Testing and Inspecting OMC powersteering cooler

[HappierWet]

What should I be looking for on an OMC stringer powersteering cooler to determine usability? Just look for rust or pressure test or what? Thanks in advance.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Testing and Inspecting OMC powersteering cooler

If you can block it off and pressure test to about 3 to 4 psi that would be good.
Is this a used unit off another boat?

 

[abj87]

Re: Testing and Inspecting OMC powersteering cooler

If in doubt i would replace the unit. If you get seawater in the ps componets their done.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Testing and Inspecting OMC powersteering cooler

If in doubt i would replace the unit. If you get seawater in the ps componets their done.

Very good advice....

 

[HappierWet]

Re: Testing and Inspecting OMC powersteering cooler

I'm redoing the power on an 83 celebrity. The block and exhaust manifolds were cracked... I don't have any reason (yet) to think the PS cooler is bad but, I want to look at it before it goes back together. If it's only going to have a few PSI in it...that' s real easy. I thought the PS pump kept the system higher... more worried about steering fluid into seawater. Does that make sense or am I thinking backwards?

 

[abj87]

Re: Testing and Inspecting OMC powersteering cooler

I'm redoing the power on an 83 celebrity. The block and exhaust manifolds were cracked... I don't have any reason (yet) to think the PS cooler is bad but, I want to look at it before it goes back together. If it's only going to have a few PSI in it...that' s real easy. I thought the PS pump kept the system higher... more worried about steering fluid into seawater. Does that make sense or am I thinking backwards?

I'm guessing here but its probably on the return side of the system which should only be a few psi vs 1000-2000psi of high pressure side.

 

[HT32BSX115]

Re: Testing and Inspecting OMC powersteering cooler

or so

I'm guessing here but its probably on the return side of the system which should only be a few psi vs 1000-2000psi of high pressure side.

That is absolutely a true statement. There is very little pressure on the PS return side. There's also very little pressure on the raw water inlet side too....probably less than 10-15 psi at max RPM. How it's constructed will determine how it breaks. The PS cooler in my Mercruiser is designed such that if the water inside froze it probably wouldn't "break" the oil side. If it's a multi-tube heat exchanger (like the oil cooler) freezing water could break individual tubes.

Just pressure check it......... put 30 psi or so on the oil side and 15-20psi on the water side and see what happens. (hold it under water to look for bubbles) Unless you know for sure it's got freeze damage it'll probably be just fine......I would still check it though....

Cheers,


Rick

 

[HappierWet]

Re: Testing and Inspecting OMC powersteering cooler

Cool, Thanks for the input everybody. It looks like it'll be usable.