Overheating Atomic 4- Marsolve flush

[JDAM]

My old raw water cooled A4 is begining to overheat. The thermostat is fine, replaced the water pump and outflow is excellent. I suspect internal build up of 30 years of salt. Has anyone successfully flushed their A4 with Marsolve or similar product.

Any help would be appreciated.

[msl]

Read this month''s issue of "Good Old Boat" (available at West Marine or go online to find other locations where sold).
It has an in depth article about that very issue.
regards,
Mark L.

[JDAM]

Thanks Mark..I''ll get the mag. but can you tell me some idea if it was described as a reasonable thing to do.

I''ve been warned that I may make things worse by floating more blockage through the system, or creating a ''burn through'' type leak.

Regards,
Jim

[msl]

Jim, you may consider asking someone at Moyer Marine. They claim to be "totally committed to the Atomic-4" engine.

www.moyermarine.com or (717) 625-3891

Hope this helps.

[JohnBassett]

Jim
We recently successfully flushed our raw water cooled Universal 11 HP diesel using a dockside hose. Bought garden hose repair kits with hose barbs sized for the water pump outlet hose where it enters the block and the thermostat housing outlet hose. Connected dockside hose to one of these and then used water pressure to flush in both directions (in the block and out the thermostat housing hose into a pail(thermostat removed) and in the thermostat housing and out the block at the water pump outlet hose. If there is a bypass to a heat exhanger in a hot water tank, you have to crimp this hose off to make water go into the block. Must also ensure that water does not get into the muffler and fill it and cause it to back up into the engine as you can cause hydraulic lock. The flush worked quite well and we did not have to resort to the next option which was flush using muriatic acid recirculating through the block. However, it took a lot of flushing to get clean water without scale and crud coming out of the block.
Hope this helps.

[tashtego27]

I did TASHTEGO''s motor with oxalic acid and one of the little pumps that works on a drill motor. Two gallons of hot water and a box (1 lb) of powdered oxalic acid from the hardware store. Worked fine. Made the solution in a 5 gallon plastic bucket. Removed the thermostat. Removed the cooling hose from the water pump and plumbed the drill motor pump into the inlet. Removed the hose to the exhaust and plumber back to the bucket. Filled the motor up and let sit for 30 mins. then recycled until outlet was more or less clear. Total of three treatments then flushed with a box of baking soda in 2 gals hot water to neutralize the acid. I did it because I was converting to fresh water cooling using the Indigo kit.

[bgotbaum]

Jim,

I have very recent experience w/ Marsolve. I simply closed the seacock, removed the in-flow hose and inserted into a bucket of 1:1 solution (water and marsolve). I ran the engine until I saw marsolve coming out of the exhaust pipe, shut the engine down and waited 2 hours. I then re-hooked the in-flow to the seacock, opened it up and started the engine. I went from virtually no water to over 3 gallons / minute. I am one happy sailor, and best of all it only cost $25.00.

happy sailing, GG Charleston,SC