Engine Temperature problem

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Analgesic

Launch day 2013 yesterday and it's always something.  This Winter I replaced the hot water heater.  I followed the web site advice on burping the antifreeze, engine started right up but I took my eye off the ball and after idling for a while at the dock I saw the engine temperature gauge reading almost 240 degrees or whatever the max is.  I immediately shut it down, allowed some cooling time, repeated the burping process with the petcock this time.  I restarted the engine just to get off the dock, temp seemed to be rising too fast, shut down and sailed for 90 minutes to my home club and when I restarted the engine to again get to the dock, the gauge now gave no reading (never budged from the minimum 120). I have great water flow from the exhaust, raw water filter is clear and I removed any corrosion from the temp sensing wire in the thermostat with no change.  So, I'm left with an engine that seems to start and run well but might be overheating with no way to tell.  I hate to call the diesel guy if there is some other easy solution/troubleshooting step I could try first.  Thanks in advance for any helpful advice.
Brian McPhillips
Brian McPhillips  1988 #584  M25XP

DaveM

I had to finally use Ron's method of sucking water through the heater loop to get all the are out.  Hope that helps.

Goodwinds
DaveM
Dave Mauney, O'Day 35, 1989, "DAMWEGAS" , Oriental, NC , M25XP

Ron Hill

Brian : You have an air block in the engine coolant line that goes in to thee water heater. Until you get that air out the liquid coolant will not flow.

Go to critical updates and look for "Burping" the water heater . 
Ron, Apache #788

Analgesic

I think I started with an air bubble but I doubt it is still there.  The bleeding process went as it should the second time and I just got back from the boat where I could feel the hot coolant on both hoses to and from the water heater.  The new issue is the absence of any temperature reading on the instrument panel.  I assume that with an air bubble I'd just get another rapidly rising temperature reading but the needle is stuck on 120 degrees.   I checked the wire from the temperature sensor to the panel (tan wire) and it is good.  I wonder if the age plus the possibly extreme temperature experienced yesterday could have damaged the thermostat and/or the temperature sensor.  I have no idea if the thermostat has ever been replaced but it hasn't been the 10 years I have owned the boat. 
Brian McPhillips  1988 #584  M25XP

Steve W10

I think these thermostats fail "closed", which would mean high temp vice low , unless of course someone changed it to the fail-safe version.

I doubt it's the sender.

I'd check that the connection to the sender and gauge are good and clean as well as tight, including ground, and then wire continuity next.

If it is the thermostat, I paid $21 at the Kabota here in Mississauga (and another buck each for a couple gaskets - one spare) so at least it's a cheap fix.

Good luck with it.

Steve

Ed Shankle

Just to verify what you are seeing on the temp gauge, check it with a laser temp reader. I've occasionally had high temp readings that were dispelled by the laser reader. Point it on the thermostat housing and the coolant tank. I think my issue is wiring which I hope to address when I install my new engine control panel.
Ed Shankle
Tail Wind #866 1989 m25xp
Salem, MA