First start in 5-6 years?

[blindhog]

I’m looking at a boat with Cummins 300c’s and it has been sitting for 5-6 years on a lift.  Looking for recommendations, tips, etc on best procedures to run through prior to starting.  I’ve heard everything from just fire them up and go to add penetratingly oil to the cylinders for a week then see what happens.  Once I know they will fire up then I am planning on going through all the maintenance items and service everything so I can feel comfortable with the motors but any advice for the initial startup would be appreciated.

Topic

[blindhog]

Just a thank you to those that responded to my posts (especially Tony and Rob) and questions over the last few months.  As a follow-up, the boat is running great, still have a punch list but mainly cosmetic stuff at this point, and had a survey last week that went very well.  She’s not standing ballroom tall….yet – but a heck of a lot closer to the level of maintenance I like to keep on my boats. 

1 user thanked author for this post.

Rob Schepis

[blindhog]

Fins are copper and unfortunately I didn’t take any pics prior to install.

[Rob Schepis]

Concern is degradation of the fins.

Have any pics of the cores showing the fins?

Copper finned or aluminum?….

[blindhog]

Yes I did soak them that way and then rinsed everything with fresh water, this was after cleaning the air side with break cleaner, then flushing with fresh water. I did clean the tubes out as well.  After seeing your comment, I went back and found other comments where people were talking about just pouring it in the tubes, which was buried in the discussions – most comments just stated “a 10-1 HCL soak”, so I wish I would have seen that detailed out, but regardless I feel better after finding a different post from you way back about the different types of metals and acid – so I get the concern now but with the fresh water rinse it should be neutralized?  At this point What do I need to be on the look out for in the future if there is a problem? Is the concern a hole in the tubes leading to water in the air side so white smoke and steam?  Thanks for all your help as I work through these issues.

[Tony Athens]

Did you rod out the core tubes ( each one) and open up the bent ones on the bottom first?

If you soaked the entire core &  fins in 10:1, that was a big mistake. 

[blindhog]

I posted the cores and housings pictures prior to cleaning a few posts above. I soaked the cores in a 10% HCL solution for an hour then put everything back together with your kit and instructions.  I will  report back as soon as I get the heat exchangers pulled. 

[Tony Athens]

I am going to back step here.. You never did post pics of your cores.. You had the core out on the housinga and  on the bench?  You cleaned  the tube id?  Exactly how?

Are you really sure the ID if the core tubes are 100% clean?  I  saw the “rinse with water” but nothing else?

1 user thanked author for this post.

blindhog

[blindhog]

I looked at the gear coolers when they were disconnected and didn’t see any blockage so I will start with the heat exchanger next.  Thanks for the replies

[Gene Fuller]

The gear cooler could be just as blocked as the aftercooler shown in the early photos above. If it has never been inspected that would be a first step.

I check the gear cooler and the heat exchanger every time I do the full aftercooler service.

[blindhog]

Tony – is the gear cooler a serviceable part or just better to replace?  Not finding any useful info about removing and cleaning. Thanks!

[Tony Athens]

Something is quite restricted in the seawater flow system–If not the aftercooler,  you have a gear oil cooler, heat exchanger and exhaust mixer..

 

You can test this at the dock in neutral.. RPM is RPM when it comes to seawater flow troubleshooting.

[blindhog]

PIs it normal for the water hoses to swell?  Makes me nervous that they are doing that. I’ve put in new water pump impeller and just serviced both aftercoolers the seaboard way.  This was running about 2,100 rpm when the pics where taken. 

[blindhog]

Started working on the starboard aftercooler.  Pics as requested – both ends of the housing and core. In the pics I have wiped down the housing only with a rag, core has brake cleaner on fins and tubes have only so far been rinsed with water. Will work on cleaning tubes and getting housing and caps ready for paint before putting it all back together the seaboard way. <br /><br />

[Rob Schepis]

Yea, what the heck on that gasket ?!  Yard monkey or ??  I guess he had some good black smoke until the charged air blew a hole in it….

[Tony Athens]

Grid heater gasket– no clue why it looks like that—————-Want good guidance?——— Post good pics of what REALLY matters– The housing ends & sealing surfaces,  the core,  etc etc etc  

[blindhog]

Finally got around to the starboard aftercooler – it wasn’t as clogged BUT what the heck kind of gasket is this on the air side??? Fortunately all pieces are accounted for so I am working on the aftercooler, repainting, etc  

 

 

[blindhog]

Correct they are 330’s and I corrected that in a subsequent post but couldn’t edit the original post. serial numbers below:

45576113

45581090

My dad suggested the HCL so I will soak it in that later to get it cleaned out.  Still working on trying to pressure test the core.  

[Tony Athens]

Very clogged aftercooler

#1-You do not have 300C’s as you stated in post 1.. Post an engine serial number

 

#2-Consider 10-1 HCL ( common pool acid) and water for the tubes–They have a coat of calcium, etc , at the very least inside that will not come off with a brush–

[blindhog]

OWorking on port side aftercooler. Everything looks ok, got the rebuild kit from seaboard and a cool shirt 😉 and working toward pressure testing. My son thinks it would be easier to just test each tube individually – with a rubber tip from an air hose and he has a rubber tip for a gauge. pics below. 

was pretty clogged up at the bottom, and to be expected for water sitting in there and on a boat lift for that long but came out pretty clean. I used break cleaner on the fins and then used a bottle brush down each and every tube on both sides. 

[blindhog]

Thank you for the reply – I have read your tips which are fantastic. The aftercoolers were at the top of the list after getting back to the house, although was hoping to wait a month or two  to do them.

[Author]

Replies