Sea Strainer Install
 

Any pictures of sea strainer install for a Merc 496 would be greatly appreciated. Installation in a Nordic Rage would be particularly helpful. A Teague sea strainer is the plan.

Thanks for any help.

Geeze Bill, don't you ever quit tinkering and use your boat?:D

Hey Bob. At this point I would like nothing better than to quit tinkering. However I still have an engine oil temperature issue (270F - 290F) as well as a drive oil temp issue (270F) and Dave says that the transum sea water pickup is a bad idea on a steped hull because of areation so that is now on the shelf as a dedicated feed to the oil cooler. The option Dave proposed was to drill out the lower sea water pickup holes on the Bravo and plug the upper intake holes that are above water on trim out WOT to provide increased flow to the oil cooler. As a side issue he recomended that I add a sea water strainer if I drill out the holes. So I am looking into/preparing for it. None of that will happen if the -10 oil lines I will be installing next week bring the oil temperature down to tolerable levels. Thanks.

I agree with the sea strainer.

Plugging the upper holes on the drive, and drilling out the low water pickups on the nose will help a lot.

The ultimate solution is to get a IMCO lower. They notoriously produce tons of water flow. They are faster also.

Chris

P.S. My oil temps are the highest when running at about 2000 - 2500 rpm. I think this is because it is high enough in rpm range to produce load on the motor, and therefor heat, but not fast enough in the water to produce a lot of water flow to cool it.

What highest oil temperature do you see at 2000-2500 rpm and what during extended WOT?

190 - 195 at 2000 - 2500 rpm

165 - 170 at WOT

Chris

Chris,

Did you ever get a chance to see where your oil temperature sensor is located... ie before the oil cooler or after?

I forgot to do that, I will check this weekend.

Chris

Any pictures of sea strainer install for a Merc 496 would be greatly appreciated. Installation in a Nordic Rage would be particularly helpful. A Teague sea strainer is the plan.

Thanks for any help.

LEt me know before you buy. I have great pricing on some very nice strainers and will give you a very good deal.

I rep CP Performance and some new strainers by Livorsi.

Look forward to helping.

[email protected]

Kirk

Thanks Kirk.

I still am looking for a picture of an install on a 496HO/Mag closed cooling system.

I do know where it should be located versus the water pump etc. however the 1 1/4" steel cored hose required on the suction side of the water pump is not at all flexible and does not come with molded in bends like radiator hose. So I am curious how and where in the boat one would plumb the sea strainer to accomodate that fact and tap into the water intake hose between the transum and the water pump on a Merc 496HO/Mag closed cooling system which also has an air pressure actuated sea water drain valve assembly hooked up to the water intake hose in that same location. It is very a busy location

Has anyone ever done it on a Merc 496HO/Mag closed cooling system may be a better question?

Mine is like this: Mounted to the transom

Chris

Bill,
The way Chris has it is how I've done all Nordics. The fact you have a 496HO makes no difference as the water enters the boat and motor the same. If you have the red snap on hose pull it off and put in some 1-1/4 flex (one wire) hose and set it on the floor just as Chris has diagramed it.
Dave

That's the spot..............
Steve

Thanks Dave and Chris. This solves my issue regarding what flexable 1 1/4" plumbing will tolerate suction and how to use it to make the tight bends to fit a sea strainer between the transum inlet and the air operated drain valve.

Thanks Steve. I see it there in the lower left corner floor mounted. Looks like you have the heavy wall steel reinforced hose on the inlet side with a 45 degree fitting in the strainer. Can you tell me what hose and fitting in the strainer is on the outlet side?

Thanks for the reminder that the 600sci and other Merc motors also have the same closed cooling system. Did you use the single wire flexible 1 1/4" hose Dave mentioned to connect up your strainer as you diagramed or other?

Rage,

Yes

Chris

Thanks everyone.

Bill,
The same hose (1 1/4") and 45o fitting. 45os allowed me easier hose alignment.......
Steve

Thanks Steve.

When you get some time I'd like to know what prompted you to do this, a list of stuff necessary along with approximate costs and how difficult the install was.

I have the same boat with a stock 496 ho and I boat in shallow water. I think I'm due to replace the pump itself because a new impeller doesn't keep engine temp cool enough at wot.


Thanks much!

Hi Bill,
I hope you got this worked out. My setup is different than yours because I have an open system, but maybe this will be of some value.
I run an Imco lower, which will send your water pressure through the roof. It is not a bad thing if you manage it. Just a heads up because I have blown head gaskets and water pump housings before we adjusted my cooling system to it.
Step 1 is to use the Merc, or another water pressure relief to dump excess water above 30PSI. I am also using my raw water system to cool the drive shower, and I am taking water off the back end of the intake manifold on both sides. I have a Teague strainer on the intake line before the water pump housing. My pump impellers seem to last longer with this setup, and my oil temps are reasonable at WOT, like 190. Very cool at cruise, like 120/140. My sender is after the cooler.
I have run the DWP XR lower. It takes care of excess water pressure by just bleeding the excess out of the side intakes at high speed. If you think about it, for Mercury that's a good thing becuse hulls and X dimensions are different. The IMCO SC lower is faster, but it does create high water pressure. Not a bad deal if you manage it properly.
Regards,
Steve