How does a closed cooling system work on a boat?

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Most newer marine engines use an enclosed cooling system. This means that there is a small tank on the top of the engine that uses a combination of fresh water and coolant. This fresh water is circulated through the engine and through a heat exchanger. The fresh water, in this system, absorbs the heat of the engine.

What is a closed loop cooling system in a boat?

Closed Loop Cooling Systems Generally this means the salt-water gets sucked up and ran through a series of heat exchangers. On one side of the heat exchanger you have salt-water, and on the other side you have “coolant”. The coolant runs through the engine, avoiding any salt-water from running through the block.

What is a closed cooling system?

Unlike in a car where the antifreeze/water circulates through an air-cooled radiator, a closed cooling system uses lake or ocean water flowing through a heat exchanger to remove heat from the engines cooling water/antifreeze mixture.

How do you winterize a closed cooling system on a boat?

Remove the raw water intake hose from the seacock (this is sometimes difficult, as hose clamps and hoses may be mechanically frozen in place) and insert the end into the antifreeze in the bucket. Start the engine and run at idle until antifreeze discharges from the exhaust outlet for 30 seconds or more.

How do you flush a Marine closed cooling system?

1- Remove t-stat and replace cover housing using a spare gasket. 2- Remove HX (might as well clean and have pressure tested.) 3- Purge old AF out of engine with pump into 5 gal bucket. 4- Use an acid resistant pump and circulate Rydlyme through engine block to clean cooling passages.

What are the advantages of sealed cooling system?

Closed systems also reduce corrosion problems drastically, because the recirculating water is not continuously saturated with oxygen, as in an open system. The only points of possible oxygen entry are at the surface of the surge tank or the hot well, the circulating pump packings, and the makeup water.

What is a water jacket on a boat?

: an outer casing which holds water or through which water circulates to cool the interior specifically : the enclosed space surrounding the cylinder block of an internal combustion engine and containing the cooling liquid.

What is the difference between an open and closed cooling system?

Open towers use an efficient, simple, and economical design. All components in an open system must be compatible with the oxygen introduced via the cooling tower. Closed circuit cooling towers completely isolate the process cooling fluid from the atmosphere.

Do you need to winterize a closed system boat?

Many popular Mercruiser sterndrive and inboard engines use a closed cooling system that adds many years to the engine’s life but requires a bit more care than open systems. Winterizing time is the perfect opportunity to take care of the closed cooling system, helping you ensure a trouble-free boating season next year.