Raw water cooled 320 in salt

[Lucky's]

Morning all!! Finally ready to back to Searay!! Loved the center console life for a while but ready to get back into a cruiser. Looking close at a 2006 320DA with 5.7 inboards. Risers and manifolds were replaced 2 weeks ago. I was wanting fresh water cooled but this boat really has my attention for many reason. So, should I steer away from raw water and consider fresh only or is it safe to consider it still? Thanks in advance!

 

[HUMPH]

Great to hear you are getting back to the DA group! I am pretty sure you can install aftermarket closed cooling. If the boat is right, I would check into that. I wouldn't have a raw water cooled motor in Florida unless it was on a lift and flushed after every use.

 

[Lucky's]

The mechanic is telling me that on the 2006 mercruiser, there's an intercooler that cools the engine with freshwater. That it's not a radiator necessarily, but an intercooler and the intercooler is cooled by raw water. So there's no actual raw water going through the engine. Does this sound right?

 

[fwebster]

In your area, you have to watch for boats that Marine Max ordered for inventory to achieve low price points. Omitting things like closed cooling systems and low hp engine options are prime examples.

 

[rmlsll]

Sounds like closed cooling. Sea water is pumped thru a heat exchanger and exits thru exhaust manifolds / risers. Engine itself never sees salt water. I guess the biggest maintenance cost is manifolds and risers every few years. I put full closed cooling (engine and exhaust manifolds have anti freeze) on my 240SD and it is lift kept and flushed after every use.

 

[Lucky's]

In your area, you have to watch for boats that Marine Max ordered for inventory to achieve low price points. Omitting things like closed cooling systems and low hp engine options are prime examples.

Frank, would a HIN number be able to tell you more if I provided it?

 

[scoflaw]

Frank, would a HIN number be able to tell you more if I provided it?

No, but engine # would

 

[Lucky's]

When I go back down for sea trial and survey, I'll grab them. Looked at it today and loved it so far.

 

[HUMPH]

Frank, would a HIN number be able to tell you more if I provided it?

You know of a certain captain that would be able to tell you with a HIN...

 

[SCORPIO]

Sounds like a 'half system' meaning block heads and intake is cooled by fresh water (AF) and the risers and manifolds are raw water cooled. The exchanger is always raw water cooled (the heat sink). This is how my new engine is set up.