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Replacing Zincs on Marine Engine Heat Exchanger and Oil Coolers

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00:00:04.300
hi my name is David today we're gonna
00:00:06.820 00:00:06.830 change the sacrificial links on your
00:00:09.759 00:00:09.769 boat engine why do you need to do this
00:00:12.579 00:00:12.589 simply because your cooling system the
00:00:15.730 00:00:15.740 raw water portion of your cooling system
00:00:19.290 00:00:19.300 has various different types of metals in
00:00:22.480 00:00:22.490 it and when different metals are
00:00:25.530 00:00:25.540 submerged in water a very slight micro
00:00:30.400 00:00:30.410 current electricity is created and it
00:00:33.819 00:00:33.829 will over time dissolve or deteriorate
00:00:38.260 00:00:38.270 the or they call it the less noble of
00:00:44.980 00:00:44.990 the two metals so by installing a
00:00:49.979 00:00:49.989 sacrificial zinc and typically there in
00:00:53.830 00:00:53.840 your heat exchangers so my boat engine
00:00:56.950 00:00:56.960 at Ford layman has one in the for the
00:01:00.280 00:01:00.290 main cooling system it has another
00:01:02.080 00:01:02.090 sacrificial zinc in the transmission oil
00:01:06.219 00:01:06.229 cooler and it has another one and the
00:01:10.359 00:01:10.369 what's the third one I'm drawing a blank
00:01:12.849 00:01:12.859 on it anyway it's got three of them and
00:01:15.330 00:01:15.340 so by installing a sacrificial zinc in
00:01:19.899 00:01:19.909 these heat exchangers the zinc because
00:01:23.980 00:01:23.990 it's the least noble of the various
00:01:25.749 00:01:25.759 metals in a boat engine will deteriorate
00:01:28.440 00:01:28.450 rather than the copper or something else
00:01:32.559 00:01:32.569 that's in your your cooling system so
00:01:35.499 00:01:35.509 periodically you've got to change these
00:01:36.879 00:01:36.889 I do mind about every three or four
00:01:39.609 00:01:39.619 months it will vary depending upon the
00:01:43.569 00:01:43.579 water and some other factors in your for
00:01:48.099 00:01:48.109 your boat so something you just got to
00:01:50.529 00:01:50.539 do if you want to protect your engine
00:01:53.169 00:01:53.179 it's a simple job there's it's a low
00:01:56.169 00:01:56.179 skill job nothing fancy about it so
00:01:58.410 00:01:58.420 we'll get going here and we'll be back
00:02:03.099 00:02:03.109 and touch you real quickly okay you'll
00:02:05.019 00:02:05.029 need some supplies depending upon the
00:02:08.109 00:02:08.119 sinks that you have my boat has two
00:02:10.540 00:02:10.550 different size sinks so get it by a
00:02:13.600 00:02:13.610 supply of zinc's i buy them in bulk
00:02:16.660 00:02:16.670 say if you
00:02:18.790 00:02:18.800 so this first one is a 3/8 by 2 inch
00:02:22.300 00:02:22.310 zinc and the other one that I have is a
00:02:25.470 00:02:25.480 5/16 by a 3/8 sink again depending up on
00:02:30.910 00:02:30.920 your boat engine these may or may not be
00:02:33.820 00:02:33.830 the correct size so I'll get a supply of
00:02:35.530 00:02:35.540 zinc's secondly you'll need some sort of
00:02:39.370 00:02:39.380 a plug because some of your zinc's may
00:02:44.140 00:02:44.150 be below the waterline of your cooling
00:02:47.350 00:02:47.360 system in your engine and you'll need a
00:02:49.900 00:02:49.910 way to keep the water from gushing out
00:02:54.250 00:02:54.260 so have some sort of a cork available
00:02:57.880 00:02:57.890 this is just a black cork that I rubber
00:03:01.060 00:03:01.070 cork that I got at the local hardware
00:03:02.470 00:03:02.480 store and you'll also need some teflon
00:03:08.080 00:03:08.090 tape to put on the threads of the zinc
00:03:12.460 00:03:12.470 holder when you reinsert it into the
00:03:15.490 00:03:15.500 heat exchanger and it's also good to
00:03:19.090 00:03:19.100 have a multimeter because once you've
00:03:21.759 00:03:21.769 reinstalled the zinc you need to double
00:03:24.430 00:03:24.440 check that there's continuity between
00:03:27.850 00:03:27.860 the zinc and the rest of the engine and
00:03:30.670 00:03:30.680 you'll need some wrenches on my boat
00:03:33.190 00:03:33.200 I need a 9/16 socket or box in ranch an
00:03:37.569 00:03:37.579 1116 socket or box-end wrench
00:03:40.830 00:03:40.840 additionally it's good idea to have some
00:03:43.660 00:03:43.670 sort of a tray because it's easy to
00:03:46.650 00:03:46.660 spill some cooling water as you remove
00:03:51.160 00:03:51.170 these zinc's so you can either put some
00:03:53.890 00:03:53.900 sort of a tray or pan or something
00:03:57.280 00:03:57.290 rather underneath the heat exchanger to
00:03:59.500 00:03:59.510 catch the water that you spill or you
00:04:01.600 00:04:01.610 can hand or you can stuff a big towel
00:04:03.819 00:04:03.829 underneath it I usually use a towel just
00:04:09.330 00:04:09.340 seems easier so once you've got those
00:04:13.240 00:04:13.250 supplies then we're ready to go to work
00:04:15.729 00:04:15.739 here ok step one is to close your raw
00:04:19.719 00:04:19.729 water intake valve so that you when you
00:04:23.830 00:04:23.840 remove these zinc's there's a minimum
00:04:25.870 00:04:25.880 amount if any water pressure
00:04:29.480 00:04:29.490 coming out of the the heat exchanger so
00:04:32.790 00:04:32.800 in my boat I've got one intake valve at
00:04:36.330 00:04:36.340 the raw water and then back at the
00:04:37.860 00:04:37.870 stuffing box I've got a water injection
00:04:43.230 00:04:43.240 site so I'll close that valve so close
00:04:46.410 00:04:46.420 any and all raw water cooling intake
00:04:50.220 00:04:50.230 valve step one we're gonna start with my
00:04:53.550 00:04:53.560 heat exchanger for my cooling system
00:04:55.950 00:04:55.960 it's right here this rather large heat
00:04:59.130 00:04:59.140 exchanger it says no step on it and the
00:05:02.250 00:05:02.260 zinc is right over here and it's clearly
00:05:04.890 00:05:04.900 labeled zinc so you can't miss it so
00:05:08.130 00:05:08.140 we're gonna remove that and because this
00:05:10.770 00:05:10.780 is above the cooling system water line
00:05:13.550 00:05:13.560 there's no water gushing out when I
00:05:16.110 00:05:16.120 remove this so you can just remove it
00:05:20.340 00:05:20.350 and you don't have to panic about water
00:05:22.080 00:05:22.090 gushing in so all I have to do is put a
00:05:25.230 00:05:25.240 in my case on this with zinc and 11:16
00:05:29.040 00:05:29.050 socket or boxing wrench on it and then
00:05:31.980 00:05:31.990 simply unscrew it it's very nothing to
00:05:34.980 00:05:34.990 it so here's the zinc removed and
00:05:37.970 00:05:37.980 depending upon how long it's been in and
00:05:41.310 00:05:41.320 other factors it will either be slightly
00:05:46.100 00:05:46.110 dissolved or or a large amount dissolved
00:05:49.710 00:05:49.720 so this has been about three or four
00:05:51.240 00:05:51.250 months and this one isn't too badly
00:05:53.930 00:05:53.940 dissolved but as long as I'm in here
00:05:56.640 00:05:56.650 I'll just go ahead and install a new one
00:05:58.580 00:05:58.590 to remove the old zinc just put your
00:06:01.610 00:06:01.620 socket or box in on the B zinc holder
00:06:05.640 00:06:05.650 this brass thing and then take some
00:06:08.730 00:06:08.740 pliers or vise grips and at the base of
00:06:12.690 00:06:12.700 the zinc where it's still nice and
00:06:14.550 00:06:14.560 strong down
00:06:17.420 00:06:17.430 I'm down close to where it's cruising
00:06:19.370 00:06:19.380 the plug but your vice grips on there
00:06:22.670 00:06:22.680 are some pliers and simply unscrew it
00:06:24.740 00:06:24.750 also take a pocketknife and clean off
00:06:27.860 00:06:27.870 any old teflon tape or sealant that may
00:06:32.000 00:06:32.010 be in those threads of that plug this is
00:06:35.330 00:06:35.340 what the zinc holder our plug looks like
00:06:38.420 00:06:38.430 once the zinc is removed the zinc
00:06:41.720 00:06:41.730 obviously is threaded and screws into
00:06:44.270 00:06:44.280 the inside of it and then this is what
00:06:47.150 00:06:47.160 screws into the heat exchanger so clean
00:06:49.580 00:06:49.590 those threads off you don't want to
00:06:50.900 00:06:50.910 build up sealant or teflon tape and then
00:06:54.770 00:06:54.780 screw in the new zinc you don't have to
00:06:57.380 00:06:57.390 get it super tight just get it in firmly
00:06:59.440 00:06:59.450 ok we've installed the new zinc into the
00:07:02.600 00:07:02.610 zinc holder and of course you do not put
00:07:06.260 00:07:06.270 teflon tape on the threads of the zinc
00:07:08.750 00:07:08.760 itself you only put teflon tape and just
00:07:10.940 00:07:10.950 one wrap on these threads one other
00:07:14.840 00:07:14.850 point I've noticed that more and more
00:07:16.960 00:07:16.970 marine channel Ares are selling this
00:07:19.880 00:07:19.890 entire unit the zinc and the plug holder
00:07:23.590 00:07:23.600 rather than selling you the individual
00:07:26.030 00:07:26.040 zinc switch and then you can reuse the
00:07:28.010 00:07:28.020 plug of course that's a ripoff don't
00:07:31.400 00:07:31.410 fall for it just buy a good supply of
00:07:33.410 00:07:33.420 the zinc's and then of course reuse this
00:07:36.140 00:07:36.150 brass holder and then lastly put one or
00:07:41.180 00:07:41.190 the very most two wraps of teflon tape
00:07:43.250 00:07:43.260 on those threads and then you simply
00:07:46.280 00:07:46.290 screw it back into the heat exchanger
00:07:47.540 00:07:47.550 and then we'll check for continuity so
00:07:52.070 00:07:52.080 back in a minute okay we've now screwed
00:07:53.930 00:07:53.940 in the zinc and I'm not going to take my
00:07:57.260 00:07:57.270 multimeter and put it on the continuity
00:08:00.830 00:08:00.840 setting and I'm going to put one probe
00:08:04.270 00:08:04.280 on the zinc holder and then the other
00:08:09.260 00:08:09.270 probe on another any other portion of
00:08:12.020 00:08:12.030 the engine and what you want to do is
00:08:14.300 00:08:14.310 make sure that there's continuity
00:08:15.410 00:08:15.420 because these inks won't do their job if
00:08:19.960 00:08:19.970 there isn't continuity between the zinc
00:08:25.250 00:08:25.260 holder and the body of the heat
00:08:29.480 00:08:29.490 exchanger
00:08:30.709 00:08:30.719 so you're simply making sure that that
00:08:33.920 00:08:33.930 teflon tape that's why you don't put too
00:08:36.619 00:08:36.629 much of the teflon tape on just put a
00:08:39.110 00:08:39.120 little bit on just one wrap at the most
00:08:42.139 00:08:42.149 - and that way when you tighten it you
00:08:46.490 00:08:46.500 get a metal to metal contact eventually
00:08:49.340 00:08:49.350 so don't over tighten this just get a
00:08:51.710 00:08:51.720 good firm all you need to do is make
00:08:53.900 00:08:53.910 sure that that it's tight enough it
00:08:57.559 00:08:57.569 isn't that it doesn't leak okay now
00:09:00.379 00:09:00.389 we're going to move on to the other two
00:09:02.090 00:09:02.100 sinks in my boat they're underneath the
00:09:05.800 00:09:05.810 engine internal waterline so we've got
00:09:09.350 00:09:09.360 to have our plug handy so that when we
00:09:13.009 00:09:13.019 remove them
00:09:13.910 00:09:13.920 we can quickly plug that hole to stop
00:09:16.790 00:09:16.800 the water from gushing out okay my boat
00:09:19.610 00:09:19.620 my transmission oil cooler is located
00:09:23.389 00:09:23.399 right beneath the main cooling system
00:09:26.420 00:09:26.430 heat exchanger so it's that right down
00:09:29.629 00:09:29.639 there that I'm touching with my toe and
00:09:31.340 00:09:31.350 the zinc is over there pretty much out
00:09:36.619 00:09:36.629 of view you can make it out there at
00:09:39.679 00:09:39.689 that far and on the left-hand side so
00:09:43.569 00:09:43.579 we're gonna shove some rags underneath
00:09:46.519 00:09:46.529 that and have our black rubber plug
00:09:50.179 00:09:50.189 handy and we're gonna remove that zinc
00:09:53.299 00:09:53.309 and then quickly shove the rubber plug
00:09:55.189 00:09:55.199 in there okay I've removed that
00:09:57.699 00:09:57.709 transmission cooler zinc and shove the
00:10:01.100 00:10:01.110 black rubber plug in so now we're going
00:10:03.740 00:10:03.750 to do just like we did in the other zinc
00:10:06.470 00:10:06.480 remove the old zinc clean the threads
00:10:09.699 00:10:09.709 give it us one or two wraps of teflon
00:10:13.129 00:10:13.139 tape and then reinstall it and same
00:10:16.579 00:10:16.589 thing check for continuity
00:10:17.900 00:10:17.910 okay my engine oil cooler is on the
00:10:22.519 00:10:22.529 starboard side of my engine this is it
00:10:24.170 00:10:24.180 right here you can see the the zinc plug
00:10:29.540 00:10:29.550 the brass piece there so I've shoved
00:10:33.319 00:10:33.329 some rags underneath there or big towel
00:10:35.420 00:10:35.430 actually and we're just going to take in
00:10:38.629 00:10:38.639 my case the 9/16 socket again or boxing
00:10:41.990 00:10:42.000 wrench
00:10:42.710 00:10:42.720 remove it install the new zinc of course
00:10:46.639 00:10:46.649 when you remove it you got to have your
00:10:47.600 00:10:47.610 your rubber plug handy because water
00:10:49.730 00:10:49.740 will come gushing out and remove the old
00:10:54.740 00:10:54.750 zinc once you have it out install the
00:10:57.139 00:10:57.149 new one
00:10:57.800 00:10:57.810 remove the old teflon tape put one wrap
00:11:01.280 00:11:01.290 of teflon tape on there and then
00:11:04.879 00:11:04.889 reinstall it the my last sink that I
00:11:08.360 00:11:08.370 just replaced a few minutes ago I had
00:11:10.519 00:11:10.529 trouble getting continuities and I had
00:11:12.319 00:11:12.329 put a little more teflon tape on him I'd
00:11:15.259 00:11:15.269 put a little bit more than one wrap and
00:11:17.269 00:11:17.279 I think that's why it had trouble making
00:11:19.280 00:11:19.290 contact but when I tightened it a little
00:11:20.960 00:11:20.970 bit further I then had continuity so
00:11:23.869 00:11:23.879 again just put one one wrap of teflon
00:11:28.340 00:11:28.350 tape on there okay you've completed it
00:11:30.949 00:11:30.959 it's not that difficult if it was a
00:11:34.069 00:11:34.079 little bit tricky at all for you the
00:11:35.269 00:11:35.279 first time around will be a lot easier
00:11:36.290 00:11:36.300 the second time around just do it every
00:11:38.840 00:11:38.850 three or four months depending upon your
00:11:40.850 00:11:40.860 particular conditions and that's it will
00:11:45.350 00:11:45.360 safe keep your engine one of the many
00:11:47.540 00:11:47.550 small things you can do to keep your
00:11:49.939 00:11:49.949 engine running well so good luck and
00:11:52.189 00:11:52.199 happy boating

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