New boat's heat exchanger

[Porchhound]

Kinda fuzzy, as my surveyor said. Lots of corrosion. Have to wonder what the inside looks like. After the 60 mile trip to my marina this goes up high on the list to check out.

[Noah]

Again, my standard caveat: I am not a mechanic; but it looks to me like an old-style,  2 inch HX. I would upgrade to the 3 in.

[Porchhound]

I think it's safe to say this one's due for replacement!

[waughoo]

As Noah says, that looks like the older smaller size.  The newer one has more surface area (larger diameter).  We're you experiencing heat "creep" on your trip?

[KWKloeber]

PS you should remove both end caps and inspect its guts BEFORE the trip!

I think it's safe to say this one's due for replacement!

1.  The corrosion is external to the Hx and its "workings."  The pic itself doesn't indicate it needs replacing.  I am not saying it doesn't -- just that the photo doesn't indicate that.  Removing the end caps and "rodding it" may indicate otherwise. 
There is corrosion on parts of the engine, which doesn't indicate that it needs to be replaced!

2.  I agree Noah is not a mechanic  LOL
But I believe he's spot-on w/ it being the OEM 2" Hx.  That may or may not be an issue in YOUR sailing waters.  Where are you?

There should be TWO, type ABA or AWAB embossed band clamps on it, not perforated band clamps.  Or T-bolt clamps but they are overkill and unnecessary.

If you do upgrade to the 3" Hx, there is a bracket available, but again it is unnecessary.  You just open up the 2" bracket to fit the 3" Hx.  The 3" Hx will block your tranny dipstick but if/when that time comes there are a couple of ways to overcome that.

[Porchhound]

No heat creep at all. I haven't undertaken anything more than a 30-40min sea trial in her and everything was normal. The surveyor checked the heat with flir test and it was actually running at 165 but indicating 180 on the gauge.

There is a small recovery tank (approx 1 pint or so) rigged in the head compartment which is above (higher than) the heater. Should I replace my coolant at this tank to avoid air, or will it make a difference if the air is in the heater?

BTW, Alex I'm in Port Orchard, Washington bringing the boat in from Olympia some time this week I hope.

[waughoo]

I did note you were local.  I am always excited to find other c34 folk on here that are local.  I am at Elliott Bay Marina.

[Porchhound]

Alex, I looked at a Hallberg Rassey berthed at Elliot Bay a few weeks back. We wanted an Ericson or Catalina (we've owned both) so we were excited to find this one.

[waughoo]

The 34 is a GREAT boat for this area.

[Stu Jackson]

Porchhound,

That is a OEM 2" HX.  There is nothing wrong with it, I used to have one.

The pink "blossom" is where the HX ZINC is located.  Crud does grow there (on the outside) IF the zinc hasn't been changed.  That's what I suspect happened there.  You need to change those zincs regularly.  How regularly?  In San Francisco I did them four times a year (57F water temp).  Here in British Columbia (47F) I do them twice a year and in the past five years have found I can go longer than six months.  You have to figure it out.  Find the right pencil zincs and buy a bunch.

The other growth is at the inlet of the cold raw water from the pump to the (hot) heat exchanger; the salt precipitates out right at that point.  Take the hose off, clean it up, and check that the inlet port of the HX isn't caked with salt.  When I first got my boat the PO said it slightly overheated.  The first thing I did was remove the entire HX.  I shook it and it sounded like a mariachi band.:)  IIRC, you can't take of both end caps a rod it out, 'cuz there ain't two end caps only one, plus it's on the starboard side and useless 'cuz it's inaccessible.  Take it off, take it all off.     That will give you access the everything to clean it up.

Before you do, do some more reading about burping your engine in the 101 Topics, and you can use this as a perfect time to remove and later flush your coolant.  Also, beforehand, get those zincs and get a few end gaskets for the HX.

Once I removed and cleaned my old 2" HX the engine ran fine for years.  I bought a 3" HX years later.  I removed the HX the second week I owned the boat, did it all ON the boat, didn't use any chemicals, didn't "rod it out" but found the rw inlet port caked up 3/4s of the way with salt!  There was lots of crud from old zincs inside.

The 101 Topics has a link to HX sources, one is in Seattle.

[Ron Hill]

Porch : I agree with Stu that the corrosion is no big deal.  On the starboard it is just a bad hose connection and on the port side it is the Zn that you need to undoubtedly replace!!!  I'd clean up both corrosions, replace the Zn and get the boat in your slip.  Then I'd take of the end caps to examine the insides - because your lengthily sea trial showed that it'll still cool to normal operating temperature.

A few thoughts