Best Way to Clean Heat Exchanger and Raw Water System

[Jetexas]

I just picked up a salvaged Phasor 10 hp 2 cylinder engine to replace my Westerbeke 10 Two. Being based on a Kubota Z482, parts are WAY cheaper for the Phasor, which is the reason I've decided to switch engines since I was going to have to rebuild the Westerbeke to the tune of $3k anyway.

So here's my situation. For the most part, the motor is in good shape. However, since it was a salvage, it wasn't laid up properly by having the raw water rinsed out of the system. Is warm water and scrubbing/scraping the best way to clean out the pipes and heat exchanger or is there something better I can just dip it in that will dissolve out all the salt deposits in the places I can't reach?

Also, does anyone have an tips or tricks for getting the heat exchanger off of the head? We didn't even bother to attempt it with the Westerbeke because it looked like an impossible mission, but I'd really like to get the Phasor heat exchanger off of this intake manifold, so I can clean the exchanger and send the head to the machine shop.

After removing the four bolts holding it on, I tapped it with a hammer and did a little prying with screwdrivers but it hasn't budged. Anyone gotsome good tricks?

[scotte]

Can't help with how to remove your exchanger, but as far as cleaning them goes - after complete disassembly, I just took mine down to a local radiator shop. They scrubbed them out and used a fairly mild acid (not muriatic).

[markpj23]

This looks like just the thing - assuming it performs as the marketing materials say. I've not tried this but plan to in the near future. You'd not have to remove the exchanger from the head - just pump the solution through.... and then hope for no leaks after the scale has gone!

TRAC Ecological Marine Products

No affiliation, just an interested potential customer.

[colemj]

Do you need to remove the whole coolant reservoir? It looks like you can undo the two endcaps and pull the heat exchanger core out of the reservoir for servicing.

Mark

[Pete7]

Its only a piece of metal, take it to bits and chuck it in the dishwasher whilst the wifey is out shopping. She doesn't need to know how you cleaned it

Pete

[Jetexas]

I did have to get it off the head as we're either sending the head to the machine shop or buying a replacement engine. Either way, I needed the reservoir off. After driving the biggest chisel I could find down in between the exhaust ports, it finally broke loose, but it still took another half hour of tapping with a hammer to work it up the exhaust stud and all the way off. Unfortunately, one of the studs broke off inside it. That is currently soaking with PB Blaster in hopes I can tap it out instead of having to drill it out.

Pete, I took your advice. I cleaned it up in the kitchen sink.

[JiffyLube]

I don't know how the tube bundle comes out of that engine (if it has a tube bundle, also know as a tube stack), but taking it to a radiator shop that has done work on heat exchangers is the way to go...like someone else mentioned. To do a good job the radiator shop will need the heat exchanger housing, so the tube bundle can be pressure tested after cleaning for leaks.

[Jetexas]

Just an update. Boiling the thing in a giant pot on the stove for about two hours finally loosened the end caps up enough to get them off.

The next day I actually left it in the freezer, as that's what we usually do with press-in bearings to shrink them. That then allowed me to press out the tube stack with very little trouble.

The next day I went back to heating the thing to try and knock out the broken header stud. Unfortunately, I had no luck. I ended up having to take it to a machine shop. They're using a drill press to drill out that entire sleeve, then press in a new one and weld up the ends. Estimated cost is $400, which is still roughly half the cost of the new heat exchanger, but a real bummer.