To fit or not to fit a heat exchanger on a new Mercruiser 4.3 MPI

G

glastronomic

Seaman
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Feb 9, 2011
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Like to know the pro's and contra's of fitting a heat exchanger system to a (new) Mercruiser V6 4.3lt MPI inboard.
Will it add to the engine in running better, a bit warmer due to recirculating glysol and lasting due to non corrosive seawater being used in heads.
Will it make it to complicated or is it the way to go?
It is at the Mercury dealer being fitted as I type and will have auto pilot system on it
 
achris

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: To fit or not to fit a heat exchanger on a new Mercruiser 4.3 MPI

Personally, I would go with closed cooling every day of the week. It means you don't have to worry about corroding heads, manifolds ect. The only downside is that you need to get the heat exchanger cleaned every few years. I put closed cooling on my '94 4.3LX and it's still running well today (in a friend's boat)... The only reason I didn't put in on my new engine (2006) was because the thieving dealer (Hitech) wanted over $4,000 for the kit.... :eek: and he convinced me I didn't need it... A decision I now regret.

Chris.....
 
Fun Times

Fun Times

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Re: To fit or not to fit a heat exchanger on a new Mercruiser 4.3 MPI

achris said:
The only reason I didn't put in on my new engine (2006) was because the thieving dealer (Hitech) wanted over $4,000 for the kit.... :eek: and he convinced me I didn't need it... A decision I now regret.

Chris.....
Click to expand...
May be the cost is due to some MPI engine models now require a different ECM or PCM for closed cooling vs standard cooling.

For example,
http://www.mercruiserparts.com/Show...nbr=13808&bnbr=40&bdesc=Electrical+Components
 
achris

achris

More fish than mountain goat
Joined
May 19, 2004
Messages
27,468
Re: To fit or not to fit a heat exchanger on a new Mercruiser 4.3 MPI

That's what I was told... I was also told the original ECM went back to Mercury... So I would expect to have got a credit on it, but no....... Anyway, I don't deal with those rip-off merchants anymore.... (Same shysters who quoted me $3,000 to put a new oil pan and timing cover on that engine.... 6 hours labour to fit the engine back in the boat... The same job it took me (on my own!!!) less than 2 hours to do.)

Chris....
 
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