Coolant Hose replacement on Westerbeke

[Craig Urquhart]

I've got a CD27 Westerbeke 13HP inboard with just over 500 hours. All the primary cooling hoses are original equipment. Although they look good and feel reasonably flexible, I worry that an age related failure may occur. Talking with the Westerbeke parts guy down in Portland, Maine, I got the advice to inspect each hose for internal and external cracking, and to replace hoses on an as needed basis.
Instinct tells me that age alone my be reason enough to replace these hoses. Anyone ever had a cooling hose failure, and if so, how old was the hose?..... Any opinions on replacement of cooling hoses would be greatly appreciated....
Craig Urquhart
Satu CD27 #272



Satu@gwi.net

[Lee H. Hodsdon]

Craig,

I have a 1984 CD 25D with a Westerbeke 10-2 which has the original hoses, still flexible with no sign of problems. I'll keep looking for flexibility and cracking, but till there is evidence of a problem I will not change them. It is my guess that the lack of flexibility and cracking is age related, maybe not.

Engine hours are about 1300 if my memory serves me well.

Sincerely,

Lee



lhodsdon@nh.ultranet.com

[Joe Sankey]

I've got a CD27 Westerbeke 13HP inboard with just over 500 hours. All the primary cooling hoses are original equipment. Although they look good and feel reasonably flexible, I worry that an age related failure may occur. Talking with the Westerbeke parts guy down in Portland, Maine, I got the advice to inspect each hose for internal and external cracking, and to replace hoses on an as needed basis.
Instinct tells me that age alone my be reason enough to replace these hoses. Anyone ever had a cooling hose failure, and if so, how old was the hose?..... Any opinions on replacement of cooling hoses would be greatly appreciated....
Craig Urquhart
Satu CD27 #272

Craig:
Our 28 had the Universal version, M18 (14hp). We had an overheating problem that baffled me. After inspecting, cleaning, and/or replacing everything in the fresh water cooling system, it ended up being a small (6" or so long) hose connecting the thermostat housing. The inner layer under the reinforcing wire had come loose, thereby creating a "check valve". Under throttle when water moved more forcefully, it simply shut down the flow. The point is, I'd replace as you have the time and materials to do it. Otherwise, something you can't see will come back to haunt you.
Joe



sankey@gulftel.com

[Ron]

I just replaced the raw water pump on my 1983 CD33. The hoses looked fine when inspected from the outside, but were easily damaged when I pulled them off the pipe nipples.

I replaced all the hoses involved, and based on what I saw I'm going to start a campaign of replacing the other original hoses on the boat.

Especially those big guys going to the cockpit drains.

Ron
S/V Audacity

Craig,

I have a 1984 CD 25D with a Westerbeke 10-2 which has the original hoses, still flexible with no sign of problems. I'll keep looking for flexibility and cracking, but till there is evidence of a problem I will not change them. It is my guess that the lack of flexibility and cracking is age related, maybe not.

Engine hours are about 1300 if my memory serves me well.

Sincerely,

Lee

rmccoy@mercury.interpath.com

[Jay Ankers]

Joe:

I know the hose you are talking about. On our M-18, I replaced all the hoses and when I got to that one it had a really tight bend in it. All the other hoses were large enough to use spiral wire reinforced hose from a hose and gasket distributor...but that one was too small to get a good replacement for without shopping around. It wants to kink when you put a new piece in place.

Check all hoses and be careful when you route new hoses so that they won't kink or wear on a moving part.

Jay.

Craig:
Our 28 had the Universal version, M18 (14hp). We had an overheating problem that baffled me. After inspecting, cleaning, and/or replacing everything in the fresh water cooling system, it ended up being a small (6" or so long) hose connecting the thermostat housing. The inner layer under the reinforcing wire had come loose, thereby creating a "check valve". Under throttle when water moved more forcefully, it simply shut down the flow. The point is, I'd replace as you have the time and materials to do it. Otherwise, something you can't see will come back to haunt you.
Joe