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 Post subject: Pencil Zincs in the Raw Water Heat Exchanger
PostPosted: 24 Dec 2010 11:33 
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Skipper

Joined: 21 Oct 2006 15:36
Posts: 268
My boat has a W50. At the end of each year I find the pencil zinc in the raw water heat exchanger has been fully consumed. However, the zinc in the lube oil cooler and my shaft zinc experience very minimal corrosion. Does anyone else have similar experience? If not, any ideas?

Jim
Odyssey, #191

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Jim Voelxen
Odyssey #191
Home Port: Osterville, MA


 
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 Post subject: Re: Pencil Zincs in the Raw Water Heat Exchanger
PostPosted: 24 Dec 2010 21:04 
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Skipper

Joined: 29 Dec 2006 09:38
Posts: 656
Had the same experience with my W50 when I had it. Seems like it would be the other way around but I think perhaps the farther away from the ocean, the less it would be attacked. I ended up changing the zinc in the heat exchanger more often because I think most recommend that it not go below 25 percent to be doing anything. What are your other zincs doing?


 
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 Post subject: Re: Pencil Zincs in the Raw Water Heat Exchanger
PostPosted: 25 Dec 2010 10:18 
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Skipper

Joined: 21 Oct 2006 15:36
Posts: 268
Ray-

Thanks for the response. I suspected this was somewhat of a generic issue, but wanted to confirm with other's experience. The lube oil cooler and shaft zincs have very minimal corrosion.

Jim

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Jim Voelxen
Odyssey #191
Home Port: Osterville, MA


 
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 Post subject: Re: Pencil Zincs in the Raw Water Heat Exchanger
PostPosted: 01 Jun 2011 19:04 
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Midshipman

Joined: 30 Oct 2006 15:40
Posts: 63
This is late, but pencil zincs should be replaced before they appear to be corroded. Once that happens there is nothing left but clay.

After getting holes in my heat exchanger and oil cooler, I learned to replace the heat exchanger zinc at every oil change (50+ hours) and the oil cooler zinc at least every other time.

No more holes in the system.

Jerry


 
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 Post subject: Re: Pencil Zincs in the Raw Water Heat Exchanger
PostPosted: 18 Oct 2011 11:11 
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Skipper

Joined: 09 Jul 2008 12:51
Posts: 251
OK I give up, where is the oil cooler zinc in the W50 parts manual ? Was the oil cooler an after market addition ?


 
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 Post subject: Re: Pencil Zincs in the Raw Water Heat Exchanger
PostPosted: 19 Oct 2011 13:36 
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Skipper

Joined: 21 Oct 2006 15:36
Posts: 268
The oil cooler is not an aftermarket part. You can find it in the parts manual under cooling system. The oil cooler is identified as part 32. The zinc is part 33. The cooler is located on the aft side of the engine located between the fuel and oil filters. The zinc is readily accessible on the top stbd side of the cooler.

Jim
Odyssey #191

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Jim Voelxen
Odyssey #191
Home Port: Osterville, MA


 
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 Post subject: Re: Pencil Zincs in the Raw Water Heat Exchanger
PostPosted: 12 Nov 2011 07:42 
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Skipper

Joined: 09 Jul 2008 12:51
Posts: 251
I've checked both pencil zincs. The oil cooler zinc is gone. The heat exchanger zinc is not there at all. I removed that bolt and found a small copper/brass plate on the back side of the zinc bolt.
I'm wondering if this is something that was used in place of the zinc to minimize corrosion ?

As for the oil cooler zinc, I can not find a replacement that fits. I ordered two from Torresen that were too small.

Where is a good place to order the correct size zincs ???


 
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 Post subject: Re: Pencil Zincs in the Raw Water Heat Exchanger
PostPosted: 12 Nov 2011 09:11 
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Skipper

Joined: 21 Oct 2006 15:36
Posts: 268
Mike-

I'm not sure what to suggest. The zinc size for each heat exchanger is different. The Oil Cooler zinc is larger than the zinc for the raw water heat exchanger. I've had no trouble finding the right size zinc at either location. You can buy the pencil zinc as a separate item, or you can buy then as a zinc/bronze threaded cap assembly. The zinc for the Oil Cooler is threaded into the top of the exchanger, The zinc for the raw water cooler is harder to get to. It's on the aft end of the exchanger, and is inserted from the bottom. As you remove that zinc, you also drain the raw water from the exchanger.

Jim

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Jim Voelxen
Odyssey #191
Home Port: Osterville, MA


 
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 Post subject: Re: Pencil Zincs in the Raw Water Heat Exchanger
PostPosted: 18 Nov 2011 13:06 
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Skipper

Joined: 29 Dec 2006 09:38
Posts: 656
Be aware that you can buy pencil zincs at most chandleries (even Worst Marine), if you just take the old nut with you. They are not specific Westerbeke parts. HOWEVER, the zincs of the same diameter are of different lengths and may need to be shortened with a hack saw so that they do not crunch the divider in your heat exchanger--particularly the heat exchanger for the main engine (not the oil cooler) You can bend the insides of the heat exchanger if you put too long a zinc in it. I found I had to replace mine every 90 days or so in the main exchanger and the oil cooler would last about a year or more, but it is going to vary depending on how electrically "hot" your mooring area is. This is important routine maintenance of the W-50.


 
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