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| Tony's Tips |
ARTICLE DATE: 10/01/2006 |
| Marine Exhaust Systems |
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| Back in the 1970's I became heavily involved
in the mechanics of boats and before I knew it they became my passion. I have
been lucky to have gained over 25 years of experience and 10's of thousands
of engine operational hours (300+ diesel engine installs) and have learned
(sometimes the hard way) what it takes to make a reliable engine / power train
system, and all that that incorporates. The Marine Exhaust System is a major
part of this. |
My hopes are that the information in this
article will shed some new light on the understanding (and misunderstanding)
of one of the most important aspects of a successful boating experience: The
Marine Exhaust System.
An important goal here is to remove some of the mystery surrounding much of
the misguided and ill conceived "couch engineering" designs that have been
imbedded in the boating industry for far too long. Some common sense is the
first part that is needed to design a safe and reliable exhaust set up. And,
the key word here is "GRAVITY." Just putting some thought into the general
placement of your exhaust system, and with the knowledge that I hope you glean
from this article, should help solve many, many horror scenarios down the road.
Also remember this (something you can take to the bank), doing it right the
first time will leave your wallet much more in tact in the years that follow. |
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| It has been a few years since I posted
some thoughts, pictures and politics on Marine Exhaust Systems, so it is time
to update. And, since exhaust system design, fabrication, and installation
have become a large part of our business, the time is here to share some of
what we have learned over the past two decades in this ever changing business. |
First and Foremost -
The two most basic issues
that need to be understood and accomplished: |
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A safe system for both the boat, on board personnel
and the engine, it needs to be long lived & must meet manufacturers' requirements
as to back pressure and water entry. |
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The exhaust design and/or system must fit the boat
and work in such a way that water will never flood the engine, even if something
fails, and the system needs to look "politically correct". |
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| To this very day, much of our work still
involves replacing, rebuilding, or repairing engines solely because of a poorly
designed and/or fabricated wet exhaust system that allowed salt water into
an engine's internal workings. Seems the most basic of all natural forces in
our lives, "GRAVITY," was "left out" of the design process, and then, mixing
that with couch engineering and "back yard designers," you now have a recipe
for disaster someplace down the road, sometimes very soon after you purchase
a new boat. |
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| The components of a basic exhaust riser:
Adjustable & weldable turbo flange, elbows as needed, straight pipe for additional rise, and a properly designed exhaust mixer pointed in the right direction to eliminate unnecessary "wet bends". |
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