My Beta 38 has seen only about 135hr of use since installed in the summer of '16.
I was about to head out for a couple of weeks and luckily noticed high temp and not enough water coming out of the exhaust before I got too far off the dock.
There is corrosion inside the raw water inlet of the heat exchanger end cap (zinc side, above exhaust), as well as on the lower bolt hole of the heat exchanger housing itself.
I soaked the end-cap in vinegar to clear it out, then realized the corrosion wasn't a salt build-up, and the exterior side looked compromised as well. A metal hook went right through it.
Someone at a marine supply store suggested RydLyme Marine to clean tube stack - i used it diluted 1:1, but it appears to have corroded the support baffles on the tubes.
One pic shows the bolts on the side of the housing. The upper right one in the pic (upside down image, actually lower left) one appears to have corrosion under the paint.
My engine supplier says he's never seen anything like the hole in the end cap, he suspects an extreme electrolysis issue. I'm worried the entire heat exchanger is pooched.
Any thoughts?
-- Edited by sbcwylie on Wednesday 26th of June 2019 03:20:43 PM
-- Edited by sbcwylie on Wednesday 26th of June 2019 04:49:45 PM
I think that photo # 4 which shows the inlet fitting almost closed off because of some build up is the most worrying photo. Although this build up can be cleaned up, we need to know what caused it to start in the first place. Your engine supplier may be correct with his electrolysis theory. When you reassemble everything, make sure that the water tube that runs from the raw water pump to the back of the heat exchanger does not actually touch the end cover of the heat exchanger. The hose needs to make the connection to keep the stainless water tube off the bronze end fitting.
The tube stack photo shown in the sink does not show bad corrosion. Those lightweight aluminium pieces are there to cause the coolant to flow around the tubes to get proper cooling and they will still do their job.
If your local supplier does not have a replacement end cover, we can help as we have some in inventory. It it were mine, I would reassemble the heat exchanger with new O rings and a new end cover and also some new manifold gaskets for between the head and the manifold. See if there is any of the white build up (calcium?) in the water tube over the engine and possibly in the inlet and outlet fittings of the of the raw water pump.
Once the engine is running again, I suggest that you contract with someone who know a bit about boat wiring, electrolysis and marina wiring etc to help you sort out what is causing this.
Please let us know how you get on. Stanley
-- Edited by Stanley on Wednesday 26th of June 2019 05:32:56 PM
I forgot to include a pic post-soaking of tube stack. That first one is a "before". I'm worried that chunks of the aluminum will end up circulating in the coolant.
I'll check with my supplier, re: parts, but he mentioned he had an engine on hand he could pull the cap from, but as I am in no rush (my travel plans have been put on hold for now), I'll see what he says on availability.
So you don't the corrosion on the lower edge of the main housing is an issue? The discoloration goes inside the housing.
I believe that your tube stack will be just fine. The loose piece of aluminium can safely be removed as the actual tube stack has more that enough cooling capacity.
Use a pair of sharp nose pliers and just break off the loose part from the rest.
So about that tubestack - I brought my tub of components to a machinist to tap/helicoil the threads for the end-caps of the HE. The first thing he noticed was that the ends of the tube stack itself is not square.
Can the rubber diverter in the exhaust end work properly if that is the case?
Apparently the o-rings weren't sitting level either.
There is what appears to be discolouration/corrossion inside the tank - could salt water have gotten in there if the o-ring wasn't set properly? I did notice liquid in the engine bilge a while ago, which surprised me.
To complicate issues, instead of the glycol/water mix, I used a product called Evans Coolant, which is supposed to be great, but it doesn't expand as much as the water/glycol mix - that is one of selling points, less wear and tear on hoses, etc., as there is less internal pressure.
The shop I purchased the engine from assured me I could use Evans and not void the warranty, but I don't know if they thought it through all the way.
The shop has sent an email in to Beta in the UK about the crooked tubestack, but hasn't heard back after a couple of days.
I had to defer to the factory on this one. "Some tubestacks are out of square, but there is enough depth in the rubber divider to take account of this."
I suggest new O rings, a new end cap, cleaning out the salt from the water tube and reassemble.
I have absolutely no experience with Evans coolant but I have had extremely good success with Shell Rotella ELC - NF and we get this from our local NAPA store.
I wasn't able to find the same style Nylocs as what Beta used. The hardest ones I could find are all-metal locknuts. Is that torque spec for any locknut?
Someone else gave me a wildly different number (34ft/lb), and the local shop has said a 3rd number, 12 ft/lb.
would have been fine, I'm guessing, had my new torque wrench been ok.
Had it all put together, lowest setting on t-wrench was 120in/lbs. The wrench is a 1/4in drive, not a big one. Did all the bolts to low setting as a precaution and felt the obvious click (my first time using a t-wrench). Then turned the dial part way to the next lowest setting, 240in/lb, aiming for 180in/lbs, which is 15ft/lb converted (x12).
As I was doing this, I had a knowledgeable mechanic providing feedback live online, (I'm in Canada, he's in Tanzania on his own sailboat, but I digress). As I tried to tighten to the spec, I was surprised at how far the wrench went without a click at that setting, and I said as much to my mechanic friend (cousin, actually). He was sure the bolt was just stretching into place - if he had seen it first hand, he probably wouldn't have thought that - but one more crank and and SPANG, blew the bolt.
Now I am going to replace them all. And take my wrench back to swap out.
Can you ballpark the price for that exhaust manifold studs x 8? I believe it is part no. 201-62110/01 (mine is 2017 model, Beta38).
Thanks!
-- Edited by sbcwylie on Monday 22nd of July 2019 09:56:06 AM
Well only one broke, but I was moving the wrench from nut to nut trying to get click with no luck. Probably four, the two inner-most exhaust ports. I'm thinking I might was well just get 'er done.
Thanks, I've ordered them and they should be here tomorrow.
The Kubota manifold gasket had a dire warning on it, re: not exposing it to air before installing it. It has been sitting on the engine since then, two of the aluminum spacers are loose, two are still fixed. Do you think there will be any issue with the gasket?
Also, on the gasket packaging it said something along the lines of "other side toward the metal". To do that, I had to cut the gasket up because of the alignment of the holes, which to me made no sense. Does it really matter which side of the gasket touches the steel vs the aluminum spacers?
Thanks, I've ordered them and they should be here tomorrow.
The Kubota manifold gasket had a dire warning on it, re: not exposing it to air before installing it. It has been sitting on the engine since then, two of the aluminum spacers are loose, two are still fixed. Do you think there will be any issue with the gasket? Don't worry. You will be fine.
Also, on the gasket packaging it said something along the lines of "other side toward the metal". To do that, I had to cut the gasket up because of the alignment of the holes, which to me made no sense. Does it really matter which side of the gasket touches the steel vs the aluminum spacers? This makes no difference.
so the shop I bought my engine from also queried Beta about the out of square tubestack and Beta decided to send a replacement. Not sure when I'll get it, but it's inbound. Also inbound from the UK are replacement studs as I rec'd the incorrect ones.
Question is: what is the torque spec on the studs going into the manifold? When i was asking earlier I was referring to the nuts on the studs. Re-reading it I see that may have sounded like I meant the studs - assuming they are different.
Just tighten the studs on the head. Normally I just nip them up and then after the gaskets and spacers and manifold have been fitted, I will then torque the nuts on the outside of the manifold to 15 ft lbs.
