Blocked Intercoolers

  • Thread starter Thread starter Deleted User YDKXO
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Mike, I suspect you know the answewr to your question already!!

I've used Ridlyme a few times and have been pleased with the results. Also take a read of THIS, it should cover what you need to do it yourself.
 
Thanks ljs. Has your boat got Cat 3208 engines and have you used Ridlyme in them? I've found the website HERE but do you know where to get the product in the UK?
Any tips on how you connect the feed pipe to the intercooler itself which on my boat looks to be about a 2" dia hose
 
You can get Rydlyme from Motortech Marine in Port Solent, about £30ish for 5ltrs. I had a go with it to try and descale both the the my raw water side and then the fresh water side of my heat exchangers recently. it seemed to do a reasonable job [got very mucky] and pretty simple to do with a strategically placed bucket and bilge pump.

I think vetus? do a stepped hose tail which would get you up to 3" [with a few shot lengths of hose and some jubilee clips] got one in the chandlers.
 
You mean heat exchangers, not intercoolers, I think?

I had mine (raw/fresh water heat exchangers) done a year ago (600hrs) cos they recommended it and I had no time to argue. Cost a fortune and I didn't see any difference, so waste of time/money imho. Engine coolant was about 73deg C before and after.

Ref 1 - I doubt he can tell. He might have taken end cap off and loked inside tho - depends on design

Ref 2, no. Leave it another year. But of course when they get so cruddy that the temp rises, you've left it too late. So you have to judge it carefully

Ref 3, 38 hours seems about double what it should be imho. I'll look at my bill and see what hours they charged me for (official volvo dealer)
 
jfm, you are of course right. They are heat exchangers not intercoolers. My man what does keeps referring to them as intercoolers so I've adopted the same word
Seems like cleaning heat exchangers is a nice little earner for Med based spannermen. I wonder if they sit in smoked filled bars dreaming up new ways to rip off 'rich' boat owners
 
Mike
I just found my bill for heat exchanger cleanout, at my end-of-2006 season service. Figures are below, in €. I was shocked when I just looked at this, cos I was totally fleeced I reckon. I must have been in a hurry or busy at work; sometimes it's easier to pay than fight...

All the below is just the heat exchanger work, which they invoiced me for separately. 2x Volvo D12, at a main Volvo agent in Cote D'Azur (engines were still in warranty)

16 hours labour @46 = 736
Antifreeze fluid new 356
Jubilee clips (special) 300 about
Ohter parts and o rings 450 about

total bill €1849 excl VAT (though I dont pay VAT)
 
Mike, if you remove the hose from the raw water pump and the hose from the exhaust elbow, attatch other hoses of suitable length to a bucket as a return and a bilge pump or stand alone electric jabsco pump, like the one I use to suck oil, you can make the mix of water and rydelime, that way it will descale all the heat exchangers, leave it for an hour and watch the crap coming out, you can also leave it to stand for a while with the pump off, then flush it with either fresh water or sea water when you restart the engines.
 
Thanks volvopaul. I received another call from Majorca today. The service engineer is now saying that he has observed corrosion on the outside of the heat exchangers which, according to him, means that the heat exchangers definitely need to be removed and inspected. What do you think?
 
Thats cheap compared to what they want to charge me which is €2000+ and thats for an independent engineer, not an authorised dealer. The story is that the s/b exchanger is tricky to get at which means that the removable cockpit floor has to be removed to get at it
What's the worst that can happen if I don't do it? Leaks? Gradual overheating which I will spot anyway? What about saltwater contamination of the freshwater coolant circuit? What are the ramifications of that? Anyone know?
 
Blimey

Mine are easily accessable so I wasn't charged any awkward-access premium

What's the worst that can happen? As they crud up the temp could rise, which you'll spot, as you say. Awkward it you are in Sardina and it's Friday and you wanna be back at work monday, but otherwise ok

There is no chance of serious contamination of the freshwater circuit. That would need an internal leak which is very unlikely with anodes, and anyway the salt water ingress into the freshwater side will be tiny, perhaps a pint at most, becuase the freshwater side is pressurised/closed circuit, so will not allow the saltwater to gush in

So yeah, put it off. Esp if you are selling the boat. imho
 
[ QUOTE ]
So yeah, put it off. Esp if you are selling the boat. imho

[/ QUOTE ]

I think you're probably right. I might try a dose of Ridlyme though just to see what comes out
 
Def try the ridlyme route, mix it about 50/50 with fresh water, put it in and leave for a few hours then flush out and watch all the crud come out with it. Won't take long to get in the engine, if necessary close off the raw water seacocks/strainers and let the negine pump it through as you pour it in. Will take a matter of minutes, then leave it to do its work.
 
Yes, didn't mean to actually run the engine, just turn it over to get the pump/impellor to do its work. But maybe that's not possible on modern engines, you'd have a better idea of that than me.
 
Just love following threads like this. Puts poking around with a straightened piece of coat hanger to clear the crud out of the heat exchanger of my little Volvo 3 cylinder into perspective. And watching you guys discussing spending my entire annual maintenance budget on just one job!

I hope you really enjoy your boats.
 
Think you've got the wrong end of the stick!! With what I describe the total cost is under £20 for 2 engines. Unless of course your annual maintenance budget is less than that in which case I hope your boat doesn't leave its mooring too often /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
Sorry, should have clicked the reply to the ones that were talking about 2000 euros for the take apart job!
 
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