Add heat exchanger to freshwater cooled engine with stringer.

[rs2k]

I am considering taking my freshwater cooled boat to the ocean, but I would really like to add a freshwater cooling system to my Chevy 305 / stringer drive first. This doesn't sound like it would be that difficult to do. Wouldn't it just be a matter of hooking the heat exchanger to the engine like a radiator and then hooking up the raw water intake to the heat exchanger and then going from the heat exchanger back to the exhaust manifolds? Does the heat exchanger need to be mounted on the engine or can it be mounted else where? My boat has a ton of engine room.

 

[Don S]

Re: Add heat exchanger to freshwater cooled engine with stringer.

Don't waste your time. It's not recommended trying to put a FWC system on engines with over 125 hours. Simply because they will probably plug up the new heat exchanger. Since your engine is at least 25 years old, you can just about expect it to plug up the exchanger with existing rust from the engine.
Your best bet is to use it and flush after each use with something like Salt Away
Your problem will be more drive and manifold issues than engine anyway, unless you have a lot of automotive freeze plugs, and gaskets in the engine.