What a MESS - Exhaust Elbow Issue

M

maxse

Member
Apr 16, 2017
108
New York, NY
Boat Info
260 Sundancer 2007
Engines
Single Mercury Stern Drive 300HP Bravo III
I just had the risers, manifold and elbows replaced on my Mercruiser 350 MPI (2007) by the marina service team. Not even 2 hours after running the boat, the starboard side elbow started gushing seawater into the bilge and the guardian mode kicked in. I killed the engine and now I'm waiting to see what the service team is able to do to remedy this.

Obviously they didn't torque the bolts correctly right? Has anyone experienced this?

I attached images of the port side where the bolt is torqued down and the starboard side where it flew out.

image1.png


image2.png
 
Woops.

At the price they charged you to do the work ask them for 1/2 the labor back.

Did you happen to find the little threaded nipple?
 
I can't see anything different between the 2. Do you know what "blew out"? Gaskets? What marina?
 
hottoddie said:
I can't see anything different between the 2. Do you know what "blew out"? Gaskets? What marina?
Click to expand...

It is the small brass bolt that is missing in the top photo and present on the bottom photo. This was Marina Bay - Quincy.
 
Little Ducky said:
Woops.

At the price they charged you to do the work ask them for 1/2 the labor back.

Did you happen to find the little threaded nipple?
Click to expand...

I was not able to find it. My additional concern is the salt water spray all over the bilge - this was right over the alternator as well.
 
CaptRonn said:
When I see stuff like this it reminds me why I do all of my own work.
Click to expand...

As they say...if you want it done right...

I figured I would pay the professionals. Mercury certified shop...they probably had an apprentice working this one
 
maxse said:
I was not able to find it. My additional concern is the salt water spray all over the bilge - this was right over the alternator as well.
Click to expand...
Rinse your engine down well, then spray with anticorrosion silicon. I blew a drain plug on mine but didn't know it untill I took the boat out the next week. It ruined my alternator.
 
MikeBravo said:
Rinse your engine down well, then spray with anticorrosion silicon. I blew a drain plug on mine but didn't know it untill I took the boat out the next week. It ruined my alternator.
Click to expand...

Is it possible that it just blew and wasn't torqued properly? It was all new equipment OEM mercury so I am very suspicious.
 
maxse said:
Is it possible that it just blew and wasn't torqued properly? It was all new equipment OEM mercury so I am very suspicious.
Click to expand...
I think it wasn't torqued properly. The brass plugs almost never blow, however the cheap blue plastic ones tend to go often usually leaving part of the plug still screwed in.
 
They apologized and have cleaned the entire bilge to remove any salt, replacing the alternator to be proactive and of course the elbow plug.

Are there any other components that should be replaced? Maybe the belts to be safe?
 
maxse said:
They apologized and have cleaned the entire bilge to remove any salt, replacing the alternator to be proactive and of course the elbow plug.

Are there any other components that should be replaced? Maybe the belts to be safe?
Click to expand...
Did the pulleys for the belts get wet? They can corrode as well and will chew your belts up.
 
I believe they did. I will ask them to replace as well. Too bad all of this could have been avoided by just torquing down a bolt!
 
There is another sign of bad workmanship. take a look at the stainless clamp set up. Marine mechanic lesson 101 is that all hose connections need to be double clamped, and the clamp pairs should be set up opposite to each other so the hose is pulled both directions when tightened. Your port side is not done right. They clearly had someone not well trained doing the work and no one supervising their work.

maxse said:
image2.png
Click to expand...
 
Creekwood said:
There is another sign of bad workmanship. take a look at the stainless clamp set up. Marine mechanic lesson 101 is that all hose connections need to be double clamped, and the clamp pairs should be set up opposite to each other so the hose is pulled both directions when tightened. Your port side is not done right. They clearly had someone not well trained doing the work and no one supervising their work.
Click to expand...

Thank you for pointing this out. I took a look at the survey photos from a few years ago and they were double clamped and also not facing alternate directions. I will take your advice and switch them out myself and probably double clamp everything. Clamps are cheaper than losing an engine!
 
I would also lubricate every electrical connection in the bilge. Better to do now and prevent corrosion.
 
I could be wrong but I believe that elbow (with the brass plug) comes from Merc with the plug in position, and the installer would remove it if the installation calls for it to be removed. The other elbow shows the red sealant that Merc uses. Maybe the factory didn't torque it(?)
 
Agreed with scoflaw - the service department confirmed they were separate parts and they failed to torque them properly.
 
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