[C38] Heating problems (alden Andre)

[Tom T.]

I am retired from the automobile business and was a Chrysler dealer when I retired.

Something the automotive manufacturer group formerly known as "The Big Three" don't want you to know is that every new vehicle they sold was delivered with Bar's Stop Leak in the engines as a preventative measure.  I retired 10 years ago so I can't speak for them now.

When we overhauled an engine at my dealership, we also included a bottle of Bar's in the coolant system.  For a couple of dollars, we had a guarantee that a tiny pinhole wouldn't cause an otherwise proper overhaul to cause a failure.  The smallest scratch on a gasket surface or freeze plug could cause a slow coolant leak causing disaster if the vehicle's owner didn't monitor the engine coolant very closely.

For what it's worth, I still think using Bar's or some similar engine stop leak is a good idea.  There are several good brands on the market but most of the newer ones are more dedicated to multi-metal protection and use aluminum in their formula for the new aluminum and plastic radiators.  I think the original Bar's Leak uses walnut shell for their plugging media which may be better suited for our use.

I'm no chemical expert to say the least but from my own experience, I love Bar's Stop Leak and use in every liquid cooled engine I have.  "An ounce of prevention............"

Tom Troncalli



----- Original Message ----- 
From: 
To: Catalina 38 Listserve
Sent: 8/22/2009 2:45:00 AM 
Subject: Re: [C38] Heating problems (alden Andre)


I've always had an issue with the engine running hot.  I brought the boat up the coast from San Diego to San Francisco on the engine and it ran at about 200-210 all the way.  Each night we checked the oil and water.  Oil was always okay while the coolant was always low.  We had to stay over a week at Morrow Bay so I took the opportunity to buy a new heat exchanger.  I then ran the boat north from Morrow Bay with it still running hot.  That was 2003.  All the trips we have made since then have been mostly sailing and the little motoring we have done have been non eventful.  Then this year I took the boat to the bay from the delta (about 50 miles) for service.  To make it less expensive I removed the water heater from the boat and ran the hose back to the engine.  Then engine ran at 180 the entire trip.  I did notice the odor of hot antifreeze when we arrived at the marina. Upon closer examination I noticed there was a leak on the starboard side of the engine from an expansion plug.  I guess I have something to do when I get the boat home along with the packing gland at the rudder post.  

Kerry Grimes
Little Breeze, 139
San Francisco   


Original Message -----
From: "alden Andre" <alden at clifforddevelopmentgroup.com>
To: listserve at catalina38.org
Sent: Friday, August 21, 2009 10:30:35 AM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: Re: [C38] Heating problems (alden Andre)

It does not matter if you have a surge tank(most cars do). You can rule
out the head gasket by checking your oil . most times the water will get
in the oil when there is a head gasket leak. I would start with your
belt driven pump. Take the belt off see if the shaft is loose and turn
it and see if  it is grinding. The most common problem with them is
having a belt to tight that wears out the bearings. There is another
burbing procedure that is different than what has been said(on this
listserve) in the C-30 manual with water heaters installed. I will get
it today when I am at my two boats and post it for you. If you email me
I can send it directly to you.


Alden Andre
Cell: 503-929-8814
Office: 503-618-1951
Fax: 503-907-5507
Alden at clifforddevelopmentgroup.com




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Today's Topics:

   1. Re: water heater plumbing (david at dlrfilms.com)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Fri, 21 Aug 2009 06:45:26 -0700
From: david at dlrfilms.com
Subject: Re: [C38] water heater plumbing
To: "Catalina 38 Listserve" <listserve at catalina38.org>
Message-ID:
        <b5f32c4af2e879c7ada148ae7a6cf5aa.squirrel at webmail.dlrfilms.com>
Content-Type: text/plain;charset=iso-8859-1


> If you have raw water flowing out of the boat and your coolant is
> flowing the most probable cause is a bad coolant pump(belt driven) or
a
> leak in the head gasket.
>

Our boat has the surge tank add-on.

The head gasket idea is troubling, because if I had to describe what's
happening, I'd say that it seems like air is getting sucked into the
system.

None the less, I'll go through the fill burp procedure later today, and
if
that doesn't fix it, I'll tear apart the coolant pump and see if that
turns anything up.

Thanks!




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