At the end of last season, I lost 4 or 5 vanes from my sea water pump impellor. I discovered this when I tried to run antifreeze thru the pump, heat exchanger and associated hoses and nothing came out the exhaust. I opened the water pump and found vanes were missing. One was blocking the discharge and when I removed it there was a more or less normal flow out the stern.
I have received different advice. A diesel engine mechanic told me you have to find the vanes. Others have said if there is good flow out the exhaust, don't worry about it. I've decided that if I was going to 18 mile island or Madison, IN, I would be worrying about it. I don't want to be 12 or 35 miles from home port and have an engine that is overheating. I pulled the heat exchanger this afternoon, took about 2 hours. The biggest difficulty was getting the hoses loose which have been on the boat for 25 years. I have not opened it yet so I don't know what I will find inside. Anyway, I'm committed, the 25 year old hoses probably needed to be changed anyway. I think I remember some traffic on the list several or more years ago that the heat exchanger size was increased in later boats. Mine is a '85, the heat exchanger is 2 1/16 inches in diameter. I have checked CD and they do not have heat exchangers on their web site. Any thoughts on this? Does anyone know of a larger heat exchanger? My engine has been running at 175 degrees which is within the range in the engine manual although near the upper end. John Emmerich C27 TR 5874 Louisville, KY
