Ben Gartside, a really great mechanic in Sidney BC, suggested replacing the 90 degree fitting on the intake with a threaded T. With the straight part up. Then put a plug in the upper part that can be removed leaving a straight shot through the intake that you can easily clean out with a dowel or long screw driver.
Tom Buscaglia S/V Alera 1990 C&C 37+/40 Vashon WA P 206.463.9200 C 305.409.3660 > On Aug 9, 2019, at 5:05 AM, cnc-list-requ...@cnc-list.com wrote: > > Message: 1 > Date: Fri, 9 Aug 2019 07:44:18 -0400 > From: David Knecht <davidakne...@gmail.com> > To: CnC CnC discussion list <CnC-List@cnc-list.com> > Subject: Stus-List plugged engine water intake > Message-ID: <7d9a9060-4c21-4ef0-862a-a7edea0b4...@gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" > > Last week on a cruise, we ran the motor while at anchor to warm the water > tank for showers. When we started the engine the next morning, I noticed the > sound of water from the exhaust seemed off and sure enough, a few minutes > later the engine began to overheat. We re-anchored and I went below to check > the strainer basket which had a bit of grass in it, but not enough to plug it > up. My wife (bless her heart) dove in and saw a big clump of seaweek > attached to the hull where the intake should be. She managed to clear it and > we got under way with no more trouble. One lesson is to be careful of > running the engine when the boat is at rest as I am sure you are much more > likely to suck stuff into the intake as opposed to when the boat is moving at > 6 knots (that has never happened to me). But the experience got me thinking > about how to resolve the problem of a plugged intake without swimming. Is it > possible to take the basket out of the water intake strainer and run > something flexible and stiff down the tube and clear the intake without > diving? I am thinking of stiff wire or something like the fiberglass snake I > use for running wires through small spaces. Anyone done this successfully? > Dave > > S/V Aries > 1990 C&C 34+ > New London, CT >
_______________________________________________ Thanks everyone for supporting this list with your contributions. Each and every one is greatly appreciated. If you want to support the list - use PayPal to send contribution -- https://www.paypal.me/stumurray
