Direct seawater cooling question.

LX Kid

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I've been running it with the hoses routed this way ever since I bought the boat about six years ago. Until yesterday I didn't even realize the right bank riser elbow was almost totally blocked by rust. Never overheated until it had sat in yard for two years. New riser elbows are "on-the-way" and should be here by Friday. Now I'll probably have to put a thermostat in her. LoL
 

achris

More fish than mountain goat
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See (#1) this post for the picture of hose routing.

No hoses going to the elbows (you don't have risers either), so you need full flow plates and gaskets.

Chris.....
 

LX Kid

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Ok I surrender. Risers, elbows, hoses going to, hoses going from! Will someone show me a riser and an elbow picture? All the parts I see on eBad are called riser elbows. The riser the square spacer that goes between the exhaust manifold and the elbow. There is an "90 degree elbow" that sits on a rubber boot atop the Y tube. When i removed the "elbows," atop the exhaust manifold, the gaskets were the two elongated style. It didn't heat up at all with them until the "elbows," sitting atop of the exhaust manifold, rusted closed on the outlet side. Hense forth they will be called "elbows!"

Something else I just remembered is on the thermostat I removed the center guts and re-installed. Stays kinda warm down here in Florida.
 
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JoLin

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Something else I just remembered is on the thermostat I removed the center guts and re-installed. Stays kinda warm down here in Florida.

Unless the water temperature in Florida is 140-160 deg, the thermostat should be there. Its job is to regulate the temperature of the water passing through the engine. Removing it can also mask overheat issues. You said one elbow is completely blocked by rust. Maybe that happened during the 2 year layup, or maybe it had already reached a critical point beforehand and you just didn't know it.

You're on the right track- get that cooling system straightened out, with everything in there that's supposed to be in there, so you have an accurate basis for what's really going on.

My .02
 

LX Kid

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It had a closed cooling system at one time or another. Somewhere is the last 32 years it was removed and was using seawater for cooling. Could be they are the original "elbows" and seawater took it's toll on them. Took some pics with my android but can't get them off the phone to post them. Sometime or another I was messing with the Gmail password and and screwed it up. Now I can't figure out what's wrong. Gotta go down to AT&T today and get it straightened out then I'll post some pics.
 
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LX Kid

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Now another question on the aluminum parts of the exhaust system. My "elbows" should arrive tomorrow and was wondering how to, and if I should, clean/scrape the oxidized corrosion off the Y pipe and give it a coating of high temp axle grease. This would probably help make a better seal on the new rubber boots. Last time out I noticed water drips on the Y pipe leaking down into the bilge area. I'll do a more thorough investigation at a later time.
 
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JoLin

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You're not going to like this, Kid, but if the Y-pipe is dripping it needs to be replaced. It's either rotted through or the mounting flange is corroded away. It's gonna get worse, and can sink your boat. Replacing it means pulling the motor.

This is one place where I'd source a lightly used fresh water unit from ebay. Had to replace one when I replaced my port-side engine early this year. New is $600. I got one in nearly new condition off ebay for less than $150. shipped.

Sorry for the bad news, but a Y-pipe can't be repaired, and can't be replaced without moving the motor.
 
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LX Kid

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I don't think I'll jump hastily in that direction just yet. There are always ways of permanent repair action instead of buying another. Think I'll wait until I check it out properly. The rubber boot I took off was in dire need of replacing and only had one SS hose clamp on it. When I get my phone back in working order I'll post some pics. My phone is my camera.
 

JoLin

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I don't think I'll jump hastily in that direction just yet. There are always ways of permanent repair action instead of buying another.

A Y-pipe run in salt water is no different from an exhaust elbow run in salt water, or an engine block run in salt water. Salt water is corrosive and eventually eats through metal. Period. Water bearing parts start to leak when they've reached the end of their lifespan.

You should certainly check it out thoroughly before you spring for a new one, but if the Y-pipe is in fact leaking, you'll need to buy another. The leak you see now is the FIRST one. If you manage to fix it another will appear soon after... because salt water has eaten away the metal.

My .02
 

thumpar

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Bring in Don S's signature. With boats you need to do it right or you are risking lives, yours and others. I had a bad bellows on my old boat one year. It was August and between getting all the parts together and the work we missed 2 weeks of prime boating days. When I did it I did everything to make sure I wouldn't have to go back in for at least a few years. The wife was pissed about missing out on the lake days but I felt better with the family on the boat. Since it is the end of season you have time to do it right.
 

LX Kid

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Not trying to get pissy with anyone but come on guys, I'm not a blithering idiot on the safety issues! If it's beyond safe wear limits you change it. I get it. I've easily got 500 hours in the first two years of restoring this old gal just to get it in the water for the first time. We're talking about maintenance and repair issues in this discussion. I appreciate good advice but I haven't even got down to the Y pipe yet to check it out.
 

JoLin

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We all try to walk a line between giving you good advice and sounding 'preachy.' Nobody thinks you're an idiot. It was your comment about potentially fixing the Y-pipe problem that concerned me. I know it could turn out to be something else, but it was you who noted that it might be the Y-pipe. Just don't want you thinking there's a workaround for it, 'cause there isn't.

Unfortunately, I've been through the Y-pipe thing twice in 4 years. A '97 Volvo and the current '92 Merc. They rot out in salt and the design is such that you can't replace them with the motor in place. I've read one thread in which the owner was able to slide the motor forward far enough to get in there, but most have to hoist the motor out of the engine bay.

Keep posting and let us know how you're making out. Other people's experiences teach me something new here every day.
 
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LX Kid

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Finally got my phone camera back in working order. Here are a few random pics of what's going on in the exhaust/cooling problem.
20141021_080047_zps982c300d.jpg


20141020_093015_resized_zpsd08e7f17.jpg


20141024_084544_zpsc38c6881.jpg


20141024_084814_zpsd1bfc9f7.jpg
 

LX Kid

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The above boots are pretty much shot and am sure this is where most of the drip leak has come from. I have already received my new boots yesterday and am still waiting on the new "elbows." I painted the 90 degree elbows, above, black and the inside show little to no corrosion. The corrosion is on the outside like the "Y's" are at thier top portion.
 
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achris

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Top of the Y-pipe looks scungy, but should clean up ok... Now, on to the elbows. Even when the engine is closed cooled, the elbows still have lake/sea water running through them...

Chris......
 

LX Kid

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Top of the Y-pipe looks scungy, but should clean up ok... Now, on to the elbows. Even when the engine is closed cooled, the elbows still have lake/sea water running through them...

Chris......

Well my "elbows" didn't arrive today as scheduled but maybe tomorrow. Gonna scrape the tops of the "Y" and take a trip over to West Marine and see if they have anything that could coat the tops for better seal to the boot.
 

LX Kid

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Went by Home Depot today and shopped for a coating to put on the tops of the Y tube. I think I've found something that will work. Don't know how heat sensitive it will be but I guess I'll be finding out. It's Rust-Oleum's spray rubber coating. When I get it running I have an in fared heat detector and will see how hot it gets at the joints. I'm thinking it should work ok. Just hope it doesn't bond to the rubber boots because I may want to remove for maintenence and re-use them! LoL
 
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achris

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A thin smear of grease on the inside of the boots before installing should stop any sticking....
 
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