Exhaust Leak / Exhaust Wrap?

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Columbia34
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Exhaust Leak / Exhaust Wrap?

Post by Columbia34 »

I think I have a exhaust leak, my exhaust is wraped with a white kind of 2" wide cloth. Here is a Picture...
Image

From the discoloration in the wrap I think the leak might be there. If I take the wrap off the exhasut pipe is not solid it looks like a braided wire mesh maybe some type of flex.

I was thinking of using that stuff called Rescue tape Rescue Tape Self-Fusing Silicone Tape ~ The Ultimate Multi-Purpose Repair Tape! says it works up to 500 deg. Any tips?

Scott
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Post by Tim »

I'd reserve tape and such things for emergency repairs to get you home. Stuff like that often does work well, but I don't think it belongs as a permanent repair.

I suggest that you replace the section in question with similar material to what is there now. Shortcuts are shortcuts.
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Post by Chris Campbell »

... and that part of your exhaust isn't cooled - the water enters back by the bulkhead it passes through, from the looks of it. So the pipe is likely to be somewhere between 700-1100 degrees, above what the wrap is good for...
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Post by bcooke »

I wouldn't assume you have a leak based on the discoloration. A small amount of rust can leave a pretty big stain. If you did have a leak the wrap isn't going to stop it so you should be able to feel or hear it through the wrap.

I agree though if you have any doubts it is best to just replace it. It isn't very expensive and the repercussions of an exhaust leak are severe enough not to justify any small savings.

Just my thoughts.

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Columbia34
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Post by Columbia34 »

where do I find exhaust hose and what kind. can i look for a leak using soapy water before the water warms ups, I don't hear any leaks like you do when there is a hole in your car muffler?

Scott
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Post by Tim »

The section of exhaust you are looking to replace needs to be metal, unless you reconfigure the whole system. The spent cooling water isn't injected until after the section, so that section of wrapped pipe contains hot, raw exhaust gasses. The fiberglass exhaust wrap that's on there is there to insulate the hot pipe from the surrounding areas. There are super high temp silicone hoses available, but they are extremely expensive. Regular exhaust hose requires cooling water within, which is why you never see it upstream of the water injection point in any system.

What, other than the discoloration, is making you suspect an exhaust leak? The discoloration might be a sign of a leak, but might be unrelated. Do you smell exhaust fumes? It's usually pretty obvious when there's an actual leak.

I think you need to completely unwrap your pipe there and see what's going on beneath. I don't know offhand where to source the braided flex pipe that you say is in there, but generally dry stacks in exhaust systems are built of common black iron pipe.

If you can take a picture of the section once you unwrap it, then the whole situation will be more clear.
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Columbia34
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Post by Columbia34 »

while motoring you can smell some exhaust but its not bad but our CO2 detector goes off every so often its not as bad if i run the blower while motoring, I have not visual been able to see that leak, or hear it. The one i am thing i am not sure about is there is what looks like a block vent coming from the side of the motor (thinking pcv system) and there is a pipe on the air filter as well but they are to close to put a hose in there, could that be my source? Here is a picture you can see what I am talking about.

Image
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Post by Figment »

I'd start the search for the flex-braid exhaust hose at a truck parts place, but they won't carry such a small diameter, so it'll only be the start of the search. But I don't think you have an exhaust leak.

Your second hunch is the thing. Yes, you need a positive crankcase vent.
Yes, those two stub pipes pictured are intended to get the crankcase fumes sucked back into the carburator. Yes, it's entirely common for this system to become inadequate as an engine ages and develops more and more blowby smoke.

What engine is that, by the way? Looks like an A4 but different.
Whatever it is, it uses a zenith carburator, which means that the crankcase vent kits by Moyer or Indigo should be adaptable to do the trick.
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Post by Columbia34 »

So you think is more from the crank case vent? how can i connect the 2 as you can see I can't get a hose to connect the two pipes together.

The motor is a Palmer P-60. Its very similar to a A4 and yes its a Zenith 68 series carb, which seems to have issues with teh float getting stuck open and overfilling the carb and that motor quits but its a random issue and after talking to Don at moyer marine he has suggested to check the float level, unless anyone else has any tips? Here is the sittuation you will be motoring along and the motor will slowly die out you go down below and there will be fuel flowing out from the carb (tell me the float and needle are stuck open) remove carb clean with carb cleaner, put back on and motor fires right up no problem. this has happend twice now, we have a new stainless steel gas tank, racor filter (i do need to change the filter since i don't know the age) inline filter between pump and carb, the only thing i did not change was the fuel line.

****Plus I want to say thanks for everyones help with all my questions I hope to gain knowlege and be able to help a newbie like me some day as you all have help me. ****
Scott
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Post by Figment »

You don't connect the two. Even if you could (standard arrangement on an A4), it wouldn't do the job well enough.
The Moyer and Indigo pcv kits bypass the carburator altogether.

I agree, stuck float valve. A carburator rebuild kit isn't all that expensive and at the end of the exercise you'll have learned a lot and things will be more intuitive.
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Post by Columbia34 »

thats the thing I did a carb rebuild kit and still happend. Thats when moyer marine recomended I take and check the float level.

Do you think the crank case vent is the issue with my CO2 detector going off, since i can't see or hear a actual exhaust leak?

Scott
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Post by Ceasar Choppy »

Do you have a marine CO detector, or one for home use? It makes a difference. The one for home use will give you false positives because of all the other stuff on a boat not common in a home-- at least so says my last surveyor.
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Post by Columbia34 »

Ok well maybe this well help this is the sensor that is going off http://www.fireboy-xintex.com/S2A.html, it only happens while motoring and the propane valve on the bottle itself is shut off. It goes off and we just press alarm silence and then it goes awhile then goes off again. So its not even a CO2 detector its just a propane thing.

Scott
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Post by bcooke »

A bit of trivia to go along with the fiberglass tape;

The main function of the tape is to prevent the exhaust pipe from burning the surrounding area. But a second feature is that it insulates the pipe, keeping it hotter, which keeps the exhaust gasses moving faster, which gets the engine breathing better. At least that is the theory. It also tends to reduce the life of the exhaust system because it keeps the pipe at a higher temperature which exsasberates(?) the corrosive effects of the exhaust gasses.

Just something from the high performance car crowd.

Everyone that I know that has switched to the crankcase vent kits has seen a dramatic improvement in the engine odor department.

Carb rebuild kits through Moyer I think are a bit pricey. You can also get them through NAPA for a fraction of the cost but unfortunately I can't find the NAPA part number for it at the moment. An easy job and probably a good idea. Overflowing carbs can't be much fun in a boat.

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Columbia34
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Post by Columbia34 »

No I got the carb kit from NAPA $22 vs. moyer marine price or $90. Can I get the spacer plate at napa to that has the 2 taped holes in it 1 for the pcv system and 1 for the scavenge line?

Scott
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Post by Figment »

bcooke wrote: Everyone that I know that has switched to the crankcase vent kits has seen a dramatic improvement in the engine odor department.
Including me. A difference of night and day.

I'd imagine that the spacer plate is a custom-machined part, but I've been wrong before.

It would have been very easy for you to bend the arm of the float a little bit during a rebuild. This would be enough to cause the flooding.
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