Mercruiser or aftermarket engine heat exchanger?

[...bill]

5.7L Mercruiser inboards, 1997 vintage. Full closed fresh water system. Rear mounted heat exchanger.
While recently replacing exhaust manifolds and risers, decided to remove the engine heat exchanger and have it cleaned and pressure tested.
It looked nice, but radiator shop said 2 tubes leaked. Had them block those off, but further pressure testing revealed 4 more leaking tubes. Radiator guy told me he said a prayer for the heat exchanger when he realized it was not savable.
As there are 2 identical engines, we're going to replace both heat exchangers.
Went pricing and found aftermarket in the range of $550 each. Mercruiser is about 2X the cost. Is there any reason to avoid aftermarket engine heat exchangers? Is the metallurgy different? Would like to use aftermarket if equivalent to Mercruiser.
If I was a betting man, I'd guess one or more of the aftermarket guys OEM to Mercruiser.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
...bill

 

[tpenfield]

5.7L Mercruiser inboards, 1997 vintage. Full closed fresh water system. . . . Is there any reason to avoid aftermarket engine heat exchangers? Is the metallurgy different? Would like to use aftermarket if equivalent to Mercruiser.
If I was a betting man, I'd guess one or more of the aftermarket guys OEM to Mercruiser.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
...bill

Sea Kamp or San Juan Engineering (SJE) would be 2 popular brands of heat exchangers. I don't think Mercruiser actually makes heat exchangers; they just buy them (probably from Sea Kamp) and 2X the price. So, the metallurgy or overall quality would be no different.

I run the SJE exhangers on my Mercruisers.

 

[Scott Danforth]

its just copper tubing and a stamped bunch of copper plates. the top 10 tubes are 90/10 coper-nickle on the oem heat exchangers for wear

for 1997, the two companies making heat exchangers for Mercruiser were Monitor in Brooksville Florida and Champ in Sarasota florida with about 60% being champ and about 40% being Monitor

San Juan never made heat exchangers for mercruiser on the OEM side

there are many companies that make heat exchangers for marine engines. in addtion to Monitor and Alfa Laval - sarasota (formerly Champ) there is R&D in Michigan, Sen-Dur in florida, San Juan in Washington, Sea Kamp in Washington and about a dozen will-fit makers that pop up here and there.

 

[FreeBeeTony]

Heard good things about this co:

 

[...bill]

Thank you for the replies.
So, I gather, aftermarket is an OK alternative to genuine Mercruiser heat exchangers.

 

[Scott Danforth]

the only thing "Genuine" about mercruiser heat exchangers is they come thru genuine mercruiser channels in a genuine Mercruiser box

Mercruiser buys them..... granted they buy 300 at a time of a single part number and there are over 1500 mercruiser part numbers for heat exchangers, however they buy them.

 

[...bill]

Bought Seakamp as the factory in WA is not far from me. Luckily, I have a popular heat exchanger. They are able to drop ship to me with delivery in one day. Ordered through a local distributor and Seakamp doesn't sell retail. Still hope to get in the water this weekend. Thanks for the help.
...bill

 

[...bill]

No Title

Is it good policy to drain the seawater from the heat exchanger during the off season? This boat sits in salt water year round in a boat house. No chance of freezing, but not sure if its healthier empty.

By the way, here's a pic of new and old. The Seakamp was a perfect drop-in for the Mercruiser part. Only difference I can see is Seakamp has a much bigger zinc, and the paint is flat black instead of Mercruiser shiny black.