Seized aftercooler core

[Bob Patterson]

• I cannot free the after cooler core from the  casing.  I have soaked inside and outside of the core with PB blaster and another concoction of ATF oil and acetone  for two weeks now rotating the casing 180° every few days. I have tried using a sledge hammer with a piece wood and plastic on top of the core as not to damage it.It will not break free. Could I take it to a machine shop with a  hydraulic press,and use some heat with the press.  Any ideas would be appreciated. Thank you Bob 

Topic

[Bob Patterson]

Sorry for the delay with aftercooler progress.I had a machinist take off about 25 thou total from top and bottom of the casing.The core itself needed repair,probably from all the pounding.Searched around for some o-rings and found a couple 5 inch diameter and .156 thick.Made up my own testing equipment for future use and reassembled with lots or lithium grease and tested.Held at 15  lbs.psi for 6 hours.Thankyou for all your suggestions.Bob

 

 

 

[Bob Patterson]

Tony is there a documented minimum length of the casing so I can try and stay within those tolerances so as not to have to mess with cutting back the core length.

[David Marchand]

It is a little surprising that the top flange of the aluminum housing is corroded worse than the bottom. I thought that the bottom got the worst of it because condensate just sat there in between engine runnings.

David

[Tony Athens]

Be more aggressive…

You definitely need to be more aggressive.. Remove about .020~.030 from the surface and let’s see where you are.

You could pull off .060″+,  but then you’d have to remove .040″ or so from the core ends so it does not bottom inside the caps–When all is said and done, the core needs a minimum of close to .040″ ~ .060″ of  “float space” when the caps are on and snug with no o-rings. I’ve pulled a full 1/8″ off in the past.  Also, many times we re-drill ant threads in the housings and tap deeper.  I’ve even had to epoxy in a treaded rod in the past to salvage a otherwise  salvageable housing.

Lots of tricks when $$ is tight and you have the time.

[Rob Schepis]

Correct. Do you have a set of feeler gauges?  They can give you a “feel” for the thicknesses  Tony noted above…

[Bob Patterson]

Robb I just cleaned the crude off the surface.  By the sounds of it it won’t hurt to go a little further And be a little more aggressive.

[Rob Schepis]

Still some grooves at the top surface  right where the o-ring sits.  How much did you block sand?  Just a scratch of the surface or did you remove a couple sheets of paper worth?

[Bob Patterson]

Here are some pictures of top and bottom of the casing and the caps. There is some pitting. Hopefully it is not to bad. The core is at the rad shop to be cleaned and tested. It won’t be back for another week. 

[Tony Athens]

Inside corrosion below the two ends is not that critical–It’s the ends of the housing that matters..
Plus, you need to pressure test the core by itself AFTER it is cleaned on both sides –air and seawater.. Air side with brake cleaner, Simple Green, etc————–Saltwater side with 10% HCL & water mix… Block sand them ( about .010~.015″ both ends) and then let’s see what you got,, Put the ends cap in a 10% HCL & water mix for a couple of hours and then “ScotchBrite” the bevels, etc.

Good pics get good answers

 

Tony

[Bob Patterson]

I probably won’t be back to the until next weekend to clean them up,but I will take photos then.

[Rob Schepis]

Block sand the top and bottom ends of the housing and then take good clear in-focus hi-res pics and send to Tony direct (and post here). 

[Bob Patterson]

 I finally got it apart. After two days of heating it up and cooling the core  down with water while the casing was still hot. The core actually looks pretty clean but the casing has got some corrosion around the top and bottom. 

[Bob Patterson]

Yes the other one did come out but not without doing some damage to the core. The rad shop was able to repair it.I would like to keep this one in good shape  with no damage.
In my general area there is nobody that I can find that knows anything about a marine after cooler.
Rob the housing is in good shape very little pitting.

[Rob Schepis]

I recognize the name – This is a twin screw Albin 31, right?  Did the other core come out?  How is the housing? Condition of the aluminum on the flat sealing surfaces where the o-rings sit?
As far as the stuck one, yes I think you’re at the point of “anything goes”..  Maybe Tony has a trick for a badly stuck core.

[Author]

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