SeaCore

[marfi 0]

I have a monterey 278sc with a 350 Mag engine, i need to know if i can change to seacore system using the same engine (exemple a seacore kit), or there is any kit using fresh water to remove the inside salt water in the engine.

[Ian 0]

1. SEACORE

Mercruiser do not make a kit to fit SeaCore to an existing engine.

 

Basically, SeaCore comprises of 3 sections:

a)= the standard Mercruiser closed cooling kit (+ a modified engine flush system)

= all the drive leg case, trim and transome mount castings are hard-coat anodized

c)= use of other stainless steel hardware, mounts etc.

 

(Volvo, with their DPX Ocean Series, went a different direction and used composite plastics to mould the drive leg case in an attempt to reduce corrosion – but I believe it has now been withdrawn from the market (at least outside the USA)

 

 

2. CLOSED COOLING

Mercruiser (and other “aftermarket” companies) do make “closed cooling” kits which can be fitted to your engine

 

In the 350MAG this use a mixture of fresh water and anti-freeze with a heat exchanger to cool the block, heads and exhaust manifolds.

 

The exhaust risers (if fitted), heat exchanger and water pick-up are still exposed to sea water.

 

If you do fit the closed cooling kit, you must also re-programme the computer chips in the ECM. Apparently the closed cooling system changes some operating temperatures in the engine and the ECM needs to allow for this. This is NOT included in the kit price. The ECM must either be replaced or removed and shipped back to Mercruiser for re-programming.

 

Also, if you fit these kits, you need an additional water pickup for each engine

 

I recently looked at fitting closed cooling to my (1998) 355SY with 2 x 350MAG-MPI-Bravo3. Approximate cost was AU$3500 per engine x 2 = AU$7000 (or approximately US$6500). I didn’t proceed with the conversion as I couldn’t justify the cost

 

The Mercruiser Installation Manual (section 5) gives a very good description (and water flow diagrams) of the various motor / cooling variations. (If you purchased the boat new, this manual on CD, should have been included with your Monterey Owner’ Information Pack. If you don’t have it, please let me know through the messages section and I will organise a copy = 45mb .pdf file)

 

 

3. ANOTHER OPTION

If you keep your boat out of the water (see your profile picture), WHY do you want to have SeaCore / Closed cooling?

If you flush the motor as per Mercruiser manual with fresh water after each , this will be the BEST method to keep your engine from corroding. If you are worried about salt deposits, just flush your motor with a salt-neutralizing solution (similar to Salt-Away, NeutraSalt etc.

 

If you leave the boat permanently in salt water (like mine), it is nearly impossible to flush the motors with the Mercruiser method. The legs are so far back under the swim platform you would need to scuba dive to fit the flushing device to the raw water intakes.

I have fitted the Volvo Penta QL NuetraSalt system to my Mercruisers. Cost was approximately AU$750 x 2 engines = AU$1500. This is the same system they fit as standard to all Volvo engine installations

Mercruiser here in Australia said it wouldn’t void my warranty (although they wouldn’t put it in writing)

It has only been fitted for 6months so I can’t tell you if it is reducing and corrosion in the long term but I did have it fitted to another boat (fitted with a Volvo 5.7GXi-B DuoProp) for over 6 years without any problems.

 

 

Hope this helps, sorry it was such a long answer

Enjoy your boat in January

 

P.S. Did you know the Mercruiser 350 and Volvo 5.7 is basically the same motor? (from Chevrolet)

 

 

[marfi 0]

 

Hi,

 

i already contact the factory, here in Europe Mercury is represented by Touron, i already have the price you are talking about, is 2500 € ( almost 3500 US $), and the boat will be all year in salt water, i have a celebrity boat 220cc and i bought in August a Mercury 4.3mpi seacore with a BravoIII unit, and i love the engine, that boat is on the water as we speak, and i don´t have any problem on the engina ( a litle lie, the analogic smartcraft don´t work, but i do know that´s because i have to reprogram the engine also the Navman Chartplotter for Smartcraft engines don´t work as well), so the basic problem is i need a solution to clean my engine, and you help me a lot because i didn´t want only one opinion( by Turon) Thanks