Replace my Lube Oil Coolers or Paint them?

[HONUHYC]

[/ATTACH][/ATTACH]I am not a risk taker. I don’t like the corrosion on the lube oil coolers, so I am thinking about replacing them when I change the oil. They are not expensive enough to risk failure. But, I am also cheap, so if that is just surface corrosion where they were soldered or welded together and they are fine, I can just clean them up, put some fresh paint on them and ensure they are well bonded to the block. Thoughts?

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. H. That might just be seepage from the rubber hose. Then again, as you mentioned, it's no big investment to change them. You'd have to be SUPER cheap to not do so. What you might do is change them and take the old ones to a shop and have them pressure tested and keep them as spares but even as spares, they may not be terribly dependable. It's a maintenance item IMO.

 

[Brooksie]

Yes, replace them. If they are plain copper coolers and over 3-4years old, you are a risk-taker. This time get the copper-nickel ones, they are good for 10 years or so.

In the event of a leak, your engine oil will be pushed out into the sea water until your low oil pressure alarm sounds.

 

[PM]

What they said. Replace now

pete

 

[Comodave]

I would replace them. Cheap and easy to do.

 

[HONUHYC]

Thank you all! It is nice to get confirmation of my hunch. Will order tomorrow.

 

[Xsbank]

My opinion on raw water cooled oil coolers is to disconnect the raw water loop and run anti-freeze from the engine through it. Or just toss it. The engine oil will not get hotter than the engine itself at cruise. This is reasonable for a trawler engine that pretty much all of us run gently. Mentioning WOT usually has everyone clutching their pearls but if you follow the manufacturer’s directions that is perfectly safe to do.

Running coolant through it will eliminate corrosion and pretty much make it a lifetime device.

Transmission coolers in vehicles are cooling the oil with antifreeze. The engine in my boat has a keel cooler dry stack and there is an oil cooler cooled by coolant. The engine is rated Commercial so it can run WOT for 24 hours. No external oil coolers.

 

[firehoser75]

I agree with the others, replace it (them) if they are not too costly, or if you want, remove them from the boat, take them to a radiator shop and have them cleaned, serviced, repaired (if needed and if possible), and pressure tested.
However, (and I do know that different engines can have different specs and components), my engine does not have an oil cooler (for engine oil), but it does have a transmission gear oil cooler that is salt water cooled. Just commenting, don't know your engine. All salt water engine components are high maintenance items and should regularly get the attention they are specified for or else one risks what could amount to an expensive overheat or just as bad, leakage where you don't want leakage (eg. saltwater in the transmission).

 

[MichaelH]

Judging by the pictures, those are transmission oil coolers. Take them off, take them to a radiator shop for cleaning and pressure testing, then repaint and reinstall. Unless you just like spending money.

 

[HONUHYC]

I talked to American Diesel. Yes, they are transmission coolers. The Lehman Fords use the Velvet Drive transmission oil coolers to cool the lube oil too.

 

[Comodave]

I just replaced one of mine, I think that maybe it cost $160. In the scheme of boating the cost isn't severe so I would not reinstall a used one.

 

[kapnd]

You can replace with a better cooler, I got a much improved product from Seaboard Marine.