IN-Place Heat Exchanger cleaning

[MikeP]

As many of you know, I have never been a fan of in-place HE cleaning, preferring to pull the HEs and boil them per DD. However, I would like to try the in-place. Im looking at the plumbing, trying to see the most effective way to do this as far as "tapping into" the RW cooling system. I want to be able to flush opposite to the normal flow and to flush through the HE and then the fuel cooler and then the intercooler. Does anyone that uses the in-place method have a good description or pics of what they do?

Since we just did a WOT run yesterday, doing the in place would give me a great opportunity to see how it works re cleaning. I know that boiling the HE/intercooler per DD will allow the boat to run at WOT for extended periods with no coolant temperature issues. And I know that at present, the HE condition will NOT allow that. So this would be a perfect opportunity to try it out and evaluate.

 

[SEVEN]

Mike go to UTube and look up barnacle buster there are a number of videos that walk you through it. I'm going to do it as well later this year. Send us a follow up of your findings.

 

[cattledog]

Hey Mike,
I just flushed my 8v71ti's about a month ago. The process went smoothly. I connected the cleaning solution "input line" to the seawater dump line that goes into my exhaust line and the cleaning solution output at the last flexible hose fitting just before my raw water pump.

I used a mixture of Ospho and water - about 3 to 1. I was able to see that the inside of my sil-bronze cooling pipes had been cleaned out pretty good after the process and that the inside of the pipes had a "Parkerized" look to them.

I used one of these pumps attached to my large wet/dry vac to pump the solution. I happened to have this pump already and it worked great for this application,

http://www.amazon.com/Ridgid-26453-...28&sr=8-2&keywords=ridgid+wet+dry+vacuum+pump

Seems like an easy process to do on your own, just use common sense and be sure you don't introduce any significant water pressure into the circuit. Kind of amusing but I stuck a balloon onto one of the simple fittings I made to connect the pump. No pressure ever did build but if it did the balloon would burst. I was also very careful to not somehow pump cleaning solution in the exhaust such that it could somehow enter the turbos, manifolds, or engine for that matter.

I did my cleaning as a preventative measure and was not having any overheating issues before I did it. I will be interested to hear how this works out for you.

Chris

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I pull the raw water hose going to the showerhead for the input and use my line going to the stabilizers which is right after the raw water pump as the outlet. Once you make up the fittings and hoses to do it, it's really easy the next time. You just need a bucket and a little bilge pump with some long leads to get to a 12v source

 

[MikeP]

Well, i couldn't handle NOT seeing the before/after of in-place cleaning so I pulled the in/out pipes to the HE and looked at both ends of the HE before and after. Attached are before/after pics of the output side of the port eng HE.

If you notice, the big deposits are at the level where the water sits after the engine is shut down. Basically, that s the only portion I would call "clogged." One thing I am now thinking about, which I have never done, is to flush the HE with fresh water after every run.

 

[SEVEN]

How long did you let the solution run through the system? I've heard 2 to 4 hours is standard.

 

[MikeP]

I ran the solution 3 hours per side. I did not view the HE on the Star, figuring it probably looked about the same before/after. When we go out next week I'll see if both HEs are clean enough to sustain WOT without overheating. I'm sure the port will because I can SEE it's unrestricted Though it doesn't have that brand new look that 5 minutes in the DD muriatic/oxalic "dunking solution" produces.

Frankly, if you consider JUST the time involved, you can pull/dunk the HE's and have them back in in much less time than the 6+ hours I used to clean in-place. OF course, with the in-place method you can just let it circulate while you do whatever else you want/need to do so it is much easier.

 

[racclarkson@gmail.com]

In place cleans everything in the loop in that period of time. If you compare that to pulling one component and boiling I think you might come to the conclusion that in place cleaning is a time saver.

 

[Walter P]

Mike, I like your idea of running fresh water through each engine after a run. For whatever reason, the typical buildup that I normally see is also like yours which is about where the water sits. I'm probably going to rig a simple system at the raw water intakes with a "T" with a large ball valve. The ball valve will be shut off and capped when not running fresh water and the sea cock will be open. The reverse will occur when flushing. The only drawback I think will be that after a run the engine room will be like an oven and you won't really want to work in there.

Regarding the ease of just cleaning the HE as compared to whole system cleaning is pretty interesting. I kind of think the the "in Place" method should be more efficient since you get to clean the entire cooling system including oil coolers and the inside of all the fittings. Does it really matter? I don't know but it seems logical.

Walt

 

[chuckbullett@gmail.com]

How long did you let the solution run through the system? I've heard 2 to 4 hours is standard.

Hey Seven... Howdy. I am sorry To report that I can't find the bloody red lenses that i thought we had- we're still looking.Regarding this thread... If somebody has a checklist that details the steps in this procedure I'd sure appreciate it. That one photo of the heat exchanger was worth a thousand words to me!Chuck B53MY Chartmaker

 

[SEVEN]

Thanks Chuck, I'll give you a call tomorrow and bring up to date on my goings on. Hope all is well.

 

[Blaine Thorpe]

One thing I am now thinking about, which I have never done, is to flush the HE with fresh water after every run.

I wouldn't think you would have to do it after every run. I would consider doing it if you were going to let it sit for a week or two without running it.

 

[brico]

My HE cover plates have plugs into which I have installed the drain hose with a valve and I religiously drain it when i stop the engine to prevent the buildup of scale with the standing warm/hot salty water. I haven't opened mine since I've done the cleaning and drain installation 18 months ago but strongly believe that draining the HE when engine is stopped is the way to prevent the scale buildup. Fresh water flush is surely good option too but how do you get the required volume by attaching the garden hose somewhere.

 

[MikeP]

Re: IN-Place Heat Exchanger cleaning and another question

Seems like a good idea - certainly can't hurt. I looked at those fittings on our HE covers but it appears to me that on our 8V71TI HE, the fittings are not low enough to drain the water below the HE core. So by draining, it LOOKS to me like the scale would still form on the HE, about an inch lower than it does now.

What I did last time was just use the port ER fresh water outlet via a hose and ran that into the HE via the zinc fitting. The water, of course, still doesn't drain any lower than it did but HOPEFULLY the FW rinse takes most of the raw water out and reduces the scaling. We use a water softener for incoming boat water so it doesn't scale much at all in the fittings/pipes.

OTOH, since the in-place cleaning IS pretty easy, as everyone that does it has been saying for years(!), it's not a big deal to do it relatively frequently. I have found that where we are located, if the HE's are not cleaned annually, our boat cannot sustain WOT for more than a few minutes without temps climbing uncomfortably.

A FWIW...the way I set up the HE cleaning, the intercoolers are NOT in the system so I'll have to figure out a different hook-up to do that...which will be somewhat more complicated and will I think, require removing the impeller from the water pump. That will make the operation considerably more time consuming as far as set up. Sky, does your hook up method include the ICs?

 

[MikeP]

Finally got around to doing some WOT runs yesterday with the recently cleaned-in-place HEs. I ran at WOT for 20 minutes and the mechanical ER coolant temp gauges did not exceed Port 186/Starboard 188 during that period. Prior to the cleaning, temps would continue to beyond 190 in 4-5 minutes at WOT. So I can concur that in-place cleaning does the job.

Since it worked well, I will now tell folks which of the high dollar "cleaners" I used to clean the HEs...



A total of 3 gallons of White vinegar at $3.19/gallon from the local Safeway.

 

[jim rosenthal]

Ooooooh, you paid too much. LOL

 

[SEVEN]

Just plain vinager? Was it thinned with water?

 

[MikeP]

No, not mixed with water, just plain white vinegar from the grocery store poured in a bucket and circulated with a small bilge pump for 3 hours per each engine, total of 6 hours. Be sure to put the supply bucket on top of, or above the engine. Otherwise, the HE will not totally fill - this is true regardless of the cleaning solution if using a small bilge pump - the HE would never get more than about 1/2 full if the bucket is not above the level of the HE and only the lower 1/2 of the HE would be cleaned.

 

[SEVEN]

You may have just put barnacle buster out of business.

 

[bobk]

Any acid works for this job. Diluted Ospho (phosphoric acid) is cheaper than Barnacle Buster, add a little oxalic acid (wood bleach) for a really good job. This will work much faster than vinegar. Four years and counting since my last cleaning.

Bobk