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Crusader 350 Manifold Overheating

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Steveoh0660

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I have a 1983 Gibson Houseboat with dual Crusader 350 454ci engines. My starboard engine has a one manifold that is overheating and has now cracked. I ordered a replacement manifold (97115) for it. The other manifold is perfectly fine. The engine steams a little bit after being ran for a few minutes. once driven for a little while longer it began to steam a lot. It finally got to the point where the manifold cracked. Can anyone tell me any possible solutions? Is it possible that the manifold was just clogged up and wasn't allowing sufficient waterflow? Also, the U shape oil cooler is bypassed. I'm not sure why. It was like that when I bought it and the previous owner doesn't know why. I've already replaced the impeller.
 
If the one manifold was bad chances are the other is not far behind, I would replace both. The oil cooler being bypassed might have been because it developed a leak and some one did not want to spend the money to replace it. Take it to a radiator shop and have them pressure test it.
 
Assuming this refers to exhaust manifold...???

Is it fresh water cooled; ie does it have a heat exchanger?

any idea what the condition of the exhaust elbows are? any work done in that area recently?
 
That helps narrow it down somewhat.....assuming the heat exchanger is full of a reasonable mixture of coolant and water, I'd say its either insufficient water or a restriction causing the overheating...

Did this occur before or after the elbows were removed? Also, have you measured to volume of water the raw water pump provides?
 
Low raw water flow = steam

Low flow is from weak pump or clogging in U cooler (what part was bypassed?), clogged elbows, air pulled in before the pump (check for bubbles). Very occasionally, delaminated hose upstream of pump causing partial block.

Weak pump is less likely impeller, more likely scored cover or worn cam inside pump.

A big help is having a IR thermometer to measure in/out of coolant and raw water at the HE. Make a record and compare to the 2nd engine.
 
Usually, when one side runs hotter than the other, there's a blockage somewhere. With MORE than normal coolant getting to one side, it runs cooler than normal while the other side fries.

Jeff
 
Physically trace the plumbing to the exhaust manifolds and make sure that the failing one is plumbed the same way on the corresponding manifold on the other properly working engine. ( L and R manifolds on a given engine should be plumbed the same, but you never know)
 
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