Water dripping from bottom of charge air cooler

[Dazzajohm]

I’ve got TAMD41B and have recently had some sea water in the bilge after a run so have been trying to trace it. Today I have discovered it’s dripping from the bottom of the charge air cooler - shown towards the top right of the video here - https://youtu.be/aCHTfJD98U4

I’ve had a good feel around the pipe work and the cooler itself which all seems dry, does anyone have any ideas of anything to check? I’m really hoping it’s something I can sort easily or if not see if it’s something I can leave and sort after the season.

TIA.

 

[Mr Googler]

What’s the orientation of your video?

Are you looking from the bottom up?

Is it coming from the intercooler drain plug?

 

[Dazzajohm]

What’s the orientation of your video?

Are you looking from the bottom up?

Is it coming from the intercooler drain plug?

Yes the green piece at th top of the video clip is the bottom back of the charge air cooler. Will try to attach a photo to give a bit of perspective.

Urm, I’m not sure about whether it is coming from the drain plug. I’m just about to see if I can find some kind of schematic to help me figure it out.

 

[Mr Googler]

 

[Mr Googler]

The intercooler is an insert which drops into the outer housing.

The drain bolt is part of the intercooler insert...which is made from soft special metals. The insert is filled with sea water fed and return from the lid section divided by a long seal in the lid housing.

If it’s dripping from the drain plug....you might be able to sort with ptfe. Don’t be tempted to nip it up....they snap easily.

There is also a small drain hole in the casing...if sea water is leaking out of that.....don’t run the engine. You’ll be sucking sea water into the engine. There is a gasket at the top between the insert/housing and lid. Could be that....or a leaking insert which is not good as new ones are expensive. Either way.....I would take out the insert matrix and pressure test it.

 

[Mr Googler]

Insert in situ with the top off. Note the orange seal. There’s another under the insert lip.



That’s the insert once removed

 

[Dazzajohm]

Insert in situ with the top off. Note the orange seal. There’s another under the insert lip.

View attachment 78516

That’s the insert once removed

View attachment 78517

Right ok, thanks for the info. I think I’ll have to get the engineers on it ASAP. Was hoping I might be able to get through the season but sounds like not ��

 

[Mr Googler]

It’s where sea water meets intake air so probably best to find out where it’s coming from!

Could be as simple as a leaking drain plug :encouragement:

 

[Dazzajohm]

It’s where sea water meets intake air so probably best to find out where it’s coming from!

Could be as simple as a leaking drain plug :encouragement:

Thanks for the help - I’ll get the engineers to have a look and hope for the best ��

 

[Montemar]

Have the anodes in the heat exchanger been regularly changed?
If not then the brass drain in the base may have been de-zinced and about to drop off.
Mine did!
Straightforward to repair however.

 

[Dazzajohm]

Have the anodes in the heat exchanger been regularly changed?
If not then the brass drain in the base may have been de-zinced and about to drop off.
Mine did!
Straightforward to repair however.

I know during the service they had some tiny anodes for going somewhere in the engine so I hope so but will definitely double check ?

 

[oldgit]

not sure there are any anodes in charge cooler ?
If work has been done on the gearbox the lower rigid copper pipe carrying water to the aftercooler can get dislodged and leak.
Mine has had a dab of silicone sealer added at some point in its life. "L" bracket holding the the pipe and its "O" ring into the aftercooler case does not look very wonderful either.

https://www.marinepartseurope.com/en/volvo-penta-explodedview-7745630-26-19496C.aspx

 

[QBhoy]

Hi. Very hard to see on video but that doesn’t instantly look like the bottom of the cooler to me. The bottom middle of these has a stainless or brass (usually) drain plug fitting. It could also be from the sealing interface or further up.
I’d be tempted to taste it to see if it’s raw water or internal AF water. If it’s raw then it could be the drain. If it’s not...it isn’t. Are you loosing internal water out the header tank ?

 

[Dazzajohm]

My engineers have just today managed to have a look at it and apparently the insert is totally knackered!

 

[Mr Googler]

Bugger. Good job you spotted the drip...I’ll have a google for a used one.

New are eye watering expensive.

 

[Mr Googler]

Coastal rides where breaking a couple of kad32s a few months ago. Might be worth a call

 

[Dazzajohm]

Bugger. Good job you spotted the drip...I’ll have a google for a used one.

New are eye watering expensive.

Yes I know, new ones are about £1500 which after my gearbox issues I really can do without so definitely looking for a second hand one. Not having much luck on google at the moment though. There must be somewhere who has one knocking about though

 

[jrudge]

eBay. Not just search but saved search will notify also look at completed items. Some don’t sell and don’t get re listed

 

[Mr Googler]

eBay. Not just search but saved search will notify also look at completed items. Some don’t sell and don’t get re listed

I have “volvo Penta” as a favourites and check it daily for bargain bits I may one day need.....haven’t seen one come up in the past month. Saw a new water pump for tamd74 the other day. List price £500 ...asking £150 or best offer!

 

[Dazzajohm]

The engineers think the cooler has probably been leaking for a while which means water has probably been going through the engine for a while too. Is there anything I can / should do to clean the engine out?