As the summer fades... boaters have a habit of ignoring their boats until they need them again in spring. This is more true in the warmer climates than in the northern climates where the possibility of freeze damage forces at least some sort or preventative maintenance. Encouraging owners to winterize is no easy task.
   Even though every boater, who buys a boat from us, receives a thorough explanation of how and when certain maintenance has to be done...
  It is often my task to inform many a boat owner that they had not winterized their boat properly for storage and that damage had to be repaired.

Above... is a new Volvo exhaust pipe.

What's left of an 8 year old, Volvo exhaust pipe, used in salt water.
Note section missing that was covered by the exhaust hose and clamp.

Note blocked water passage on right.
See matching half, below.

Also note the way the cast iron stratifies which effectively creates an insulating barrier to the cooling water.

The thermostat above looks normal from this angle.

But after having to chip the thermostat from the housing, note the way it corroded against the housing and jammed in the half open position. This motor ran cool at idle and overheated at full throttle.

And if you thought that this thermostat housing was dropped and that's why the hose fittings of the thermostat housing are broken off... you are wrong. The cast iron broke off and stuck to the rubber hoses when they were removed.

So what is the outcome of cooling system damage by salt? Serious internal engine damage is usually the outcome of a neglected cooling system.

The End.
(Or maybe just the beginning.)

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