Marine Engine Cooling Systems Course
This course teaches you to understand, maintain and diagnose marine engine cooling circuits, from the seacock to the heat exchanger and the wet exhaust. You will learn to resolve overheating with a clear method.
Prior knowledge check
These are the skills this program gives you. Tick the ones you already master and we will tell you which part of the syllabus is for you.
You are starting from scratch in this subject. The program is designed precisely for that.
What is the Marine Engine Cooling Systems Course?
This short course teaches you to understand, maintain and diagnose the cooling circuits of marine engines, from the seacock to the heat exchanger and the wet exhaust. You will interpret open and closed circuit diagrams, maintain neoprene impeller pumps and centrifugal pumps, clean tube-bundle heat exchangers and oil coolers, manage antifreeze, pH and inhibitors, and diagnose overheating with infrared thermometer readings.
What sets this course apart: the complete circuit, raw water and fresh water; heat exchangers, with cleaning, testing and descaling; pumps, from impellers to centrifugal units and mechanical seals; diagnosis through temperatures, flow rates and pressures; and an applied case in which you resolve an overheating problem.
Program highlights
- Complete circuit: raw-water and freshwater systems explained end to end.
- Heat exchangers: dismantling, chemical cleaning, testing and descaling.
- Pumps: flexible impellers, centrifugal pumps and mechanical seals.
- Wet exhaust: injection elbow, waterlock and gooseneck heights.
- Diagnosis: temperatures, flow rates and pressures measured at each component.
- Applied case: a documented solution to overheating on a cruising diesel.
Syllabus of the Marine Engine Cooling Systems Course
5 modules. Select a module to see its content.
Principles of marine cooling
- 1.1. Heat balance of the diesel engine: heat to coolant, oil, exhaust and air
- 1.2. Direct raw-water cooling versus indirect cooling with a closed circuit
- 1.3. Circuit components: seacock, valve, raw-water strainer, pump and discharge
- 1.4. Materials and corrosion: bronze, cupronickel, aluminum and galvanic couples in seawater
- 1.5. Reading the manufacturer's cooling diagrams and reference operating temperatures
Raw-water circuit
- 2.1. Seacocks and through-hulls to ISO 9093, raw-water strainers and periodic cleaning
- 2.2. Flexible impeller pumps: dismantling, impeller renewal, wear plate and gasket
- 2.3. Impeller debris in the circuit: locating and removing it from heat exchangers and elbows
- 2.4. Reinforced hoses, double clamping and prevention of collapse under suction
- 2.5. Vented loop and prevention of water entering the engine through the exhaust
Closed circuit and heat exchangers
- 3.1. Tube-bundle heat exchanger: dismantling, chemical cleaning and leak testing
- 3.2. Engine oil coolers, gearbox coolers and charge-air aftercoolers
- 3.3. Freshwater centrifugal pump, mechanical seal, belts and correct tensioning
- 3.4. Thermostats: opening temperature, bath test and the effect of a stuck thermostat
- 3.5. Coolant: OAT and hybrid types, concentration, refractometer measurement and renewal
Wet exhaust and keel coolers
- 4.1. Water injection elbow, waterlock, silencer and gooseneck
- 4.2. Designing exhaust heights relative to the waterline to prevent water entering the engine
- 4.3. Keel coolers and hull cooling: applications, sizing and maintenance
- 4.4. Pencil anodes in heat exchangers and coolers: checking and renewal frequency
- 4.5. Exhaust hoses to ISO 13363, gas temperatures and water flow alarms
Diagnosis and practical case
- 5.1. Measuring temperatures with an infrared thermometer at the inlet and outlet of each component
- 5.2. Diagnosis by raw-water flow: bucket test at known RPM and comparison
- 5.3. Detecting combustion gas leaks into the coolant, head gasket faults and circuit pressure testing
- 5.4. Temperature alarms, senders, analog gauges and digital engine panels
- 5.5. Practical case: documented resolution of overheating on a cruising diesel engine
Duration and format of the Marine Engine Cooling Systems Course
It is 300 hours. Tell us how many you can study each week and we will tell you when you will really finish.
This is the pace at which most students finish. It fits well with the installment plan.
Academic leadership and faculty
The Navalis teaching team: working professionals who teach and supervise the programs.
Dr. Marina AlcoverAcademic Director and Head of Quality Assurance
Eng. Diego CifuentesSenior Lecturer in Naval Welding and Non-Destructive Testing; Head of QA/QC for Welded Joints
Capt. Javier Abaroa (MCA)Senior Lecturer in Ship Handling, Electronic Navigation (ECDIS/Radar/ARPA) and GMDSS; STCW Compliance and Bridge Resource Management Coordinator
Dr. Pau FerrerSenior Lecturer in Naval Architecture and Simulation; Director of the Hydrodynamics and CFD Laboratory
Dr. Nuria LlobregatSenior Lecturer in Marine Meteorology, SAR and Operational Safety; Navigation Risk Management Coordinator
Eng. Javier BañulsSenior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering, Automation and ETO Engineering; Electronic Integration and Engine Alarms Coordinator
Eng. Sofía MarquinaSenior Lecturer in Materials, Composites and Corrosion Protection; Coordinator of the Advanced Paints and Coatings Line
Eng. Tomás RieraSenior Lecturer in Propulsion, Alternative Energy and Hybrid Systems; Energy Performance and Vibration CoordinatorObjectives of the Marine Engine Cooling Systems Course
Career opportunities after the Marine Engine Cooling Systems Course
Questions about the Marine Engine Cooling Systems Course
It depends on the manufacturer and on use, but it is usually checked annually or by running hours. The course explains how to assess its condition and what to do with the debris from a broken impeller.
Because of an exhaust design with insufficient heights or without a vented loop. Module 4 explains the heights, the waterlock and the gooseneck.
Yes. It details dismantling, chemical removal of scale, leak testing and reassembly with new gaskets.
Yes. The principles of cooling are shared, although the course focuses on cruising diesel engines, which are the most common.
Yes. Module 4 explains where keel coolers and hull cooling are used, how they are sized and how they are maintained.
The course is taught online and comprises 300 hours of study across 5 modules of about 60 hours each and ends with an applied practical case.
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Admission process
No waiting for a call back. If your documents are in order, you can enroll in the same session.
- Profile: aimed at marine engine mechanics, technical yacht crew, motorboat owners, boatyard technicians and industrial or automotive mechanics who want to maintain marine cooling circuits and diagnose overheating with sound judgment.
- Language: sufficient command of English to follow the classes and the technical documentation.
- Technical resources: a computer with a stable internet connection, an up-to-date browser and a camera for live sessions and project presentations.
- Admission: enrollment is open all year round; online application, review of your profile and a short interview with the academic team.
- 01ApplicationYour details, background and documents.
- 02Instant reviewWe check that everything is complete and in order.
- 03EnrollmentChoose full payment or instalments and reserve your place.
Admission is provisional until the committee validates the documents provided. If you do not meet the requirements, the full amount is refunded.
Ask us before you enroll
Leave your details and admissions will write to you to answer any questions. If you are already sure, you can apply and pay in the same session.