Now that Thoroflush is gone???

[Alex D]

Thoroflush is no more, so I can't get their perko strainer flush tops/valves.
I need some help how to get antifreeze into the strainers while running the engines to suck through the pump and heat exchanger.

How do you do it. The 340 sits in the water all winter.

 

[Dave S]

Alex.............I came across this while doing a search for another topic on the board http://www.boatersworld.com/product/357260074msk.htm

It looks like this may be one solution that would work for you.

 

[rondds]

alex
here's what i did for my genny and a/c ...
i bought a new perko top from here ...

http://www.cgedwards.com/Perko/pko22.html

then drilled a half inch hole and ran a 1/2" pipe tap into the hole. bought a 1/2" brass boiler valve at home depot and screwed it in with some teflon tape. there you have it! homemade thoroflush. if you dont have the stuff to do it, ask a plumber.

i dont leave this mounted - i only use it to winterize. all other times, the original perko tops are in place.

 

[Alex D]

Thank you both for the excellent suggestions !!

I looked at those flush valves, but haven't been able to get myself to cut the intake hoses. Besides, I would need 4 of those. 2 engines, genny and a/c intake. That would be expensive.

Ron, I think that is what I'll do. I need to make up a couple of those one for the genny and a/c intake size and one for the engine raw water intakes.

Thanks both of you :thumbsup:

 

[osd9]

alex
here's what i did

then drilled a half inch hole .

.....I hate it when the dentist gets out the drill......sorry Dan....couldn't resist....

 

[fwebster]

Alex.....whoa!

Making a Perko strainer adapter is very easy. All you need to do is drill and tap a hole in an existing lid in the center, tap threads for 1/2" NPT threads and use brass nipples/elbows as needed and a brass ball valve to control flow. I made mine for about $6 each..........

 

[Alex D]

Alex.....whoa!

Making a Perko strainer adapter is very easy. All you need to do is drill and tap a hole in an existing lid in the center, tap threads for 1/2" NPT threads and use brass nipples/elbows as needed and a brass ball valve to control flow. I made mine for about $6 each..........

Frank and ron ... thank you and thank you for the perko parts site!! That is EXACTLY what I am going to do. I might have to make two different ones since the engines have bigger strainers than the a/c intake and the genny.

Okay, now I am going to try to wear out my welcome with you guys ... please don't be mad ... do you know which perko strainer a 2002 340 DA has for engines, genny and a/c intake? :smt100

 

[fwebster]

Here's a guess.......1 1/4" on the mains and 3/4" on the a/c and generator.

I'm too tired to look it up, but go to searay.com.......service.....parts, then look thru the drawings until you find the strainers and look at the hose size, not the strainer number. You can then source the lid from Perko direct.

There is a little trick to this one............tell me when you are ready to begin and I'll talk you thru it.

 

[Alex D]

Here's a guess.......1 1/4" on the mains and 3/4" on the a/c and generator.

I'm too tired to look it up, but go to searay.com.......service.....parts, then look thru the drawings until you find the strainers and look at the hose size, not the strainer number. You can then source the lid from Perko direct.

There is a little trick to this one............tell me when you are ready to begin and I'll talk you thru it.

Thanks for the hint Frank!
I am gonna look it up and will PM you when I get ready to use them ... probably in late November.

 

[Alex D]

Here's a guess.......1 1/4" on the mains and 3/4" on the a/c and generator.

Yep, this is what SR lists in their manual ...

From what I can gather they are the 493 model type, not the 500

The 3/4" is called model 5 and the 1 1/4" is called model 7 on the C.G. Edwards site

 

[Alex D]

I ordered a couple of lids and gasket kits for the four strainers I have. Will be a project for the next few weeks before it gets cold.

Thanks all for the advice !!! :thumbsup:

 

[Rocklobster]

Frank,

Could you briefly describe the configuration of the fittings you mounted to the plate?

I was planning on using a garden hose for the supply from my little reservoir of Pink antifreeze. I wasn't sure if this would be large enough to supply the correct amount of fluid at idle with a 454.

Thanks, Joe

 

[fwebster]

The Perko lid is drilled and tapped to accept a 1/2" X 14 tapered NPT pipe nipple, then a ball valve, then another nipple, then a brass fitting with NPT threads on one end and a 3/4" hose thread on the other.


There is a trick to making this work. The Perko lid is convex and has letters cast into the top of it. It is almost impossible to drill the curved surface with raised letters cast into it without clamping the lid and drilling with a very low rpm drill. A hand drill turns too fast. The bronze has a tendency to grab or snag the drill bit. If that happens an unclamped lid will jerk sideways and damage the hole. The hole must be perpendicular to the lid's surface and one drilled at an angle will not have enough threads to hold the pipe fittings. Also, you cannot thin the lid by grinding a flat or the letters off or there won't be enough metal to hold the threads. As it is, done perfectly, you only get about 2 good threads in the Perko lid.

You also need to use a 45/64" tap drill bit which is about 1/64" smaller than standard so that the threads are a little undersized. That makes the fit tight and prevents the pipe nipple from extending too far into the strainer and interferring with the handle on the strainer basket.

Good luck...............

 

[Rocklobster]

Why a need for a valve?

Frank,

Can I ask a stupid question.....why to you need a valve on there if your only using it for winterization?

Can't it just be a hose fitting?

Joe

 

[fwebster]

Sure, if winterization is all you are looking for.

Most of those I have made were for a/c strainers. We have a problem with silt and sludge as well as marine growth collecting in the a/c cooling lines. If you just hook a freshwater hose with line pressure to the a/c strainer, it circulates high pressure freshwater thru the system which kills saltwater growth and cleans the sludge from the systems. The flush attachment stays in place on the strainer and the valve allows you to switch from fresh to sea water without turning off the a/c system.

 

[Rocklobster]

Ok, makes sense now. I don't think we have that problem up her in CT. First year with the boat and the AC worked ok so far.

Thanks Frank.

 

[Sea Ray 300]

Hi Frank,

You sure weren't kidding about the brass grabbing the bit.

I'm in the process of making some modified caps out of Grocco strainer caps.
Took a couple of pieces of strapping with 1 1/2" holes drilled into them to allow the drill bit accesss the brass cap, along with a couple of slightly undersized thickness spacers, and clamped the strapping assembly to my drill press to drill and tap the caps. :thumbsup:

 

[fwebster]

The keys to this are holding the strainer lid firm ( I have jigs made for Perko and a couple of Groco sizes so I bolt them down), using several pilot drills in gradually increasing sizes, turning the bit at the correct speed, and using the right lubricant. When you cut the threads, if you do it by hand, don't turn the tap more than 90 degrees without backing up to break out the chips.

I've done a bunch of them this way, but now I do this whole thing in a milling machine and use a 2 fluted machine driven tap. It is much easier to control the depth of the threads so the nipple goes in the top the right distance.....too far and it interferes with the bail on the strainer, not far enough and you don't get enough threads to hold the nipple.[/code]

 

[Alex D]

I am taking mine to a machine shop and might have the fittings brazed in while they are there to make sure they are tight and sealed.

 

[fwebster]

I wouldn't apply enough heat to braze the fitting in place. The caps are thin cast bronze and that much heat may warp the cap and affect its ability to seal on the strainer.

If you don't think you can get the right depth threads and force the tapered fitting in tight enough, then I would use J&B weld or Loctite on the threads. I've used both methods and have never had one leak.