Sea Ray 185 salt water use

[sportvel]

Given the corrosion properties of Salt water on engines, are there any "closed circuit" cooling systems available for the 190hp V6 found in the 185? I have heard of "heat exchangers", but I am not really sure if this is what one would use. The purpose is to remove the need to have salt water circulate through the motor.

A more general question; Why don't boats just have a radiator like a car rather than circulating corrosive salt water through the motor?

 

[chuck1]

Based on the new rules, we can't reply until you update your signature.:grin:

 

[cfelle2]

I am not familiar with any closed system cooling for this boat however I don't have much experience with these boats. Someone else would better be able to respond.

I am surprised by the response by chuck1 that he and no one else should respond due to some signature update. I only recently figured out how to update mine. It is not obvious to everyone how to do it.

This is the only fourm I have been involved with that values rules like this more than helping a fellow boater. I hope everyone else does not feel the way he does.

Chris

 

[springer3]

Retrofits are more expensive and typically have less quality control than factory-installed parts. Getting parts and service is more complicated if the engine is modified. I would sell the boat and purchase one that came factory-equipped with closed cooling.

The reason boats do not use radiators is the cost and size of the extra parts. Water is a very effective coolant, and therefore the heat exchangers are tiny compared to a radiator, or use raw water for direct cooling. Final consideration: where would you blow the hot air, and how would you ensure the occupants were not heated?

 

[midway]

Sportvel,
I ran my first boat, a 3.0L in saltwater only for over 17 years, traded it for the 04 I have now, someone else at the dealer took my old boat and replaced the floor and is still running it. It will take a long time for salt water to hurt that engine, just flush it good after every use, mine goes in on Friday pm and comes out Sunday, flushed, washed and covered. The old boat had no special flush treatment either, the current one gets Saltaway every time. So run it, flush it, and I well even say use Saltaway or similar product and enjoy.


Chris,
Chuck was just messing with him, there has been a lot of trying to get everyone to put their info into their profile or signature so when they ask a boat related question the info would be there for those that may be able to answer, you would be surprised how many questions are asked with no boat info given so it takes several posts back and forth to pick the info out of some. It is just something to make life easier for all in the long run. :grin: I even had to go update my info when I logged in this AM and I already had my info in.

 

[ruf1967]

You can use the boat in salt water, don't store the boat in salt water. That's where you would run into trouble. Flush the engine after each use and hose down the outdrive. Keep an eye on the zincs and you should be good to go.

 

[cfelle2]

Midway that's good to hear. I have benefited a lot from this group and really appreciate everyone's comments and input. I can certainly understand the frustration when someone asks a question and does not offer enough information for someone to answer. I for one will try to keep my profile updated.

Chris

 

[sportvel]

Good to hear that people are running 185's in salt water. I have read over at one of the wakeboarding forums about horror stories with corrosion. I figured there might be some "standard" way to cool these motors without running the salt water through them.

 

[Chris Dauth]

I see you are in Australia, I'm in Hervey Bay.

Check with Mercury Marine in Melbourne and see if there is a kit for your V6. I have a 383cid V8 and bought a kit for it, every thing you need, it was about $1100 Au.
I think you will find that the V8 kit will fit the V6.
Also, in Melbourne there is a mob that manufacture after market kits as well. Might have to do a Google search. If I find the link, I'll post it here.

The kits are easy to fit, I did mine in a day.

Here is the link http://www.marinedirect.com.au/

And here is the link to Sen-Dure, who manufacture the systems for Mercruiser http://www.sen-dure.com/

Best thing you can do for your motor, 90% of all boating done here in Australia is in salt water, and motors here don't wear out they rust out.
We don't have any marinas on fresh water lakes, and our biggest river system has no water !!

.

 

[User Error]

Another issue on the radiator is how they work, Cool air passes threw the radiator to cool the fluid runnig threw it. I/O Boat motors are tipically incased within the doghouse or under the sundeck therefor no moving air surrounding them to handle passing through the radiator and simply passing over the motor, where coolant in a closed system comes up to temp and would just continue to get hotter within the enclosed space. Where raw water is at ambiant temp and has cooling propertys frame that temp up to running temp of the motor it is expelled and new water brought onboard is alouded to heat up over and over. Where would you put a radiator it would need to be in plain view and I know I wouldn't care to stare at that while I was enjoying my boat plus it would be very hot and have a potential of burning passengers. Not to mention the heat it would put off. While there are boats out there with closed system cooling adding it to a smaller boat like ours I do not see the point. As stated before as long as you flush the salt water out after every use it will last you a long long time. Just make sure you are not using Magnesium Zinks in salt water as they will deteriorate extremely fast.

Another reason for the raw water intake is in a boat the exahust is part of the cooling device there is a water jacket around the exhaust to cool it as well... and I do not believe a radiator could handle cooling that much heat? Maybe someone experianced with a close cooling system could pipe in do they cool the exhuast as well or do those boats still bring on raw water to cool the exhaust?

 

[rktktpaul]

At least for the 4.3L V6 there is no radiator; a heat exchanger is used instead. The closed side of the system uses glycol coolant for the block and/or heat exchangers. The raw water side draws fresh water as the cooling media in the heat exchanger to pull off the heat on from the coolant on the closed loop side.

The advantages of the closed loop system is that you have a consistent operating temperature for the engine, which they like to have. Effectiveness of raw water cooling is dependent on the temperature of the water you're boating in. If the water is very cool to cold, you may have difficulty getting the engine to its normal operating temperature; the reverse is true if the water is very warm to hot.

San Juan Engineering is one of the companies that make aftermarket fresh water cooling systems fro Mercruiser.