Cooling with heat exchanger, will this work?

**Hillbilly** · 07-17-2012, 01:05 PM

Running coolant in the block. Closed system with Meziere 55gpm pump and tube type heat exchanger. Boat is a v-drive Hondo hydro. Picks lake water up at rear of right sponson. Will force feeding it through the exchanger on the lake side work or do I need a sea water pump. You can see my heat exchanger in pic, black tube lower right. Looking for input before towing it 500 miles to do some testing. I have a Mercury sea water belt drive pump but I am running out of room to belt drive stuff of the engine.

**61 Sanger Ski Hydro** · 07-17-2012, 01:15 PM

Should work just fine as long as you're not idling for a long time. Only going to cool while you're moving with the force feed. At idle, even while moving, it won't move a bunch of water through the system so if you're doing it for a long time you might heat up.

**Unchained** · 07-17-2012, 01:42 PM

I've been wanting to do something like that for years.
A steady 180 degree engine temp would add performance especially if someone was running Methanol or Ethanol.
I wouldn't run force feed to the heat exchanger though. It wouldn't be consistent flow.
How about stacking up two Kuhl cam drive water pumps ? One to circulate water through the engine and one for the sea water to the heat exchanger.

**1fastmopar** · 07-17-2012, 02:56 PM

The only problem I see is you need to restrict the flow drastically, out of your 55 gal.water pump to use your heat exchanger properly. Other than that I think it will work great! I know of somebody that I race with that dose the same thing with a heat exchanger.

**SHAWN DAVIS** · 07-17-2012, 03:05 PM

I've put a few exchangers on some offshore style boats, they work good,add a little clutter, but I think you will need a raw water pump

**VDRIVERACING** · 07-17-2012, 03:29 PM

I'd go with the raw water pump too. You can just guarantee that without it somethings going to force you to idle for some distance and then you run into a heat issue. Now if it's a race-only rig, like a circle boat, off the trailer-race-back on the trailer you could get away with it, but even most of the circle guys have a raw water pump.

On the 55 GPM, that is really fast. Faster isn't always better. Just ask HER...

BTW, nice work!

**FormulaZR** · 07-17-2012, 03:56 PM

Yes, the HE is a great way to go. Did it on two of my boats and don't regret it one bit. But...my boat is a jet, so getting water at idle isn't a problem. I wouldn't think force feeding would work if you ever have to idle long, or run at very low speeds. Also, FWIW Meziere told me that their elec pumps (even the 55 GPM unit) wouldn't be a good choice on a boat that runs at high RPM for long periods of time.

**Hillbilly** · 07-17-2012, 04:23 PM

Thanks guys. I will try and move the vac pump up and fit mercury seawater pump on it. As far as restricting the 55gpm meziere, could I just use a thermostat?

**FormulaZR** · 07-17-2012, 04:29 PM

Originally Posted by Hillbilly

Thanks guys. I will try and move the vac pump up and fit mercury seawater pump on it. As far as restricting the 55gpm meziere, could I just use a thermostat?

I wouldn't see any reason you couldn't. My setup has a t-stat...

**bart@nordicboats** · 07-17-2012, 06:20 PM

Originally Posted by Hillbilly

Running coolant in the block. Closed system with Meziere 55gpm pump and tube type heat exchanger. Boat is a v-drive Hondo hydro. Picks lake water up at rear of right sponson. Will force feeding it through the exchanger on the lake side work or do I need a sea water pump. You can see my heat exchanger in pic, black tube lower right. Looking for input before towing it 500 miles to do some testing. I have a Mercury sea water belt drive pump but I am running out of room to belt drive stuff of the engine.

wouldn't it be cool if you could have an electric sea water pump just to kick on at idle with a by pass at speed it wouldn't rob any horsepower I like the look of that system I just see mercruiser systems with the heat exchanger mounted on the engine

**Hillbilly** · 07-19-2012, 03:10 PM

Adding the sea water pump. Will have to add a pulley on the mandrel drive, make some new lines for the vac pump and do some plumbing.

**Hillbilly** · 08-26-2012, 01:16 PM

Mounted the sea water pump and strainer. ordered #16 hose and fittings to plumb it. Also put a thermostat in it to restrict the flow in the engine loop.

**Unchained** · 08-26-2012, 03:49 PM

Looks good.
I'm interested in the results.
I'm inclined to remove my oil cooler that I never turn the water flow onto anyways and put the H/E in it's place.
My engine is so far back that I don't have room to stack up a 2nd water pump along with the fuel pump so I would have to belt drive a sea water pump also.

**Hillbilly** · 08-26-2012, 06:50 PM

I will post the results and get better pics of the complete system once I get it plumbed. Hope to get it out by the the first week of October.

Thread:
Cooling with heat exchanger, will this work?

LinkBack

Thread Tools

Display