Bronze Mixing Elbow experience

[smokey73]

What are the thoughts on the forum on Bronze mixing elbows. I called HDI a few years ago and they do not make a stainless steel mixing elbow for my Yanmar 4JH2E 50 HP engine. They indicated that to their knowledge the mixing elbow on that model Yanmar is Bronze so its not much help to change to Stainless steel. I looked at the mixing elbow on my 1994 Hunter 40.5 and it appears to be bronze as they indicated. What has been the experience of those that have bronze mixing elbows as opposed to the carbon steel ones that appear to be the norm.

I have about 1260 hours on my engine and there does not appear to be any performance issues. I always make sure I run the engine to normal operating temperature when ever it is started and generally run at full throttle for a few minutes when I am motoring to blow out carbon. (Old habit from my farming days as a boy)

 

[Ken Cross]

It sounds like you are doing things right. Why fight success. Most of us have smaller engines with cast iron mixing valves.
I'm curious if you have ever removed it and looked inside? When I changed ours the exhaust path was down to the diameter of a pencil. Clearly, there was also a performance issue.

Ken

 

[Gunni]

You won’t know until you pull your exhaust hose off and look inside. Those elbows look fine from the outside. You are overdue for an inspection if you have not done so in the last 5 years.

 

[SG]

On the 4J...series of Yanmar diesels there used to two two options. The "Standard" and the "Bronze" elbow. The Bronze one didn't get blocked very often. That's clearly and advantage.

The issue for us to to get our heat exchanger ULTRASONICALLY cleaned. There really isn't any other equivalent for a variety of reasons. You wouldn't be able to tell by visually inspection or trying to route it mechanically. You also need to keep acid away from many of the non-bundle parts of the Yanmar heat exchanger. Even if you just keep the acid inside the copper section, the acid doesn't really clean the "coating" that interferes with the heat transfer.

My adivce, from personal experience: If you upgrade the elbow, go with the bronze if you motor a lot. Regardless, GO Ultrasonic at a radiator shop at the first sign of the temp starting to go up when you get to high operating RPM's and rule out the impeller/pump.