Replacing Engine zincs

I'm using RID-LIME to clean out the brass/stainless plugs that have some zinc left in them... Is there a better product ?
This does seem to work and it's only $5 a quart.
 
Mark:

Rydlyme will work as will On-Off or just plain old muratic acid from Home Depot. Let them soak in a small plastic bucket overnight. You only need enough to cover the plugs...they will come out looking like new.

BTW...I responded to your PM...I hope it helps..
 
Mark:

Rydlyme will work as will On-Off or just plain old muratic acid from Home Depot. Let them soak in a small plastic bucket overnight. You only need enough to cover the plugs...they will come out looking like new.

BTW...I responded to your PM...I hope it helps..


Thank you for all.... Dom, do you have one of those Rydlyme recirculating set ups for your heat exchangers ?
Also, the o-rings on the after cooler plugs... is CAT the only place you have found them ?
 
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Thank you for all.... Dom, do you have one of those Rydlyme recirculating set ups for your heat exchangers ?
Also, the o-rings on the after cooler plugs... is CAT the only place you have found them ?

So far I've only bought the CAT O-rings....cheap enough but still overpriced....I call it my "piece of mind tax"

As for the Rydlyme circulating set up, below is a list of steps specific to my 3126-TAs which I setup with crash/flushing valves.....

PB170667.jpg



PB170668.jpg



......and made a flushing bucket....


PB170669.jpg



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1-Remove the impeller and put the backing plate back on.
2-Remove the supply hose to the dripless seal and put a plug on where it comes off the raw water circuit.
3-Remove all the zincs and put blank plugs back in the holes
4-Put an electric pump between my MANly flushing bucket's "goes-outa" hose and my Crash/Flushing valve's "goes-inta" connection.
5-Shut the seacock and open the crash/flushing valve.
6-Put a hose from the raw water circuits exit back into the bucket.
7-Fill the bucket with about 8 gallons of 50/50 mix rydlyme/water.
8-Turn on the pump and let it run for a few hours.
9-Turn off the electric pump after a few hours.
10-Hook the exit hose of the raw water circuit back into the exhaust circuit.
11-Put a garden water hose in the bucket and turn on the water.
12-Start the electric pump back up and flush fresh water through the Raw water circuit and overboard for 5 or 10 minutes.
13-Shut the electric pump and the garden hose.
14-Shut the Crash/Flushing valve.
15-Remove and disassemble the bucket/electric pump setup.
16-Re-install the drippless hose to the raw water circuit.
17-Put in all new zincs....including the devil zinc.
18-Put in a new impeller.
19-Don't pull a Gary and remember to re-open the seacock.
20-Start up the engine and check for leaks.
21-Repeat steps 1-20 on the other side.
22-Go swallow a bottle of Motrin.
 
Good info above. Worth noting that you can also connect the inlet after the raw water pump (as I did) and avoid having to remove the impeller.

Dom, I'm curious as to why you did an overboard fresh-water flushout after the Rydlyme, instead of just hooking the hoses back up and firing the engines. IIRC, Rydlyme is biodegradable?
 
To clear out any resisdual Rydlyme/acid before putting in the new impeller and new zincs....
 
where did you order your zinc replacement kit from
 
Dom,

First I want to thank you for responding to my email, and really appreciate how you share your knowledge with everyone.

I run in freshwater, and plan on replacing my zincs. I have been told that the proper anode for freshwater is magnesium but boatzincs.com only has the kit in zinc.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.
 
Dom,

First I want to thank you for responding to my email, and really appreciate how you share your knowledge with everyone.

I run in freshwater, and plan on replacing my zincs. I have been told that the proper anode for freshwater is magnesium but boatzincs.com only has the kit in zinc.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.


Jim:

I would call boat zinc directly....1-866-439-9364 ...... They are easy to deal with. Ask them to put together a similar 3126 zinc kit made from magnesium....they might even appreciate the suggestion.
 
I spoke with Bob at Boatzincs.com, and received my lesson on galvanic corrosion. Very helpful, very friendly......and I bought kits for both engines!!

Thanks again!!
 
Having just read the above thread, I have ordered 4 complete sets of Zincs from Bob at Boatzincs.com for my '97 400DA that has Cat 3116 engines.

Would somebody be so kind as to describe where I find these items on each engine so that I know where to begin looking to make the changeover. Can you tell me which ones are the most difficult to change?

many thanks

Graham
 
Graham. You don't need the complete set. The 3116 does not have the 5 in the aftercooler. The aftercooler on the 3116 is closed water cooled.

Call back Bob and see if he can make the adjustment to your order....
 
Graham, 3 for the heat exchanger(2 on 1 end and 1 on the other end), 2 in the trani cooler and 1 on the exhaust elbow. 6 total for each engine
 
Depends on your access in your engine room and if there is any added on equipment like a glendenning cablemaster. There are 2 zincs on the outside of the starboard engine on the heat exchanger and 1 on the outside of the port engines heat exchanger. Also on my previous boat the 450 da I could lean over the top of the port engine and reach the exhaust elbows zinc, how much room do you have above your motors?
 
Would somebody be so kind as to describe where I find these items on each engine so that I know where to begin looking to make the changeover. Can you tell me which ones are the most difficult to change?

I can't speak for the 3116's, perhaps they're all identical. I've found that the 3208's do have some variations, perhaps because they were such a popular engine and had a very long production run. For example, many 3208's have zincs on their transmission coolers- mine do not.

The very best way to get your answer is to contact your local CAT dealer, and give them your engine S/N's. They can pull up your exact engines as manufactured, and provide you with information as to any parts- including the zincs. Typically, when you call CAT to order a part, they're first going to ask you for the S/N's to make sure you get the right stuff...
 
Hi Graham
Let me know next time you buy some as I was going to buy two or more sets for my 3126's too ! We could have split the delivery costs and I am not far from you in the UK
Regards Chris
 
Guys, what is a Westerbeke? I have 3116s and am getting ready to find/replace my zincs, but have no manual and no clue on Westerbeke. Thanks...
 

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