Heat Exchanger - Nissan LD78m - The Saga Continues...

[CayoHueso]

One end of my heat exchanger seperated. Aside from harrowing experience of pumping about 220 gallons an hour into the engine compartment, overwhelming the bildge pumps and very nearly sinking, if it hadn't been for my high temp alarm; anybody have an idea where I might find a new one?

[Panhdjoe]

When the one on my 27fc with the LD28M ruptured internaly I had to get one made. Superior Diesel in Charleston SC got it done for me.

[CayoHueso]

Thanks Panhdjoe!

Anyone ever replace a Nissan exchanger with an alternative make?

[eseyoung]

if you have a local place that has used parts take yours and find something in their inventory that is close the same size, don't worry about how it will mount up...the mounts are easily enough made or for that matter i see no reason it couldn't be mounted to the bulkhead.

Remember all it does is cool the engine...which, granted, is a big job, but the replacement need not look the original, it is connected to the by hoses which are easily changed/adapted to slightly different sizes. so long as it provides is close to the same size you won't have any issues...the LD28 isn't a particularity difficult engine to cool.

[eseyoung]

One more thing! is 'Cayo Hueso' Key West? Ok, well, i know that is the translation, but are you located in KW? as in the one between Cuba and Miami? We will be heading down your way for July. If you are going to be around i'd love to swap lies, drink coffee and/or beer and talk boats.

[CayoHueso]

Update - After many months of research ( I appreciate the superior diesel advice, but unfortunately they were not able to help me) and absolutely no help from from the diesel repair shops in S. Florida. I found a few shops in Bellingham, WA that fabricate heat exchangers. The shops I found proved difficult for me to deal with from this distance but then I found a retailer also in WA, Go2marine, who acted as intermediary. One of their reps helped me place an order with Seakamp who is fabricating it now. The all-in price was a little over $600. On Aug 6th they told me I'd have it in 10 days.

[CayoHueso]

Wooh! Whoo! The new heat exchanger final shipped today! 10 days late, who's counting. I'm just excited its finally on its way. With shipping the final price was more near $700.

In the mean time, I've been working on the electrical system to make sure when the heat exchanger finally arrives, everything else will be ready. McMasters has been a great source for heatshrink connectors and wire. I had a little trouble finding the push button breakers. Ultimately, I found them from a place called Flounder Pounder Marine.

This weekend is electrical work, next is the heat exchanger installation. The following will be, fingers crossed, a camping trip with my 7 & 2 yr olds.

[CayoHueso]

When I bought the boat the surveyor warned me to begin looking for a heat exchanger.

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Sure enough, and by the grace of god, it blew out the day after my family and I returned home from a very stormy trip to the Dry Tortugas. We tried to repair it, reinstall, but it failed again and again.

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[CayoHueso]

The replacement came today. Beautifully packed, primed and ready for me to paint it the incorrect blue color.

[CayoHueso]

Well, my partner had a trip planned with some friends which meant I had the kiddos all to myself. Needless to say, the electrical work did not get as far as I planned (but nothing ever really does with or without the kiddos anyway). So, this week weekend is install heat exchanger and finish electrical. If I get lucky, the Lionel C running will be running by Sunday!

[eseyoung]

Keep an eye on that exhaust elbow too. it was only luck that mine didn't flood the manifold with raw water, which would have been the coffin nail for the entire motor.

As soon as i started to take mine off it started crumbling in my hands.


Also any pics of the heat X installed. it looks much bigger than the stock.

[CayoHueso]

Eseyoung, are you referring to what I've heard called the "riser"? A friend had that clog with, whatever it is that stuff is that clogs it, and it forced the raw water into his engine. It was lights out for that engine. I stuck my finger in the hose bib on mine and it felt nearly completely clogged. I removed it and sure enough it was packed full of, I don't know what, rusty, black, nasty, stuff. The prior owner, Phil, must have anticipated replacing it, cause there was a custom manufactured one on the boat. I'm going to replace it. I'll probably clean the old one and throw it into my parts crate.

well the new heatexchanger install went about like I should have expected. After saturday morning 7yr old soccer, which was great, and victory lunch, I finally got started about 2:30. Of course the serious marine hardware store closed at 2, so I should have known right then, I was in trouble. Any way, the rewiring project got finished, at least, and I am ready to make some heat x progress this week.

[CayoHueso]

Unfortunately, I miss measured my hose connections. I am sending my Seakamp Exchanger back to Seakamp to be retro'd.

The sizes were raw in 1 1/4" (normally it would have been 1" in but I modified my raw water pump and so needed 1 1/4") and 1" out. The fresh in and out should have been 1 1/2in. I must have had a little "Captain in me" when I measured the old one and ordered 7/8".

Few more weeks...

Being a little pollyanna, the time allowed me to explore the riser. I cleaned the one that came with the boat, from Marine Manifold Corp, Farmingdale, NY. I'm going to install it and see how it goes. The old one was prstty clogged and had a weep hole in the top front port edge.

also replacing the thermostat, which didn't open all the way to a boil, and the fresh water pump.

[tego]

CayoHueso, I hope all went well with the riserr. I have one exactly like it on mine and it works beautifully. Marine Manifold did a great job on these. I also have a non-stock HE for the engine, oversized it appears, 'cause I never get over about 180 F. My PO did a complete overhaul on the engine about 300 hrs before I bought it. Everything seems to be running great. Good luck, Ben