Exhaust Pipe Rust Through - Need a Source

I'm so grateful for the early warnings I get on this site - the brackets are a great example. It also means however that reading this site eventually costs me, as I learn too much about things I need to worry about. Today it's cheap-o brown plastic air filters.. :) I'll do a search to find out what that's all about.

(Or maybe I shouldn't....)
 
MadDog said:
I'm so grateful for the early warnings I get on this site - the brackets are a great example. It also means however that reading this site eventually costs me, as I learn too much about things I need to worry about. Today it's cheap-o brown plastic air filters.. :) I'll do a search to find out what that's all about.

(Or maybe I shouldn't....)
Click to expand...

Or, (without doing the research myself) you can suck the brown media through your engine ...........I'm curious myself.

I'm know I'm a lowly, small gasser but still like to learn.
Let us know what you figure out.
 
MadDog said:
I only lazily read through the whole thread, but fwiw my exhaust tubes are grounded.
Click to expand...

I just saw that your tubes were grounded... I wonder why mine were not? Was this something they started in 2004 or did they just get off cheap on my boat the tubes came in with no ground so they didn't wire it. Here are the new tubes I put on the boat:

IMG_2348.jpg


Note the grounding tabs about halfway up... old ones did not have those AND I had to run my own green wires. Any other 480 DB owners have grounds on their exhaust tubes?
 
MadDog said:
I'm so grateful for the early warnings I get on this site - the brackets are a great example. It also means however that reading this site eventually costs me, as I learn too much about things I need to worry about. Today it's cheap-o brown plastic air filters.. :) I'll do a search to find out what that's all about.

(Or maybe I shouldn't....)
Click to expand...

Not to hi-jack Gary's Monel orgy..... BUT, unless Cummins corrected the OEM air filters by 2004, you need to check them and replace them ASAP. The stock Cummins filters have a wire mesh inside the filters that lets loose and travels through the turbo and heat exchanger with some less than desirable results. Walker's Engineering makes a filter specifically for the QSM or Tony Athens at sbmar.com also makes a filter. The deterioration is not always visible or discernible with a check because the filters do not come apart and you cannot see or even feel all areas of the filters. I could not see or feel the deterioration on mine until I cut the filter apart. There were 3 areas about 2 square inches each.

For some strange reason, I thought I was invincible b/c my boat spends a large portion of the year in fresh water and I attributed the deterioration to corrosion from a salt environment. I was WRONG. So, this may cost you a little (about $120 boat dollars), but I can assure you that is preferable to the alternative.

Before anybody goes off into Cummins bashing or even general diesel bashing, every engine has issues. I'm happy to have the one whose issues are an air filter and a thin support bracket. After spending a 'few' hours with my engines, I would consider a Cummins QSM-11 to be a very desirable engine and would seek them out in any boat they may be suited for.
 
Now, back to Gary's Monel exhaust. My port exhaust is stainless, but my starboard is fiberglass. I'm not sure why, but it seems to me that the fiberglass would be less costly and, obviously, immune to corrosion or galvanic issues. Did any of the people you spoke with about your issue speak to the idea of fiberglass? Pros / Cons?
 
Pirate - thx very much for the summary. I will at least take the filters off to check for visible impact this weekend. If I remember I'll also take pictures of the grounded exhaust tubes for Four Suns.
 
Yeah... I'll go down to my shop and take a picture of the "originals." I saved one of them that looked like it was turning into swiss cheese.
 
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