Descale Heat Exchangers 2003 Cummins 5.9 bt

[Mike Pankow]

Hi guys,
I have twin Cummins in my boat and I am planning on removing the heat exchangers to descale. I bought a gallon of Hammerhead to do the job. I was at a local boat show this weekend and was told by an engine service vendor that Hammerhead was bad stuff and would damage the exchanger. Any thoughts?
Also is there any reason that I can’t use neoprene gasket material and cut my own new gaskets to reseal the exchangers?

Topic

[David Marchand]

As good or bad as any

I am a retired chemical engineer who spent a few of his early years in the industrial chemical cleaning business. Hammerhead seems to be no different than any of the more popular ones like Rydlyme or Barnacle Buster.

All of their claims are more or less BS- safe on aluminum is particularly BS, so is environmentally safe.

I have tested BB and unlike the inhibited HCl we used in my former business, this has no inhibitor so will corrode metals a bit. But the raw water system has corrosion resistant metals: cupronickle tubes and bronze end caps so that the metal loss is tolerable. But I wouldn’t clean your system every year with the stuff.

As far gaskets. One mistake can cost you your engine if salt laden sea water gets into the after cooler air side. Less disastrous for the main heat exchanger, but why risk it. Use Cummins gaskets.

David

[Author]

Replies