E34-2 water entering bilge through exhaust

[Phr3d]

There is a black cylinder at the bottom of the cockpit locker with an exhaust hose entering the bottom and another exiting the top.

Water is dripping out of that thing. I put the T style clamps on and it still leaks. It may be cracked where the top hose attaches. That is slightly smaller than the hose seems to want to clamp to as well.

What is that thing called? ideas on how to stop the leakage? Solutions if it is cracked?

 

[Frank Langer]

There is a black cylinder at the bottom of the cockpit locker with an exhaust hose entering the bottom and another exiting the top.

Water is dripping out of that thing. I put the T style clamps on and it still leaks. It may be cracked where the top hose attaches. That is slightly smaller than the hose seems to want to clamp to as well.

What is that thing called? ideas on how to stop the leakage? Solutions if it is cracked?

That black "thing" is a muffler, usually made of fiberglass and fairly robust. It should not leak.
My guess is that the exhaust hoses need to be replaced, with good quality exhaust hoses from a chandlery.
The hardest part of that job is usually removing the old hoses, but if heat and twisting doesn't work, then they can be carefully cut off, to be replaced with new hoses. The existing house likely has wire reinforcement inside, so cut carefully, using snippets for the wire.
If the muffler itself is cracked, do a search on "Vernalift muffler" for replacement.
Good luck!
Frank

 

[HerbertFriedman]

On my 87 E34, the muffler is difficult to get at. I could see it from the cockpit hatch but could not really get to it. When I removed the waste tank in order to change hoses, I could get to it but I think the waste tank may have to come out in order to change the muffler or hoses.

 

[Frank Langer]

On my 87 E34, the muffler is difficult to get at. I could see it from the cockpit hatch but could not really get to it. When I removed the waste tank in order to change hoses, I could get to it but I think the waste tank may have to come out in order to change the muffler or hoses.

I think that depends on the model. Ours is quite accessible.
Frank

 

[Phr3d]

That black "thing" is a muffler, usually made of fiberglass and fairly robust. It should not leak.

The hoses are 1 5/8' they fit well on the pipe nipple at the exhaust elbow and the thru-hull. The bottom of the muffler
is not leaking, but may be the original hose. The outlet on the top of the muffler is small (maybe it is 1 1/2"?) for 1 5/8" hose and is where the leak is (and maybe a crack...). I cut off the clamped end by about 2" thinking it was too "worked" to seal. That didn't work.

Did someone change the muffler and it now has a 1 1/2" exit?

A la:

Dunno how the inlet is not leaking, but may have something to do with the hose (can't tell what size it is) looking really old...

The same muffler is available with the 1 5/8" exit (but the size for diesel may not be correct), if there is a crack, the muffler could be changed to match the rest of the system. There are many things in the way to do that job. Said waste tank, the battery charger, the refrigerator converter, the waste level readout, the heater hoses, the waste hose, etc...

Should the exhaust thru-hull be 1 1/2" (uh, should the whole exhaust be 1 1/2")?

Is it realistic to make an adapter - or some way to build up the size of the outlet with "tape"?

 

[Loren Beach]

Best to check out the choices from the maker: https://centekmarine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2024-Centek-Marine-Product-Catalog.pdf
Many/most Ericson's and Olson's have the "side in top out" design. Note that you just pick out the hose connector size that you need. Late model small diesels will often have a slightly larger ID than the spec'd ones from the 80's. I changed to a larger hose ID when I installed the Betamarine engine in our boat. As previously noted this required a slightly larger transom exhaust fitting also.

 

[Prairie Schooner]

I don't know if this will be of any help, but Christian pointed out that the previous mechanic had put two of the hose clamps on our exhaust hose such that they didn't overlap the nipple, causing cracks. post #39 This over just two years of seasonal use. With our Universal we also had a nipple size differential, which you do not have.

Coolant Conundrum/Exhaust Riser Replacement [Master Thread]

I think I have some of them worked out: 01 To Exhaust Thru Hull 02 To Anti Siphon Vent 03 Anti Siphon “T” Cockpit Seat Height 09 Lift Can I think most people remove 08 valve cause it can corrode and cause problems. I did and no issues.

ericsonyachts.org

There are some other helpful responses in there about preferred hose sizes, adapters, etc. I'm learning this stuff right along with you, Paul. Good luck!
cheers,
Jeff

 

[Phr3d]

Best to check out the choices from the maker:

So, 1 5/8" (1.625) may be too small then for the 27HP in my boat. Could that have caused a crack in the 1 1/2" exit?


I have emailed them the information about my boat.

I have to say, I do not like the smell of diesel exhaust flavored water in my bilge.

 

[Loren Beach]

So, 1 5/8" (1.625) may be too small then for the 27HP in my boat.

I would consult the install manual for your Betamarine model. That's how I first got educated on the hose sizing for our new Betamarine.
Sizing the exhaust hose, muffler inlet and outlet, and transom fitting all starts with the manifold hose fitting on the engine. Best not to have any "downstream" sizes of hose or fiittings that would add any back pressure, as diesels move a Lot of air (and exhaust) thru the engine.
A glance at the diagram for the Beta 38, shows the hose size for the exhaust fitting to be 2" which is also shown as 50 mm. Not quite identical, but that's what Betamarine specifies so the sizing must be "close enough".

 

[Christian Williams]

Just to clarify, the leak is from the exhaust hose on top of the muffler because the hose clamp cannot compress the hose enough to make a seal?

Or has the fiberglass muffler failed? They can and do fail with cracks and pinholes (I have read).

If it's just a bad hose fit, there may be a hose reducer available.

 

[Phr3d]

Just to clarify, the leak is from the exhaust hose on top of the muffler because the hose clamp cannot compress the hose enough to make a seal?

Or has the fiberglass muffler failed? They can and do fail, with cracks and pinholes (I have read).
If it's just a bad hose fit, there may be a hose reducer available.

Hose compressing enough - I tried new clamps, then these from mcmaster carr:


Still leaks...

I'm thinking some kind of gasket sealer stuff (previously, it appears to have had some kind of sealant).

Muffler failed - Maybe, there appears to be a crookedish "line" across the top of the muffler where there shouldn't be. I will be trying to figure out exactly where the leak is coming from more better. Pretty difficult with the access there is.

Is the lower hose from the exhaust elbow accessible without pulling the engine and transmission?

 

[Loren Beach]

When I installed the very stiff new exhaust hose in 2018, I had to upgrade to the SS T-bolt clamps similar to the picture in reply #11. They put enough force on the hose to hold it tight whereas the standard screw type hose clamp would not. By comparison the OEM hose from 1988 would clamp just fine with the old hose clamps. The new hose seems to be built to a stronger standard, is my take on the situation.

Does the ID of the hose being used match the hose fitting that you are clamping it to?
Could the old OEM water lift muffler be replaced now with a new one? That is one way to be sure that there is no leak or crack in it.

 

[Christian Williams]

I would run the engine and study the thing. Usual tricks, paper towels taped on to produce evidence, good lighting, maybe soapy water to paint on suspicious areas, etc.

On my model the waterlift muffler is very accessible. On others it's not.

Positive identification of the leak is worth it and necessary for a solution.

If it's just the hose connection, and the engine runs happily with no obvious changes to the exhaust system, I would probably just put a wrap of rubber around the stub to make up the space, and maybe add gasket sealer. I would tell myself the outlet of the muffler is not under much pressure, doesn't get very hot, and such a seal isn't rocket science.

Then, monitor.

 

[Frank Langer]

I have used a sealant/adhesive called "Seal All" with success, where a hose was slightly too large. I put a small bit around the nipple and around the inside of the hose, waited a minute, them assembled and tightened the house clamp.
No leaks, even with the cooling system under pressure.
It's available in most hardware stores.
Frank

 

[Christian Williams]

Related discussion here, Post #46 and thereabouts: https://ericsonyachts.org/ie/threads/coolant-conundrum.21761/page-3

 

[Phr3d]

Well, it looks like the outlet at the top of the muffler is cracked with a previous repair.

 

[Phr3d]

The new exhaust elbow is 2”

 

[Nick J]

Paul,

I went down this path a few years ago:

Exhaust Rebuild?

My surveyor noted the exhaust elbow on the 2006 Yanmar 3Ym20 had some external rust, should be considered a consumable item, and replaced every 5 years. I put it on the to-do-list and moved on. A few weeks ago, while I was removing the old engine wiring harness, I noticed the elbow had a small...

ericsonyachts.org

I ended up replacing everything from the back of the heat exchanger to the exhaust thru hull to use 2" hose. If your thru hull is in good shape, you could replace the muffler with a unit that has a 2" inlet and 1 5/8" outlet, but if you're to that point, you might as well go all the way.

 

[Phr3d]

Exhaust is now 2" all the way to the thru-hull. Engine exhaust makes a (cool?), diesel commercial fishing boat sound. It seems to use less throttle and get more RPM. It now also has new cables that allow full actuation of the diesel pump. Prior to the cables I could not get 3600 rpm with the new exhaust. Now it does that at hull speed. 2500 rpm is about 5.5 knots SOG.

 

[Loren Beach]

Now it does that at hull speed. 2500 rpm is about 5.5 knots SOG.

Pardon for preaching to converted, but these methods of assessing speed and engine load are not very compatible. For evaluating all engine rpm and prop efficiency questions you have to have speed thru the water. Speed Over Ground is useful for navigation but that's a different problem to solve.
From on-water experience, I would expect hull speed for an E-34-2, to be around 6.5 to 7.0. Clean bottom and correct pitch prop assumed for the sake of comparison. With a tad less measured DWL, we obtain these speeds. The stock engine for our boat was the 23 hp Universal, same as the E-34-2.
Also, "hull speed" is not really a hard barrier, but rather the point at which the power required to increase speed goes up steeply. When you are reaching or running in heavy air you will see another knot or two; and then there's surfing!