Can a 496HO Freeze Damaged Heat Exchanger be Repaired?
04-10-2007 | 01:23 PM
#11
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From: Merritt Island, Fl
If it is all brass/copper construction, you probably can get a radiator shop to tear it down. If it froze hard, chances are that tubes are completely split or crushed. You can do a pressure test with compressed air to get an idea of how big the leaks are and decide from there. If it is blowing wide open, you are probably out of luck for a repair. Around here, it's kind of hard to find a true radiator shop anymore. Most are radiator replacement shops.
Rene
Rene
04-10-2007 | 02:43 PM
#12
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From: Missouri
That was my thought as well. This weekend I will be testing it for the level of leakage and go from there. We still have one true radiator repair shop last time I checked but that was a while ago. Thanks Rene.
If it is all brass/copper construction, you probably can get a radiator shop to tear it down. If it froze hard, chances are that tubes are completely split or crushed. You can do a pressure test with compressed air to get an idea of how big the leaks are and decide from there. If it is blowing wide open, you are probably out of luck for a repair. Around here, it's kind of hard to find a true radiator shop anymore. Most are radiator replacement shops.
Rene
Rene
04-18-2007 | 05:26 PM
#14
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From: Missouri
How do you blow out the heat exchanger?
I have three that froze. I even cut one apart. It would be very costly to repair, if even, at all possible. Ended up getting new ones. If you do find someplace that will fix at a reasonable $, let me know. The problem with these are as follows; just draining system will not always get ALL the water out. I found out the hard way. I now either blow the system out with compressed air, and/or put anti freeze in the system for extended periods of storage for below freezing conditions.
Also, if someone can fix, will they stand behind the work?? Down time can be a pain, and waiting to get new ones takes time. And even people standing behind there work can also take time.
Also, if someone can fix, will they stand behind the work?? Down time can be a pain, and waiting to get new ones takes time. And even people standing behind there work can also take time.
10-29-2007 | 03:09 PM
#15
Rough Seas Lie Ahead
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From: Virginia Beach, VA
Curious as to how you solved your problem. Did you find a fix, or belly up the bucks for a new one? I'd like to know the quick solution should this ever happen to me or someone I know. Just finished my third season on my HO's and with my luck lately, who knows this could happen to me by next spring.....or anyone else for that matter. These motors are have been out long enough now that we're finally seeing/discovering their little maintenance quirks.
10-30-2007 | 10:29 AM
#16
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From: Missouri
Supercharging a 496 for big HP requires either a bigger heat exchanger or conversion to sea water cooling so there can be some used stock HE's availble if you are lucky. I was lucky.
I still have the old damaged HE and intend to try having a heat exchanger repair shop attempt a repair one of these days. I took a close look at the unit and it looks like it is brazed together versus soldered. Probably all a shop could do with this is identify the leaking tubes and solder them shut. This would of course reduce the cooling capacity of the unit. If I ever follow through I will publish the results here.
I still have the old damaged HE and intend to try having a heat exchanger repair shop attempt a repair one of these days. I took a close look at the unit and it looks like it is brazed together versus soldered. Probably all a shop could do with this is identify the leaking tubes and solder them shut. This would of course reduce the cooling capacity of the unit. If I ever follow through I will publish the results here.
Curious as to how you solved your problem. Did you find a fix, or belly up the bucks for a new one? I'd like to know the quick solution should this ever happen to me or someone I know. Just finished my third season on my HO's and with my luck lately, who knows this could happen to me by next spring.....or anyone else for that matter. These motors are have been out long enough now that we're finally seeing/discovering their little maintenance quirks.
10-31-2007 | 10:39 AM
#18
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From: Missouri
Yes if only one tube but could be more than just one damaged. I forgot the exact price but somewhere between $300 and $400.
11-01-2007 | 01:04 PM
#20
Lakeside Restorations.com
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From: NorthEastern, PA
Where did you get a Merc Oem one for 3-400 new?? They currently retail for 806.57 & I think the cheapest price currently out there on the web for a new one is still about 700 before freight.. Jamie / Lakeside
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We Make Fast Toys Faster, Cool Toys Cooler and Old Toys New!.. Performance, Custom & OEM Parts & much MORE![/CENTER]
