My muffler has a leak from the pipe which goes to the exhaust manifold. After researching the issue, it would appear that trying to fix the problem is often a futile effort and replacing the muffler and using a hump hose is recommended. Looking at Catalina Direct they have the muffler but there are dire warnings that one should use a muffler with a the original design, otherwise, an after market muffler will allow water into the engine. Looking at various Vetus mufflers I fail to see a difference other than one of substantial difference in cost. Has anybody used an aftermarket muffler and if so do you know the make and model? Can anybody enlighten me as to the validity of Catalina Direct's claim? Thanks.
Water lift muffler
- Thread starter Sanfelice
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I wrote this based on input from Claude on his friend's C34
http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6728.0.html
The CD "disclaimer" is just that -- measure twice, cut once. All they want to avoid are the knumbnulls who don't know the difference between a C30 and C34 Mark I and a C34 Mark II.
IIRC, Vetus do not have the important muffler drain, although I must admit I'd never had to use it. I've seen them on C34s.
As far as Vetus is concerned, you MUST find the one with the right connection positions as well as sizes (1 5/8" as I recall). Simple.
Your boat, your choice.
http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6728.0.html
The CD "disclaimer" is just that -- measure twice, cut once. All they want to avoid are the knumbnulls who don't know the difference between a C30 and C34 Mark I and a C34 Mark II.
IIRC, Vetus do not have the important muffler drain, although I must admit I'd never had to use it. I've seen them on C34s.
As far as Vetus is concerned, you MUST find the one with the right connection positions as well as sizes (1 5/8" as I recall). Simple.
Your boat, your choice.
If this is in reference to the Catalina 30 I know for a fact that the muffler from Catalina is of much greater volume then the typical aftermarket muffler. This allows for a lower water level within the muffler and prevents flooding of the engine with engine cooling water when the engine is shut down and you are sailing hard on a port tack. This is a common problem with the Catalina 30 because of the placement of the engine under the galley sinks prevent you from running and exhaust riser that is higher than the water level at all heal angles. This problem happened more frequently in older Catalina 30s such as mine because they did not have a big enough muffler (volume wise). So to put a replacement muffler in your boat that is of less volume and smaller in profile increases your risk of flooding your engine with sea water. I installed a much smaller and cheaper muffler and flooded my engine four times before I figured out what the problem was. My fix was to install a drain at the bottom of the muffler and if I sailed hard I always dreamed of the muffler empty before I healed the boat.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Regardless of the muffler volume, there should be an anti-siphon valve on the cooling water to avoid water in the engine.
The problem isn't with water siphoning it is actually the water which remains in the muffler after you shut down your engine. If the muffler is too small the water level within the muffler is much higher and consequently only takes a little heal of the boat on a port tack for that water to run out of the muffler, through your exhaust pipe and right into the exhaust manifold where it floods the cylinders and seeps into the engine crankcase.
A larger muffler volume vise lowers the level or residual water in the muffler and decreases the chances of that happening.
A larger muffler volume vise lowers the level or residual water in the muffler and decreases the chances of that happening.
Thanks for all of the responses. They are very helpful. I will wait until the end of the season and pull the muffler. Right now the prior owner covered the muffler with what seems like 10 tubes of caulk. There is a slight seepage and being on a lake I don't motor very far. I think that the tube should be repairable with a good fiberglass fix and a hump hose.
Just having replaced the exhaust on my own C27, which is fairly straightforward, and a friend's C30, which is, why in God's name did they do it like this, a lot more complicated. The bend around the galley with the associated muffler really made me appreciate the simplicity of my boat. The options seem to include a choice of partially dismantling the galley or finding someone with 7ft. double jointed arms with flex/torque elbows. We got it done, but it's something I definitely know to inspect B4 buying a C30.
C'mon mate. You mean that you don't have 7 foot long arms? After years of sailing & working on damn sailboats I have the answer: I finally just broke my back in about 3 different places, so now I just dislocate all my joints & I can squeeze into just about anywhere! That's in the Catalina repair manual, # 1. Rotate head 360 degrees to view what you need to find at inaccessible areas. #2. Dislocate shoulder & elbow joints to reach that bolt. #3. Bolt should then be stripped out at rusted surface, because that would be just to damn easy to fix otherwise. #4. See items 1-3. #5. Release large volume of profanity, apply bactine & bandages to your knuckles & apply alcohol to lips. Cheers.
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