sea strainer for I/O or inboard

[cdavisdb]

Anybody use a sea strainer in line with the engine water pickup in an inboard or I/0? size?
I just installed an oil cooler and it is getting clogged, need some kind of strainer.

thanks

[Tashmoo2]

You should have a strainer on all sea water intakes after the sea cox, especially if your scoop on the intake is a clam shell with the wide slots. Some boats just use the the intake scoop with small holes in it. I have the scoop with small holes and strainer on all my intakes. It might be overkill but I have never had a problem in 30 years.

[cdavisdb]

What size is your engine and what size is the strainer in line with it?

[Islandtrader]

A little different animal...but on my inboard 350 gmc, I used a Groco strainer with a bronze filter. I believe the cylinder was glass and you could see into the filter so you could tell if it needed rinsing or not. The new ones have a synthetic filter...

Strainer

[Tashmoo2]

My seacraft is an 18 ft outboard. The strainers are on a 36 ft sportfisherman. Stainer has 2" hose connections which are sized for the engine raw water pump. Go to Hamilton Marine and you will see 3 pages of strainer and scoop options. I would size according to your raw water pump inlet. Intake scoop is up to you. My intake scop on the wash down pump is a slotted scoop.

Get a strainer which has extra connection that allows you to flush engine with fresh water and add anti freeze for winter without disconnecting the hose from sea cox. It is also more convenient for cleaning heat exchanger. You can add Rydlyme or other product without having to remove heat exchanger or hoses.

[Tashmoo2]

Island Trader is right about the clear plexiglass cover so you can see what is going through. The flush connection is a little more $ but a very nice feature. flusing the engine ever time you use it will save on heat exchanger cleaning later.

I would also mount at same level as the raw water pump because it makes priming a lot easier.

[cdavisdb]

Thanks all,

A Groco it will be, my strong preference. Size is what I'm not sure of, I'll look at Hamiltons. I have a 3/4 thruhull with scoop already in the boat and not used. The pump has 1 1/4 going into it. I think I'm going to try to use it with a Groco 1250 and 1 1/4 inch fittings and see if it will provide high enough water pressure. I'll be able to tell real fast with my pressure guage. If not, I'll find a place for a bigger thruhull. My existing flush set up will work fine I think.

Anybody else use something like this?