Salt water Application
Salt water Application Some of you are aware that I sold the Z and am moving overseas (Trinidad) I have sourced an iron 5.3 and will be taking it with me. I haven't decided if I'm going to toss it in a boat with a few turbos or a RHD project when I get there.
With that said has anyone seen/heard or have experience with an iron block inboard? I know the aluminum block is a no no but haven't heard anything in regards to salt water use with the iron block. A buddy was telling me it requires special gaskets and what not. I don't know anything about it.
I'm not apposed to closed loop cooling system but it sure would be convenient to draw the cold sea water in to cool the motor down.
Any and all ideas welcome!
With that said has anyone seen/heard or have experience with an iron block inboard? I know the aluminum block is a no no but haven't heard anything in regards to salt water use with the iron block. A buddy was telling me it requires special gaskets and what not. I don't know anything about it.
I'm not apposed to closed loop cooling system but it sure would be convenient to draw the cold sea water in to cool the motor down.
Any and all ideas welcome!
Last edited by oscs; Aug 18, 2016 at 08:52 PM.
You use a normal freshwater/coolant type cooling system, but cool the heat exchanger with seawater. Everything about the internal motor can stay just like a car engine, but with unlimited sea cooling.
Originally Posted by gametech
You use a normal freshwater/coolant type cooling system, but cool the heat exchanger with seawater. Everything about the internal motor can stay just like a car engine, but with unlimited sea cooling.
Last edited by oscs; Aug 18, 2016 at 09:24 PM.
Andrew
Originally Posted by oscs
Right... I get the advantages of an A2W setup, this isn't my first rodeo. I'm curious about what needs to happen to the iron block to get it sea worthy. Or if it's even worth it to use sea water vs. closed loop fresh water.
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You do not want to use salt water in your engine. Period. Sea water is ~3.2% salt by volume and what it will do to the inside of your engine is down right heroic. You might be able to get away with a fresh water raw water system but even duplex stainless struggles to survive in salt. Scaling inside the water jackets of a raw water system becomes expensive to fix. Replacing a heat exchanger is much cheaper by comparison.
Water to water HX is def the way to go...you have an unlimited sink like the poster above mentioned and generally cheap parts to replace.
Safe travels my friend, loved your Z...sad to see it go!
Water to water HX is def the way to go...you have an unlimited sink like the poster above mentioned and generally cheap parts to replace.
Safe travels my friend, loved your Z...sad to see it go!
Over the years I have seen some destroyed gen 1's and big blocks because of salt water-even if you flush it after every use it will still get eat up
If possible, I would do a closed cooling system-I have seen some pretty rusted on the outside LS blocks, could only imagine what salt would do to the inside-the gen 1's and BB's always got brass freeze plugs, they were always the first thing to go-if it was a known boat engine, some got a treatment into all the water passages, but that prob doesn't last to long.
Bummer about the Z, I liked that car
If possible, I would do a closed cooling system-I have seen some pretty rusted on the outside LS blocks, could only imagine what salt would do to the inside-the gen 1's and BB's always got brass freeze plugs, they were always the first thing to go-if it was a known boat engine, some got a treatment into all the water passages, but that prob doesn't last to long.
Bummer about the Z, I liked that car
Originally Posted by Project GatTagO
It wouldn't be A2W, it would be W2W. Instead of looking the engine with a radiator A2W, you would look the engine with a W2W heat exchanger. The water circulating through the engine would be your typical antifreeze, or just non-salt water, but instead of using air you would use salt water to take away the heat...
Andrew
Andrew
You're also going to need stainless steel valves. The exhaust manifolds are cooled by water and you don't want that to get on normal valves. I've helped some friends with boat engines (34' Scarab with twin 454s, 35' Cigarette with twin 542s). Both of those boats run heat exhangers.
Originally Posted by Black89Z51
You're also going to need stainless steel valves. The exhaust manifolds are cooled by water and you don't want that to get on normal valves. I've helped some friends with boat engines (34' Scarab with twin 454s, 35' Cigarette with twin 542s). Both of those boats run heat exhangers.
It's to keep the engine bay and manifold temps down as you know they can get hot and could cause a fire which is a huge concern on a boat that can trap explosive fumes under the "hood". That's why typically any boat you vent the engine bay for a few minutes prior to starting it up to ensure you don't have an explosion. Also air cleaners are spark arresting material (stainless mesh) and not paper or K&N. There's a lot of fire preventative measures on boats.
Originally Posted by Black89Z51
It's to keep the engine bay and manifold temps down as you know they can get hot and could cause a fire which is a huge concern on a boat that can trap explosive fumes under the "hood". That's why typically any boat you vent the engine bay for a few minutes prior to starting it up to ensure you don't have an explosion. Also air cleaners are spark arresting material (stainless mesh) and not paper or K&N. There's a lot of fire preventative measures on boats.
