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  #1   IP: 66.126.90.242
Old 11-24-2009, 03:57 PM
Kurt Kurt is offline
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Fresh Water Cooling Install

I've been meaning to post these pics for some time now. The pics show my custom install of a fresh water cooling system on my A4 with a V drive. It's on a C&C 33'. Because of clearance issues at the flywheel, I had to install the Indigo FWC kit that drives the raw water pump off of the assessory drive. The hardest part of this conversion from raw to fresh water cooling was figuring out the best place for the heat exchanger and routing of all hoses. Certainly makes the engine compartment more crowded, but it has made my operating temp much more stable on this engine that was cooled with raw water for the first 33 years of its life. You can also see my new exhaust installation and the placement of the anti-siphon valve - an add on as my old cooling system arrangement did not have an anti-siphon valve.
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Old 11-24-2009, 07:32 PM
willsr willsr is offline
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Fwc

Thanks for the pics Kurt.
Do you have a raw water strainer?
I also installed the same system in my Ranger 33 two years ago.
I didn't install a raw water strainer and I have to back flush the heat exchanger at least twice a year with a high pressure hose to get the junk out.
I also need to change the zinc often so I recommend watching that.
Good job!
Steve
Barbara J
Oceanside Ca
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  #3   IP: 66.126.90.242
Old 11-24-2009, 08:04 PM
Kurt Kurt is offline
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I actually don't have a raw water strainer - should probably get one of those! For the time being, flushing out that heat exchanger will be a lot easier than doing pressure flushes of my block - which I used to have to do every 6 months when it was raw water cooled. Thanks for the zinc advice - I'll check that out. I know my bottom cleaners have to replace shaft zincs every 3 months maximum so I'll bet the heat exchanger zinc will suffer from the "hot" marina I'm at as well.
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Old 11-24-2009, 10:38 PM
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You might try a galvanic isolator. They've helped my neighbor's boat alot. I just installed one after hearing his report. Keeps the zincs around a bit longer...
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Old 11-25-2009, 05:28 AM
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Nice work. I see the magic marker guides on the bulkhead -- mine has similar marks too! Quite the juggling act to figure out where to put everything.

Careful removing the zinc -- I cracked the thread base where the hex is welded to the relatively thin metal of the heat exchanger body, even though I tried to be careful to apply a second stabilizing wrench on that hex base while backing out the zinc. Had to remove the HE to take it to a radiator shop for repair.
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Old 11-25-2009, 10:58 AM
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Fresh Water Cooling vs. Raw Water

Good Morning:
Being new to the A4 I have questions. In many posts I see reference to "Fresh Water" and "Raw Water" for cooling.
What is the difference? I draw water in from the lake so while not fresh it sure isn't salt water either.
Thanks
Pat
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Old 11-25-2009, 11:08 AM
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msauntry,

Do you have any information on the galvanic isolator that you could share; like where/how is it connected, what does it isolate, etc, etc?

Don
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Old 11-25-2009, 11:32 AM
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Pat A "raw water" cooled engine draws in water, whatever the boat is sitting in, salt or fresh and runs it thru the engine and then out the exhaust. A "fresh water" cooled engine re-circulates a fresh water /antifreeze mix thru the engine and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is cooled by separate “raw water” system. Hope that makes sense. Dan S/V Marian Claire

Last edited by Marian Claire; 11-25-2009 at 11:55 AM.
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Old 11-25-2009, 01:23 PM
Kurt Kurt is offline
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I echo Don's question about the galvanic isolator. My diver told me to get one as my shaft zincs are burning too quickly. I believe he said that the isolator is connected to the shore power outlet and operates whenever you are "plugged in" to the dock. Does anyone else have additional information as to how these things are connected. This information could help save all of us money on zinc replacement!
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Old 11-25-2009, 02:06 PM
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This link should help. This one too.

Bill
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Old 11-25-2009, 02:55 PM
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Nigel Calder's book has a good discussion on galvanic isolators and isolation transformers.
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Old 11-25-2009, 05:21 PM
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Here is a pic of the one I installed this spring in my 67 C&C Corvette. It was very easy to install and the operating principle is straightforward. We don't have a lot of problems with galvanic corrosion in fresh water but I think the protection is worth having.

Besides, one day I may decide to become a salt-water sailor!

PS - I got mine from "The Charger Guy" on E-bay - also got a 3-bank battery charger which is mounted just to the left/backside of the cockpit opening. Good price and both are working with no problems. Also, for it to satisfy ABYC standards I need to hook up a remote moniter which plugs in on the right side just below the gold coloured terminal lug.
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Last edited by 67c&ccorv; 11-25-2009 at 07:45 PM.
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  #13   IP: 97.120.107.210
Old 12-12-2009, 11:44 AM
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Keel Cooler

Does anyone have any information about or experience with a Keel Cooler setup?
Thanx,
Greg
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Old 12-06-2010, 06:37 PM
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Google "yandina isolator" and you'll see the one I ordered. Much less expensive than the WM offerings. I don't really care about the remote monitor feature, so call me non-ABYC compliant...
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Old 12-08-2010, 12:32 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by msauntry View Post
Google "yandina isolator" and you'll see the one I ordered. Much less expensive than the WM offerings. I don't really care about the remote monitor feature, so call me non-ABYC compliant...
I put in one of these last year, and documented the project.

See http://www.chessie.com/boat/projects...lvanicIsolator
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Old 08-10-2011, 04:19 PM
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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?
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Old 08-11-2011, 01:56 AM
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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
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Old 08-11-2011, 02:23 AM
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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:
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Old 08-11-2011, 08:49 AM
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Do the similarities in the two pictures imply that the FWC systems were almost certainly stock as built by Universal?

Bill
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Old 08-11-2011, 09:12 AM
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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.
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Old 08-11-2011, 10:06 AM
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FWC Heat Exch.

Quote:
Originally Posted by toddster View Post
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......
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Old 08-11-2011, 10:10 AM
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Heat exchanger

Quote:
Originally Posted by Administrator View Post
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
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Old 08-11-2011, 10:51 AM
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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.
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Old 08-11-2011, 12:33 PM
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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
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Old 08-11-2011, 01:50 PM
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Nice Russ! I don't think I've seen this great "after" shot. I envy the room you have around that engine.
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