Oil cooler issues

[derekh]

Hi, I hope someone can put my mind at rest. I have an Antares 1080 year 2003 with very low hours. She is powered by twin kamd44edc’s during a recent service I was advised that the oil coolers of this engine can leak oil causing obvious catastrophic failure as the sump contents empty into the bilge. Can anyone tell me if this is a known issue ?
Many thanks

 

[Bandit]

Yes a well known issue.
The housing is Aluminium, the core is a copper alloy, there is a copper alloy ring held by o rings a seawater leak starts holding a drip of saltwater at the bottom which in a hot engine room dries to a strong salt water drop which bridges the two metals and attacks the Aluminium.
At best you will see a salt water drip with some corrosion, it’s very difficult to see even with an endoscope to get behind the bits bolted outside it.
If the housing has started to corrode when you remove the cooler the corroded Aluminium is very weak you can dig it out with a screw driver. The oil behind is pressurised if the housing leaks you will get an immediate loss of all engine oil, if you don’t immediately shut down the engine you will get a catastrophic engine failure requiring a rebuild. Also one hell of a mess in the engine room.
This seems to happen to coolers on the 42,43,44 and 300 series engines from 12 years old onwards.
I have seen several that have had catastrophic failures and only one that did not require a complete rebuild.
My advice would be to replace both coolers, remove and inspect both exhausts and inspect sumps as a preemptive strike.

 

[derekh]

Very many thanks for a swift reply. Most helpful and informative.
Happy new year.

 

[petem]

As Bandit says, it's a common issue. I believe they can sometimes be repaired to stop them leaking. Otherwise, they are an expensive part...

Volvo Penta Exploded view / schematic Oil Cooler: B KAD44P, KAD44P-B, KAD44P-C, KAMD44P-A, KAMD44P-C - MarinePartsEurope.com

 

[Portofino]

As an alternative to filling VP after market parts profit has anybody considered anodic protection ?
fit a through the hull anode with a large zinc in the sea and an internal bolt.To which attach a copper wire going to the oil cooler ( or any other part susceptible to corrosion ) .
For this oil cooler scrape back the paint use a jubilee clip to bond the new copper wire .
It can leak until the cows come home now as any electrolytic induced corrosion will be foiled by the chunk of zinc connected to it .

 

[Bandit]

As an alternative to filling VP after market parts profit has anybody considered anodic protection ?
fit a through the hull anode with a large zinc in the sea and an internal bolt.To which attach a copper wire going to the oil cooler ( or any other part susceptible to corrosion ) .
For this oil cooler scrape back the paint use a jubilee clip to bond the new copper wire .
It can leak until the cows come home now as any electrolytic induced corrosion will be foiled by the chunk of zinc connected to it .

The corrosion is on the outside of the cooler an anode would not protect this, when the rubber ring seal leaks and salt water weeps out after 12 + years and the drip bridges the brass or bronze ring to the aluminium housing, the aluminium housing then corrodes.
Either remove the cooler early clean and inspect or when it fails replace.

In the grand scheme of things its probably given good service for 12 + years which is longer than most people run a car for, a new engine is very expensive.

Put it down to wear and tear, the 40 series engines are good units, fit a new one and its good for another 12 + years.

 

[volvopaul]

Hi, I hope someone can put my mind at rest. I have an Antares 1080 year 2003 with very low hours. She is powered by twin kamd44edc’s during a recent service I was advised that the oil coolers of this engine can leak oil causing obvious catastrophic failure as the sump contents empty into the bilge. Can anyone tell me if this is a known issue ?
Many thanks

I can’t add any more other than I will back up the importance to change them if you see salt water leaking as oil will be next .
At least the 10.80 has a fairly good engine bay as the tanks are in the stern , it makes a fairly easy swap on the starboard side .

 

[Montemar]

Would this also apply to a TAMD14B?

 

[volvopaul]

Would this also apply to a TAMD14B?

Yours are ok I looked over them last time I was on board

 

[Montemar]

Yours are ok I looked over them last time I was on board

Brilliant thanks

 

[Greg2]

This is a new one on me - do the KAD32s have the same issue?
.