How to test a Bowman heat exchanger?

[BoatingBeginner]

Hi there

I'm having two old Ford diesels overhauled. I'm doing all the work on the marine parts myself. There don't seem to be many working parts.

Does anyone know what the procedure is for testing heat exchanger and charge air coolers? Is there an established DIY way of doing it (perhaps involving bottles of high-pressure air, etc)?

Is it just a case of clean, examine, fit new seals, reassemble, test, refit?

Thanks, chaps!

 

[SHUG]

You don't need particularly high pressure air. In fact the dinghy pump will do.
You can use the dual diameter seal at both ends of the heat exchanger pipe stack just using the outer jubilee clip (ie the second largest one). Connect the dinghy pump at one end and plug the other. Immerse in a bath and pump away. Look for bubbles.If a bath is not handy (or out of bounds) then soapy water works well.

 

[scottie]

High presure air could be dangerous

The correct way is with a water pump to provide presure or if workable you could just a head of water there is not much presure involved except with oil coolers

Strippng cleaning and rebuilding with new seals is what is required. Check everything goes back the way it comes apart

You may find corrosion is problem in stripping

 

[david_bagshaw]

the test pressures are not that great, what boost pressure does the engine run at, our sabre 150s dont have any near the 2 bar that modern engines go to. Ours arnt intercooled , but when I did the Sabre course in the 90s it covered the 212 model as well. Was told ends of the tubes and where the tubes seal water to air were the main problem. Similarly the o ring seating area on the water tube stack and the alloy housing is prone to disimilar metals / galvanic problems as well. Personally use plenty of grease in this area.

After over 20 years use, yearly cleaning.
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/77CQopX2DP7GpDmoxlWbUq2qjxOcOSpRuYk_C3Pwn7E?feat=directlink

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/XnF_h4m-ZwV_LDCtrwZa5a2qjxOcOSpRuYk_C3Pwn7E?feat=directlink

 

[BoatingBeginner]

Thanks very much indeed for that, guys.

It was a gavanically corroded nut that caused a massive engine failure that led to one of the engines needing to be rebuilt...