[C320-list] Perkins Perama M30 Overheating

[P.F. Ross]

Hi, Mark,

I have removed and reinstalled my heat exchanger as part of high temp
troubleshooting.  After 21 years (but only 350 hrs), the exchanger appeared
nearly new.  Low hours and good condition were a result of (at the time)
being on a freshwater lake with a marina just off of my sailing area.

It was pretty straightforward as I recall.  The larger dia clamps of the
rubber boots on each end seal around a flange that is cast into the engine
heat exchanger housing and the smaller dia clamps on the boots seal right
on the ends of cylindrical heat exchanger itself.  Of course before you
begin removing clamps, drain all antifreeze and close raw water thru hull.

The rubber boots were pretty stuck to their mating metal surfaces but by
using a stiff plastic putty knife (or similar), I was able to get the boots
a little loose and then using finger power, I was able to peel everything
apart.  After the boots are removed, the cylindrical heat exchanger simply
slides forward right out of the engine housing.

I got new boots for reassembly from Trans Atlantic Diesels.

Regards,

Frank Ross
"Beta Wave" #206
Naples, FL



On Sat, Aug 26, 2017 at 10:54 PM, Mark Cole <boatnboot at q.com> wrote:

> After talking to an engine mechanic, I leaning towards failed heat
> exchanger.  That would explain the antifreeze in the bilge while the heat
> exchanger is still full.  Has anyone replaced their heat exchanger?
>
> Mark
> Fiddler’s Green #8
> Tacoma, Washington
>
> > On Aug 26, 2017, at 11:44 AM, Scott Lagerquist <lgrqst at aol.com> wrote:
> >
> > For overheating problems that are intermittent there is likely a problem
> with the raw water flow.  Check the strainer, then the impeller and housing
> of the raw water pump, then the mixing elbow of the exhaust system.
> Perhaps an acid treatment through a raw water system would eliminate or
> reduce a blockage in the mixing elbow.  Has anyone treated the Perkins M-30
> with an acid/water mixture?  I'd be interested in the process and results.
> >
> > Scott Lagerquist
> > 1994 320, #39
> > Sea Esta
> > San Diego CA
> >
> > Sent from my iPad
> >
> >> On Aug 26, 2017, at 6:18 AM, Timothy Woods <woodstimothya at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >>
> >> I had a similar problem with my last boat. It would overheat and when I
> >> would restart it would cool back down. It drove me nuts for 6 months. It
> >> end up being the raw water impeller rubber delaminented from the brass
> >> bushing.
> >>
> >> Tim
> >>
> >>> On Aug 26, 2017 12:54 AM, "Bev Wright" <bev.wright at verizon.net> wrote:
> >>>
> >>> Mark,
> >>>
> >>> Thanks for your post because, coincidentally, Whoosh #15 overheated on
> Wed
> >>> night in Herring Bay/Chesapeake (opposite coast!) for the first time
> ever
> >>> since I got her in 07/2014 and our boats are both 1993 vintage so I
> wonder
> >>> if that's a sign of something?  I was motoring to the slip after
> engine had
> >>> been running/idling for 90+ minutes (hanging out waiting for a race
> which
> >>> didn't happen due to no wind) and noticed that temp was about 190° at
> 3000
> >>> RPM. I throttled back to 2000 RPM and it cooled down immediately to
> normal
> >>> 175°. I inched it back up to 2500 and it stayed at 175° for the
> remaining
> >>> 20 min trip back to the slip. I had no smoke. Today I checked the
> strainer
> >>> and it was clean. Oil, transmission fluid and coolant were OK and dry
> >>> bilge. So, it's a mystery other than maybe she doesn't like to idle for
> >>> that long. It was suggested that perhaps something was temporarily
> blocking
> >>> the raw water intake. I will be cruising this weekend and will
> obviously
> >>> keep an eye on it.
> >>>
> >>> Bev Wright
> >>> s/v Whoosh #15
> >>> Deale, MD
> >>>
> >>> -----Original Message-----
> >>> From: C320-list [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On
> >>> Behalf Of Mark Cole
> >>> Sent: Friday, August 25, 2017 11:25 PM
> >>> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
> >>> Subject: [C320-list] Perkins Perama M30 Overheating
> >>>
> >>> My wife and I motored our boat over to a local boat yard for a haul-out
> >>> yesterday.  About 20 minutes into the 1 hour trip, I noticed the water
> temp
> >>> gauge was up to 220° and there was grey smoke (steam?) coming from the
> >>> exhaust.  I shut the engine down and checked the raw water strainer.
> There
> >>> was a little gunk in the strainer, but not much.  Everything else
> looked
> >>> OK, so I started the engine up again; there was cooling water coming
> out of
> >>> the exhaust and water temp was back to normal.  We motored the rest of
> the
> >>> way to the haul-out and the temp gauge stayed at 175° the whole way.  I
> >>> went back to the boat this morning to start on the long list of stuff
> to
> >>> do.  When I checked the bilge, there was maybe a gallon of water with
> >>> antifreeze in the bilge.  I opened the heat exchanger on the engine,
> >>> thinking it would be empty, but it was full.  When I dipped my finger
> in,
> >>> it didn’t smell like antifreeze…  Is it possible that the heat
> exchanger
> >>> burst when the water temperature went up?  Does that mean I could now
> have
> >>> salt water in the engine block?  Anybody dealt with this before?
> >>>
> >>> Mark
> >>> Fiddler’s Green, #8
> >>> Tacoma, Washington=
> >>>
> >>>
> >
>
>