Port main 454 cruisader is running hot

sehord · Post by **sehord** » Mon Apr 19, 2010 11:32 pm

Ok, loaded question, so I know I'll probabaly get a few different answers, which is what I am looking for. I have an '83 10 meter sedan with 454 gas crusaders with heat exchangers. My port main is running hot..... it started out steaming a bit more than the Stbd over the past many months, then a month ago she sounded a temperature alarm and I shut her down. I limped home on one engine and shut her down. I went to start it later that day and it wouldn't start... turns out the starter silenoid went out (coincidence), so I changed it and she fired right up. I have been busy at work so I had someone change both raw water impellers, but both looked great. I then pulled the riser elbow, and it does have some minor corrosion, but overall is wide open and clear. I then changed the thermostat and ran her in the slip (the tide is out too much to run here tonight so I can't get her off the lift beams) and at a fast idle the temps slowly rise and the temop alarm is chirping. I believe the salt water flow is good as it appears to be about the same volume on the port as the Stbd, which leaves me to wonder about the fresh water circulation or internal blockage. Does anyuone know how much GPM i should be getting on the raw water side? should I pull the heat exchanger and have it acid dipped? Where would you start?

bigrgh · Post by **bigrgh** » Tue Apr 20, 2010 6:36 am

I have an 84 10 meter and my starboard engine (crusader 454) was running hot and after replacing raw water impellers and pulleys and belts and hoses( on both engines) i drained the antifreeze, and replaced the thermostat but when i pulled the end caps off the heat exchanger it was 1/3 blocked! so i had a radiator shop chemically clean it and repair solder. i replaced the end gaskets for seven dollars apiece and the radiator shop charged me seventy bucks for the work. some more new hoses and clamps(anything that looked even a little questionable) and she now never excdeeds 170 degrees. cruises at 150. next week i will be diong the port side heat exchanger as it seems to be running warm this season.

sehord · Post by **sehord** » Tue Apr 20, 2010 7:42 am

That was my next area to look at... I should be able to get it out and run it today during high tide and I will use a thermal temp gauge to try to see how much temperature i am actually geting compared to my Stbd. engine. BUt I am plannig on pulling the exchanger and taking a peak inside. Thanks!