Flexible Hot Section

[bmeyer]

Hello Group,
I have been running with solid pipe from exhaust manifold to standpipe, that is the way it was when I bought her. I rebuilt the exhaust hot section once 4 years ago, again with solid pipe and I delt with the engine angle to the bulkhead by cutting a pipe at 5(+-) degrees and welding it back together to give me a 10 degree turn. That set me up for the 90 degree turn up to the standpipe. This has worked great so far......... When the exhaust failed the first time 4 years ago I thought the boat was going to burn, exhaust failure is a very dangerous thing. The pipe had broke at the 90 degree turn and it tried to light up the bulkhead. Contributing cause to the failure was a very small leak in the standpipe that was soaking the heat tape with raw water (salt) and rusting away quietly. I brazed the standpipe leak so there is no corrosion factor anymore. I only use heat tape in the engine compartment now and leave the rest exposed for inspection purposes.

My question is how many of you are running soild pipe (hot section) and how has it stood up (years)?

How many of you have flexible exhaust in the hot section and what is the life of it?

[stevebotts]

Amigo came with a section of flexible stainless steel tubing going out of the exhaust port at the front of the Atomic 4. When it developed a leak ....I think about 5 years ago I ordered a new section of tubing. It has been problem free since. It is wrapped in hi-temp exhaust tape with monel wire holding it in place.

[bmeyer]

Hello to all
I would be interested in knowing where I could get that stainless flex at Steve.

I think that it would eliminate the vibration factor and make an easy transition to the standpipe. I'm worried that someday the pipe could break again from vibration when it gets weak, and I might not be so lucky next time!

I would still like to know if any of you are running soild pipe with the standpipe configuration? And if there has been any long term problems.

Thanks, Bob

[stevebotts]

I looked back at some old messages, and found one source that looks like it might be a good one: http://www.precisionhose.com/home_cmh.htm. I can't actually remember where I ordered it from, but I'll look through my boat receipts to see if I kept the information when I get home this evening.

[bmeyer]

Thanks Steve
I checked out Precision Hose and they have what I need. I think this would be a good improvement over the soild pipe. I tried to find this before but no luck. corrugated stainless hose looks like it will do the trick. 1500 F degree rating. There will be one less thing to worry about.

Thanks again, Bob

[stevebotts]

I was unable to find my receipt from when I ordered the tube, but whoever it was made up the tube to length and my specifications by welding the fittings that I needed onto each end. I remember reading in their literature about the radius of the bends that could be made. From a practical point of view what this means, since the tube is relatively short, is that you can't bend it very much. When I installed the new tubing, it fit perfectly, but being so short, was a little difficult to bend to exactly the right shape.