[C38] Suggestions/Catalina 38 For Sale

[Tom T.]

Hello Steve,

One of the real problems with our exhaust systems is the cast iron risers
will rust in the raw water chamber which will degrade or stop water flow
which causes the rest of the cooling system to fail from heat.

The raw water flow is easy to check by removing the hose from the riser and
cranking the engine momentarily to check flow. 

Then take a similar hose and reattach it to the riser and blow with your
mouth to check for back pressure.  You should be able to blow through the
riser with little effort.

If the riser is stopped up, it's almost impossible to run a pipe cleaner
through the cooling chamber because of the angle of the outlet where the
water feeds into the exhaust which is at a 90 degree angle far inside the
casting.  I cleaned as well as I could using rest busting chemicals and got
my riser pretty clean without much trouble.  I did have to remove it from
the exhaust pipe but I had to replace all of that pipe anyway so it was no
extra effort on my part to place the riser in a pan of penetrating oil to
pre-loosen up the passage.

I thought about drilling a hole in the side of the riser to align with the
place where the cooling chamber squirts into the riser.  I would have
tapped the hole for a plug to seal it making a direct port for cleaning out
the inside chamber but I was able to get the passage clean without that
extra effort but drilling and plugging is still an option if you need it. 
The inside water passage is shaped like the number "7" with no easy way to
reach the top short horizontal section of the passage except by using bent
rods inserted through the exhaust inlet.

The reason the riser casting has a cast passage for the raw water is to
cool the riser before the water is finally sprayed into the exhaust but it
makes cleaning out the riser passage more difficult.

I think I used PB Blaster for the final assault on the corrosion.  Don't
use one of the rust transforming products because they don't actually
remove the rust, they just bond it keeping the restriction.  I would expect
since I removed so much corrosion from my riser cooling chamber that it
actually has less back pressure than a new riser.

Once you get the old riser off, first check it carefully for any cracks or
thin spots. I had to replace my first riser when I bought the boat because
it was so far gone.  I think once the water flow is reduced, the risers
probably self-destruct pretty fast along with the rest of the exhaust
system downstream, except maybe for the lift tank (muffler) which is more
tolerant to the heat.

Hope this helps, good luck.

Tom Troncalli
Renata #95, St. Pete Fla



> [Original Message]
> From: Steve Peterson <stevepeterson at linkline.com>
> To: <tdtron at earthlink.net>; Catalina 38 Listserve
<listserve at catalina38.org>
> Date: 8/4/2008 5:55:38 PM
> Subject: RE: [C38] Suggestions/Catalina 38 For Sale
>
> Hello members,
>
> Allow me to quickly identify myself.  I am the smallest of the Hassle crew
> who ends up spending a great deal of time in "Steve's Locker".  I have
never
> posted on this site, as I am not the skipper, only the contortionist who
> ends up very dirty. Mike Rowe has nothing on me.  
>
> Our skipper, Larry Malmberg, described our holding tank problem as minor;
> though it didn't seem that way to me at 2:00 am, with him holding the
> flashlight, and me, up to my elbows in...Well, you know.  I was able to
> perform an epoxy repair, and get us thru the distance racing, finished
> second no less. 
>
> Last week, Larry motored up to Santa Barbara, while I was working.  He
> informed me it was a very sooty trip.  Upon my arrival, I did indeed find
an
> exhaust leak.  An emergency duct tape fix worked for a while, until it
> cooked off. I also noticed we were getting little water mixed with the
> exhaust. I know the Universal is a wet exhaust system.  My
question...yeah I
> know..."Get to your question!", is this a normal failure of the salt water
> pump and exhaust hose, or do we have a greater problem I have not
> considered? We intend to replace the entire exhaust system from the block
> out.  Also, we are, as Larry indicated, going to replace the fresh water
> tank, along with the holding tank.  At this point, I am also contemplating
> replacing every hose, fresh, exhaust, cooling, anything rubber.  We are
> planning our ultimate race; the '09 Transpac. 
>
> "GD" Steve
> Hassle
>
> PS.  I will leave Larry to explain the "GD"   
>  
>
>
>
>
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