3JH4E Overheating at low RPMs - Any ideas?

BrianH

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Feb 14, 2005
104
Hunter 44 LaSalle, MI
Impeller, new in Dec, looks great.
A new impeller a couple of months ago? Is it possible they replaced it because bits of it broke off and the pieces are now lodged further down the line? I've never had that issue, but I have read about others having that happen.
 
Apr 2, 2021
416
Hunter 38 On the move
Well something is seriously FUBAR here. I have hooked up an 1,100 gph bilge pump with the output of the pump going to the hose from the heat exchanger where I unhooked it from the elbow. It runs up to the siphon break, down to the heat exchanger. So a head of less than 3’ which should still be 1,000 gph. I hooked the return to my bucket onto the hose end I pulled from the output of the raw water pump. That is, its pumping (Barnacle Buster at 4:1 dilution) in reverse of normal water flow.

Or at least, it should be.

I’m getting a trickle. Literally on the order of a few teaspoons a minute output. The pump is working fine. Its a fountain when I unhook it.

This engine ran at full power for 5 minutes without showing abnormal temps anywhere in early April (I had a separate diesel survey done, temps checked with IR gun during run).

I have a new coolant pump I’ll pick up tomorrow, the current one has weep tracks below it, but right now that doesn’t look like the issue.
 
Apr 2, 2021
416
Hunter 38 On the move
Try it in the normal direction of water flow. Use a hose from the dock.
Its slightly better in that direction, maybe a pint or so a minute. Certainly not what I’d expect from 1,100 gph pump. I’ll let it run an hour or so this way around and see what happens.
 
Jul 23, 2009
917
Beneteau 31 Oceanis Grand Lake, Oklahoma
Have you checked the coolant in the actual heat exchanger, under the radiator cap? The coolant bottle can be full and the cooling system low. This usually happens because of a bad pressure cap.

Also make sure to burp the air out of the coolant side of the system. There is often a bleeder valve near the hot water heater.

From the resent posts above it sounds like you have identified a problem on the sea water side of things.
 

RoyS

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Jun 3, 2012
1,742
Hunter 33 Steamboat Wharf, Hull, MA
If it is a centrifugal pump it might not have enough pressure for this application. Put a dock hose to the line and see what happens.
 

RoyS

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Jun 3, 2012
1,742
Hunter 33 Steamboat Wharf, Hull, MA
Rethinking this; dock hose might have too much pressure. System is probably designed for 10 psi or so.
 

pilott

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Dec 19, 2016
9
Hallberg Rassy Rasmus 35 Kemah
Possibly parts of an old water pump impeller partiall clogging the inlet of the heat excjhanger?
 
Apr 2, 2021
416
Hunter 38 On the move
Replaced fw pump, raw water impeller, cover plate, o ring, thermostat, pressure cap, several hoses, and ofc all new coolant properly burped. Ran it 24-2500 for 10 hours tying to make bridge openings. Ran ok, little wisps, but only one overheat when I ran up to 2,800 for 5 mins or so to pass a barge.

Sea water pump does appear to have some corrosion on it. Will probably rebuild just to do it.

I tried to blow through the heat exchanger just for grins, not easy to get much air through it. I thought from the design I s/b able blow through it easily.
 

splax

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Nov 12, 2012
694
Hunter 34 Portsmouth
my first suggestion is clogged intake through hull, then clogged heat exchanger, thenworn impeller....
 
Jan 12, 2011
930
Hunter 410 full time cruiser
Replaced fw pump, raw water impeller, cover plate, o ring, thermostat, pressure cap, several hoses, and ofc all new coolant properly burped. Ran it 24-2500 for 10 hours tying to make bridge openings. Ran ok, little wisps, but only one overheat when I ran up to 2,800 for 5 mins or so to pass a barge.

Sea water pump does appear to have some corrosion on it. Will probably rebuild just to do it.

I tried to blow through the heat exchanger just for grins, not easy to get much air through it. I thought from the design I s/b able blow through it easily.
Well that 1 overheat is not acceptable
 
Jul 23, 2009
917
Beneteau 31 Oceanis Grand Lake, Oklahoma
I found 4 bits of old impeller blades that the previous owner left for me. I was not having overheating issues.

My motor is different than yours but it was an easy process. Disconnect batteries, remove belt cover, remove alternator, then remove heat exchanger cover. Remove impeller bits and clean oring. Reassemble.

If you haven't already, I would use some sort of chemical flush on both systems.
 

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Apr 2, 2021
416
Hunter 38 On the move
Ran the boat for essentially a week up to Brunswick at 2,300 to 2,400 making 5.8kts at .8 gph with no overheat.

I do seem to be going though a tiny bit of coolant, but need to explore that more. For now this issue is corrected, although I'll go back and IRAN various hoses etc on the motor as they look original.

Also I'm not a fine of the liberal use of pipe dope on fittings that are designed to seal mechanically. And A&P would have their ticket pulled for such transgressions. I'll get this motor up to aircraft standards this summer.
 
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Sep 30, 2008
96
Hunter 37.5 37.5 Norfolk
When I experienced a similar issue on my 37.5 with a 3JH2E I found the exhaust elbow almost totally clogged. I replaced and issue gone. I now keep a spare exhaust elbow and the piece that is utilized (all threaded coupling) to connect the elbow to the exhaust manifold.
 
Mar 4, 2019
140
Hunter 40.5 Baja
Ran the boat for essentially a week up to Brunswick at 2,300 to 2,400 making 5.8kts at .8 gph with no overheat.

I do seem to be going though a tiny bit of coolant, but need to explore that more. For now this issue is corrected, although I'll go back and IRAN various hoses etc on the motor as they look original.

Also I'm not a fine of the liberal use of pipe dope on fittings that are designed to seal mechanically. And A&P would have their ticket pulled for such transgressions. I'll get this motor up to aircraft standards this summer.
Hey there, I'm curious did you ever figure this out?
 
Apr 2, 2021
416
Hunter 38 On the move
Hey there, I'm curious did you ever figure this out?
Well I just ran from hilton head back down to ft pierce running 8-10 hours a day for a week at 2,400-2,500 and no over heating issues.

The last thing I replaced was the raw water pump, which I think finally fixed it. I suspect there was no smoking gun, just a bunch of old parts that were due.
 
Mar 4, 2019
140
Hunter 40.5 Baja
Well I just ran from hilton head back down to ft pierce running 8-10 hours a day for a week at 2,400-2,500 and no over heating issues.

The last thing I replaced was the raw water pump, which I think finally fixed it. I suspect there was no smoking gun, just a bunch of old parts that were due.
By raw water pump do you mean the impeller or part of the housing as well?