mick
Well-Known Member
I've just removed the heat exchanger tube stack from my one-year-old Beta 13.5 in order to clean it. The tubes were fairly clear but I cleaned them by pushing through a thin wooden skewer. Do I do anything else?
Tube stack
- Thread starter mick
- Start date
boatmike
Well-Known Member
Put it back and go sailing???? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
ccscott49
Well-Known Member
You could put some limescale remover through it to get any calcium out, but as the man says, put it back in, test it for leaks and go out sailing/boating, whatever!
Topcat47
Well-Known Member
The tubes ought to be clear as it's the engine coolant that should be passing through them, not salt-water (you do use anti-freeze with anti-corrosion addatives in the engoine, don't you?). With the stack removed you should be able to examine the outside surface of the tubes for crud, corrosion and/or cracks (dye penetrant examination). This latter is only necessary if you think the tubes look really bad and then you'd probably be happier with a new stack anyway.
I wouldn't use an "oxygen" cleaner on the tubes (Cillit Bang or the Flash cleaner that removes rust stains for example) You never know what they're doing to the alloying element of the tubestack) but washing them down with limelite and thoroughly rinsing ocasionally is a good move
I wouldn't use an "oxygen" cleaner on the tubes (Cillit Bang or the Flash cleaner that removes rust stains for example) You never know what they're doing to the alloying element of the tubestack) but washing them down with limelite and thoroughly rinsing ocasionally is a good move
Topcat47
Well-Known Member
I know it's too late now but a one-year old heat exchanger ought to be pristine inside, IMHO.
stevebirch2002
Well-Known Member
Dont forget to replace the large O rings if they are damaged...
Make sure you change the anode regularly
Make sure you change the anode regularly
mick
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
The tubes ought to be clear as it's the engine coolant that should be passing through them, not salt-water (you do use anti-freeze with anti-corrosion addatives in the engoine, don't you?). With the stack removed you should be able to examine the outside surface of the tubes for crud, corrosion and/or cracks (dye penetrant examination). This latter is only necessary if you think the tubes look really bad and then you'd probably be happier with a new stack anyway.
I wouldn't use an "oxygen" cleaner on the tubes (Cillit Bang or the Flash cleaner that removes rust stains for example) You never know what they're doing to the alloying element of the tubestack) but washing them down with limelite and thoroughly rinsing ocasionally is a good move
[/ QUOTE ]
In my Beta 13.5 it's salt water that passes through the tube stack. Some of the tubes were partially blocked by pasty bits from the anode, which had disintegrated.
The tubes ought to be clear as it's the engine coolant that should be passing through them, not salt-water (you do use anti-freeze with anti-corrosion addatives in the engoine, don't you?). With the stack removed you should be able to examine the outside surface of the tubes for crud, corrosion and/or cracks (dye penetrant examination). This latter is only necessary if you think the tubes look really bad and then you'd probably be happier with a new stack anyway.
I wouldn't use an "oxygen" cleaner on the tubes (Cillit Bang or the Flash cleaner that removes rust stains for example) You never know what they're doing to the alloying element of the tubestack) but washing them down with limelite and thoroughly rinsing ocasionally is a good move
[/ QUOTE ]
In my Beta 13.5 it's salt water that passes through the tube stack. Some of the tubes were partially blocked by pasty bits from the anode, which had disintegrated.