying to reach the fuel line, I heard the cheerful little "clink"of something metallic falling into the bilge. Turned around to find that the back end cap of the heat exchanger had fallen off! And it was bone dry in there. It appears that the PO, the few times that he actually started the motor, may have been running it dry. Guess I won't be surprised if one or both of the water pumps are toast.


So now I'm even more curious about the source of this part, and possible replacements. I guess I'll bring it home next time I'm there, pound the end cap back in and try to solder it in place. I think I'd also like to mount it (or its replacement) elsewhere in the engine compartment, so that the cover can return to its original location, and not stick up in the middle of the quarterberth. Any reason why slightly longer hose runs would be a problem?

[lat 64]

Howdy an' welcome!
I'm sure a radiator shop can fix that thing back together if you can't.

I moved my heat ex away from the original position to make it easier to work on the carburator. It has worked fine. I see no problem with a bit longer run as long as you pay attention to not getting high spots, bubbles or introducing elevation problems.

So sweet of you to adopt. So many neglected motors and so little time.


Cheers,
Russ
P. S. start your own thread—be a trailblazer

[ndutton]

Hmmm, very interesting that your picture popped up at about the same time as a 5 year old thread. Who'd have thunk it?

your engine: ..................................and Miss September 2006:

[Administrator]

Do the similarities in the two pictures imply that the FWC systems were almost certainly stock as built by Universal?

Bill

[ndutton]

I'd say so or perhaps a distributor add-on. Boatswain's Locker in Costa Mesa, CA would regularly reconfigure A-4's to meet their customers' needs like adding reduction gears and V-drives. I never saw a FWC system on an A-4 back then but it's entirely conceivable. The two installations pictured are virtually identical as if done by the same hands.

Certainly not home grown I think.

[Chris T]

FWC Heat Exch.

I've recently adopted an older A4-equipped boat that appears to have been retrofitted with fresh water cooling. (The engine cover has been modified to provide extra clearance.) I can't seem to identify the source of the FWC components though. Does this look familiar to anyone?


So, yesterday I stopped at the boat on the way to a job and advanced the resurrection project a bit. Drained 10 gallons of five-year-old fuel from the tank, installed new ignition components (the plugs and wires I got at the auto parts store were the wrong ones ) and started cleaning up some of the electrical. While flailing around in the back of the quarterberth, trying to reach the fuel line, I heard the cheerful little "clink"of something metallic falling into the bilge. Turned around to find that the back end cap of the heat exchanger had fallen off! And it was bone dry in there. It appears that the PO, the few times that he actually started the motor, may have been running it dry. Guess I won't be surprised if one or both of the water pumps are toast.


So now I'm even more curious about the source of this part, and possible replacements. I guess I'll bring it home next time I'm there, pound the end cap back in and try to solder it in place. I think I'd also like to mount it (or its replacement) elsewhere in the engine compartment, so that the cover can return to its original location, and not stick up in the middle of the quarterberth. Any reason why slightly longer hose runs would be a problem?

I have one just like yours... You can replace the end cap with a rubber cap. Easy to take off for cleaning. Bit pricey however......

[Chris T]

Heat exchanger

Do the similarities in the two pictures imply that the FWC systems were almost certainly stock as built by Universal?

Bill

The pic on the right, green Atomic 4 is mine. The heat exchanger was built
in Seattle years ago. Not available... Chris

[chiron]

I have the same heat exchanger on my engine. The big draw back is that it makes it difficult to work on the carb. I have been thinking of moving mine like Russ has away from the manifold to make things easier.

[lat 64]

Here's a couple of shots as the beast is now.
The heat ex is the vertical cylinder behind the battery. The pressure cap is out of the photo but is easily reached from an opening by the quarter berth. Both it and the seawater strainer can be checked and serviced from this hatch. I lie on the quarter berth to check oil, water, shaft log, water pump, and ignition. This is often done just before I succumb to another nap.

How about that wiring though? Nice Huh? It's actually much safer now that I have put all circuits back on the main switch and put fuses in all the circuts.
But let's not go there this time.

Russ

[rigspelt]

Nice Russ! I don't think I've seen this great "after" shot. I envy the room you have around that engine.

[toddster]

Chris T - any hint on a source for this rubber cap?

Certainly this is not a stock installation as came with the boat. The exchanger contacts the galley cabinet at the side, and rises above the level of the engine cover. A PO has added some plywood pieces to make the engine cover stick up an inch or so. And it does have to come out to get access to the carb.

Looks to me like there's plenty of real estate to mount the heat exchanger on the back wall of the engine compartment, as long as it clears the shift lever. I actually love the engine access on this boat (ericson 29) which is one reason I bought it. The engine cover forms part of a double-wide quarter berth, which leaves plenty of room around it. If only the heat exchanger wasn't blocking the carb, there would be no accessibility issues at all.

Re: the twins - both engines are installed in 70's era Ericson boats.

[Carl-T705]

I just purchased a 67 Triton with the same freshwater cooling system. The raw water pump and mount has been lost, hope something can replace it. The cooling exchanger is mounted in one of the cockpit lockers, Open the lid and the tank is right there, so I'm assuming mounting out of the engine bay and up high is an option.

[ndutton]

So now I'm even more curious about the source of this part, and possible replacements. I guess I'll bring it home next time I'm there, pound the end cap back in and try to solder it in place. I think I'd also like to mount it (or its replacement) elsewhere in the engine compartment, so that the cover can return to its original location, and not stick up in the middle of the quarterberth. Any reason why slightly longer hose runs would be a problem?

If you attempt a repair of the existing exchanger I suggest completely 'rodding out' the tube bundle prior to reinstalling the end cap. There's no better time than now. Also, plan on pressure testing your repair on the bench (I did with mine and it was a good thing). It's no fun chasing leaks on the boat.

Relocating the existing exchanger is no problem provided the fill cap is at the highest point in the system, water heater (if fitted) included.

Carl -
Regarding your missing pump and bracket, there are several of us running successfully with an electric coolant pump. It's a relatively new concept but it's one of your options. We're using the engine mounted pump for raw water and the electric for coolant.

[toddster]

For the record, if anyone stumbles across this in the future, the horizontal heat exchangers discussed above were made by "Sen-Dure" in Bayshore N.Y. A quick google search shows that the company has moved to Florida, but still makes such items. But I attempted to repair the existing unit.

I stopped by the boat Friday, on the way to a job, and brought the offending parts home with me. The part that was up against the cabinet had an ID plate that was revealed by stripping off some old paint with a bit of Goof-Off.


Everything seemed to be made of copper or bronze, so I cleaned up the parts and soldered them back together. I had a bit of trouble keeping the big part hot enough with a propane torch, but I hooked the finished item in to the kitchen hot water loop while I ran the dish washer, and it didn't leak. The gasket under the inspection port was worn-out silicone. Couldn't locate any silicone sheet around here, so I cut one out of red rubber as a replacement. Spot of new primer, et voila! Chuck it in the "to the boat" box.

[ndutton]

Nicely done!