I have been working with another contractor on getting a 3900 Manitowoc that they bought moved and set up on one of thier jobsites. We have a pretty serious coolant leak on the engine air intake side . Its coming out of a weep hole on one of the coolant pipes ,im thinking this indicates coolant entering the intake air. First pic shows the leak. Is this cooler something a rad shop can repair or are we looking for parts?Just trying to get an idea of the magnitude of this repair.
I think you might need an aftercooler core. I'm not sure even a radiator shop could repair that if the leak is deep inside the core.
Thanks Nige for the quick response. I think some shop and parts manuals might be the next order of business. Im wondering if we are last guys in North America running a 343
A few. The marine 33B is still plying the cold waters of the North. Parts are ridiculously expensive and hard to source.
If it was mine I would bypass the cooler and carry on. I doubt you’d notice the difference.
I hear what your saying about just bypassing that cooler. Its not my first choice to do a hack N slash on an engine like that. Ive had a new developement,I have found a couple of 343 s that run and a raft of parts for them from a friend thats repowering his tug. I know used stuff usually contains the wore out parts you need ,but out of 3 used coolers im hoping 1 will test out ok.
My 2 cents I think before i condemed the aftercooler I would drain the coolant and check the seals and elbow I seem to remember the elbows getting groved from the o-rings
Good point. The machine had sat for a long time ,might be O rings. We will definitely check them first. This has been an interesting project. Im not a mechanic,just spent my working life around this kind of stuff. Im coaching some young guys in doing the work ,but they are educated in todays ways . They are keen ,smart and work hard. Its a pleasure to pass on some of the old ways to them and see them get the work done.
it is the best thing you can do. there is so much practical knowledge in your head and they are fortunate to get some of that.
Some days the inside of my head feels like the blender at full rpm
It is a small thing, but I am passing on basic welding fabrication practices to my nephew. He shows a real interest in it.
It’s not really a small thing. This country was built by the working classes building actual things and sadly that is changing. We don’t build much anymore. Especially our countries citizens. Not being political at all but even what we do build, what languages are you hearing around construction sites. We need to do a better job at teaching our youth, how to build and fix actual things. Not throw them away and buy another. It is hard when most stuff we buy, is designed to be thrown away at a set life expectancy.