2010 Corvette LS3 Aftermarket Closed Cooling Install

[TheWalkersMalibuCrew]

We have a 2010 247LSV with a rebuilt (13 hrs) corvette ls3 engine and want to add a closed cooling system. Has anyone done this? We have looked through the threads and can’t find anything on this topic. Any help would be appreciated. 

PS: we purchased a “closed cooling system kit” from Hardin Marine, said it fit the LS3 (did not specify IO or v drive) and well... it doesn’t “fit”  and pretty sure at this point it is non-returnable so we are trying to figure out a way to install anyway. They sent us a horizontal mount and looks like we needed a vertical. Long story short yes we messed up and believed it would fit but the brackets would not attach to the heat exchanger because of a weld they didn’t grind down. Assuming it would work for our application since it is what we ordered, we modified the aluminum bracket (making it non-returnable).
Has anyone else had this issue and found a way to mount anyway?
Yes we realize we made a big mistake by modifying the bracket so please no comments 🤦🏻‍♀️

 

Edited October 19, 2019 by TheWalkersMalibuCrew
Add info

[Eagleboy99]

Try http://catalog.orcamarine.com/category/marine-cooling-system-kits?

[TheWalkersMalibuCrew]

2 hours ago, Eagleboy99 said:

Try http://catalog.orcamarine.com/category/marine-cooling-system-kits?

More info added to original post. Unfortunate part is we have a kit that is non-returnable. 🔝

[justgary]

1 hour ago, TheWalkersMalibuCrew said:

We have a 2010 247LSV with the corvette ls3 engine  and want to add a closed cooling system. Has anyone done this? We have looked through the threads and can’t find anything on this topic. Any help would be appreciated. 
 

I converted my 1999 Monsoon to closed cooling right after I bought it.  I checked on the Orca kits since that's what Indmar used but found them more expensive and harder to fit due to larger diameter.  I wound up with a Monitor Products kit that I have used for six years now with no problems at all.  I had to modify the mounting brackets they sent, but I found that both fun and easy since I have a few machine tools that like exercise.

I purchased from perfprotech.com because they offered a slight discount over a direct purchase from Monitor.  I would buy from them again.  They have several products that might work for you, and the key is to get the exchanger that will fit.  My direct drive did not have much room under the hood, so it took a bit of planning to make sure I could cram it in.  In the end, I didn't need to raise the hood at all.

https://www.perfprotech.com/gm-marine-fresh-water-cooling-systems-v6-v8/category/1285

https://www.perfprotech.com/high-performance-fresh-water-cooling-systems/category/1511

Here's my thread on it.  The photos have all been thoughtfully blurred by Photobucket, so you can write them a snotgram to thank them if you would like.

And here's a recent photo that shows the exchanger, reservoir, and Perfect Pass placement.  Let me know if I can help you.

 

[justgary]

2 hours ago, TheWalkersMalibuCrew said:

We have a 2010 247LSV with a rebuilt (13 hrs) corvette ls3 engine and want to add a closed cooling system. Has anyone done this? We have looked through the threads and can’t find anything on this topic. Any help would be appreciated. 

PS: we purchased a “closed cooling system kit” from Hardin Marine, said it fit the LS3 (did not specify IO or v drive) and well... it doesn’t “fit”  and pretty sure at this point it is non-returnable so we are trying to figure out a way to install anyway. They sent us a horizontal mount and looks like we needed a vertical. Long story short yes we messed up and believed it would fit but the brackets would not attach to the heat exchanger because of a weld they didn’t grind down. Assuming it would work for our application since it is what we ordered, we modified the aluminum bracket (making it non-returnable).
Has anyone else had this issue and found a way to mount anyway?
Yes we realize we made a big mistake by modifying the bracket so please no comments 🤦🏻‍♀️

 

I see that you added information.  If something doesn't fit because they didn't grind it, then grind it.  I would definitely modify anything I put on the engine before I modify the engine itself (unless it's a cheap part on the engine).  No reason to expect their kit to just bolt on when you can get a much better fit by customizing their brackets, etc.  I still have some kit parts in a box that I didn't use at all, and most of the parts I did use got modified in some way.  I would definitely do it all again to get what I got, since even Malibu's OEM closed cooling on my boat required a shim under the hood (and I don't need one).  I spent a few weeks on it, and a lot of the time was spent just holding parts in different places to see what would work.  It went quickly once I started fabricating actual brackets and bolting them on.

Perhaps you can call them and explain the situation.  Maybe they will take the kit back for a fee to cover the modified part.  If the exchanger will fit and plumb in correctly, I'd probably just make new brackets for it and keep what you have.