closed cooling

stubing

stubing

New Member
Dec 6, 2007
13
Vancouver BC
I am finally Sea Ray owner, 2005 185 Sport 4.3L. The boat has only ever been in fresh water (Lake Oswego). I live right on the Pacific Ocean and fully intend to be running her in salt water. Most wisdom suggests a closed cooling system. The full Merc system plus installation is around 3K. There also are 2 after market kits I've heard of, San Juan and Orca. Have any of you had any experience with this?
 
I run my 185 in salt water all the time. As long as you flush the engine and drive after every use and wash/rinse as much as you can, you should be fine.
 
Thanks for your reply. A few other people had said that they rinse and flush regularly with good results. Of course there are always those that insist that no matter how much rinsing you do, salt will destroy the engine. This is not a cheap proposition. All the marinas mark up the kits 100% and charge 7 hours to install at $95/hr.
 
I agree with the flushing after use theory.
I did it for quite a few years.

I am assuming that you trailer your boat, so flushing with fresh water after each outing is a no brainer,
and you can save yourself upwards of $3000.

Put it in the bank, and it will be there when you decide:

"Gee, I think I want something about 2 feet longer"...

like most of us have done, and are still doing.:smt043:smt043
 
Go with flushing, and every time or whenever possible also add Salt Terminator or Salt Away to the flush (connects via garden hose to ear muffs). It will dissolve any remaining salt and leave a protective coating.

Esteban
 
If it is any consolation, flushing has been working successfully on my jetskis. . . .
 
Thanks for all your input. Yes I am trailering the boat, and was planning on flushing even if I did put in the FWC. I will have to search my thoughts and pocketbook on this subject.
 
stubing said:
Thanks for all your input. Yes I am trailering the boat, and was planning on flushing even if I did put in the FWC. I will have to search my thoughts and pocketbook on this subject.
Click to expand...
Don't search too hard. If you plan to flush, you don't need FWC. Save your money!
 
Overkill? Maybe, but if I were in salt or brackish water I'd want closed cooling and I would also flush the closed cooling system when I pulled out of the water. It only makes sense.
 
stubing said:
Thanks for all your input. Yes I am trailering the boat, and was planning on flushing even if I did put in the FWC. I will have to search my thoughts and pocketbook on this subject.
Click to expand...

Hey Stubing, Congrats on the boat. I live just south of you in the states.
I just bought a 2000 260DA without FWC and will be adding the full San Juan kit to my 5.7L~EFI. It will cost me $2100.00 US at my Dealer in Seattle. Since your $ is now stronger it may save you slightly getting it done down here. I disagree with some above that suggest don't do it. I have recommended to a few coming over next year for a couple weeks they don't need to add it, but simply flush well when we're done, but I'm sure you will be going in the Saltwater 100% of the time and even though I'll have FWC like on my last boat it still got flushed afterwards and I had piece of mind.
I see that you're in Vancouver. We go to Poet's Cove(Bedwell Harbor) and the Gulf islands frequently
 
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Hi Todd.
Thanks for your reply. As you noted, I will be using the boat almost always in salt water, so I am leaning toward the FWC. Our local Searay dealer says they recommend Orca. I've not heard of them before. Are you getting your system from Lake Union Searay? I've talked to them before and they seem real helpful.
 
stubing said:
Hi Todd.
Thanks for your reply. As you noted, I will be using the boat almost always in salt water, so I am leaning toward the FWC. Our local Searay dealer says they recommend Orca. I've not heard of them before. Are you getting your system from Lake Union Searay? I've talked to them before and they seem real helpful.
Click to expand...

Hi, glad you saw this. Yes Lake Union is recommending and will be installing the SanJuan kit. I'm sure the Orca kit is good as well, but I have never heard of them. They're both made in Bellingham, WA and was told that SanJuan engineering makes the heat exchangers for Mercury. So, I trust what Lake Union Searay is telling me. I've known the Service Manager for over 15 years and has always shot it to me straight.
 
Hi Todd
The prices are almost the same up here for the San Juan kit. I might go for that one, as I've heard more about it than the Orca kit. I just picked this boat up last month from a fellow in Lake Oswego Oregon. It's like mint condition except that the outdrive has a bit of bubbling paint from sitting in the lake all summer. He stored it during the winter months, but I guess the lake is treated and the chemicals didn't agree with the outdrive. This is our first boat and we went with Searay after much research, deep V, fiberglass stringer system, etc. It's a bit small for open ocean cruising, but it would be crazy not to use it around Vancouver harbour and up the arm.
cheers
stu
 
What arm do you go up into?
Do you ever make it to Horseshoe bay?

We have been all through the Gulf islands and frequently to My Unlce's island near Pender harbour, but never to Vancouver or Victoria. We want to go to both this year for sure.
I'll start a Vancouver thread in the "WEST Coast Section:
 
I suppose it’s hard to put price on your piece of mind. In Todd’s case, I believe he’ll be using his boat (260DA) in overnight situations, weekends on the hook, etc. FWC makes sense since saltwater would be sitting in his cooling system for “extended” periods of time. I was assuming you’ll be using your BR like most trailer boaters do: Splash the boat. Run her for a few hours. Pull her out, clean her up, and put her away. The amount of exposure to the corrosive effects of saltwater is minimal, bordering on negligible. Heck, I couldn’t sacrifice my sacrificial anodes even if I wanted to. My boat’s just not sitting in the drink long enough. I guess it all depends on how you plan to use your 185. Curious to see what you decide. Please keep us posted.
 
John
I think you hit it on the head. A day's run would be nothing to worry about.
I did not have FWC My 180BR and even my 220OV but my 230OV had it and this boat will be getting it, as you said, for piece of mind and knowing that, yes, we will be spending more time 2-3 day and then a week at a time. Stubing may use his as you have described(for day trips only), but there are so many places near where he lives to go for day trips which easily can turn into weekends. We many times have thought of going out only for the day or even a Friday night then realize the grass can wait, find a marina with a local town 's grocery for some sundry items and next thing we know it's 8 or 9PM on a Sunday and I'm flushing the boat out ready to take her home.
 
For a day boat it is just an extra expense. I ran a 3 liter 175 for ten years and never had a problem with saltwater. Save your money and flush each time. A better use of 3k is something sparkling for your wife. As we all know the happier our wives are the more likely you will be able to trade up. As an example my wife is getting new flooring in the entire house, but next year...
 
A friend of mine had a 1995 Proline with a 5.7L I/O RWC and kept it on a slip in salt water. That engine is long gone now. If the salt eats through a manifold in 5 years, imagine what it does to the cooling channels inside the same cast iron making the block.

I doubt that you'd have any problems unless it was an every weekend overnighter in salt water and you got lazy flushing it between weekends.
 
You are all very kind and generous with your advice. Since I do plan on putting it in the salt 99% of the time, I'm going to drop the nickel and go with FWC. I know I could buy my wife a nice shiny something with that money, but the boat is her nice shiny something. Piece of mind goes far with me and I'm hoping to keep the boat for a few years. Day trips do turn into overnight trips, and sometimes I can be lazy,... I don't floss every day. The folks at San Juan Engineering have a reasonably priced system that I may get a mechanic friend to install. All this talk about boating is getting me a little anxious to get out there.
stu
 
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