Exhaust Hose Question

R

rpmerrill

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 5, 2016
Messages
608
Fluid Motion Model
C-28
Vessel Name
BAY RANGER
I posted a photo in my album of the transom loop of my exhaust hose.
Lots of little cracks o the surface.

What does yours look like?

Does this give anyone heartburn?
Do I need to replace it this winter?
 
No heartburn. If you look up the specs the hose is rated for probably 100x the pressure that it sees in service. Mine looks the same and I'll eventually change it. But it is WAY down the priority list. And it is not a trivial job to replace it. In that service a bicycle inner tube and/or duct tape and a couple of hose clamps will get you home if you're wrong.
 
Unless of course it is cracked down near the outlet (below the water line).
But I agree with you that it is just surface crazing in a tube that appears to be fabric reinforced and about a quarter inch thick. Hefty stuff.
 
rpmerrill":d1acxgkq said:
I posted a photo in my album of the transom loop of my exhaust hose.
Lots of little cracks o the surface.

What does yours look like?

Does this give anyone heartburn?
Do I need to replace it this winter?
Click to expand...

Hello Rich,

This is the hose in question:
main.php


It looks sketchy to me.

What does the INSIDE of the hose look like? That's a rhetorical question...but my point is that if the OUTSIDE of the hose is deteriorating (due to exposure to ozone, atmosphere, "age"), then the INSIDE of the hose (exposed to high temp water and gasses which are corrosive to rubber, i.e., A MUCH MORE DAMAGING ENVIRONMENT than the 'outside') - I would get that hose changed SOON. OR, the left-handed way of looking at it...WHICH surface of the hose wears or deteriorates quicker? I'd say the inside as it's exposed to a vastly harsher environment. So, when I see a hose looking like that, yikes, the inside's got to be worse.

Everything is FINE until it isn't. If that checked/cracked exhaust hose is not replaced NOW, then WHEN...wait for further signs of failure. Realize that FAILURE may be the next sign. Why wait?

I agree the hose is not under significant PRESSURE - that's certainly not an issue.

Count me the lone voice in the wilderness saying REPLACE it.

/dave
 
Message received, Dave.
You are not the only one. I can only imagine how tough it is to muscle the hose into place end what is required to gain access to both ends. Particularly at the outlet to be absolutley sure it is water tight. I'm not as flexible as I used to be. As I write, I'm thinking that I might do all the prelims, moving stuff out of the way, but then let the boatyard do the install.
Thanks.

More importantly (sort of): How did you import my album photo to the forum posting?

r
 
If you exhaust hose looks like that then it's likely that your raw water hoses do to. And likely many of the other hoses on your engine, fuel lines, etc. Might as well change them all while you're at it. Safe is safe after all. Oh and I'd check the truck and trailer tires too. Particularly up near the rim. If yours are like mine they start to show cracks after a couple of years, long before the tread wears out. So if the cracks worry you just think about a blowout while towing at speed :shock:

There is a certain amount of safety factor designed into these products. Also burst strength is dependent on the fiber reinforcement and has little to do with the rubber itself.
 
My R27 has a different type hose and there are no cracks at a little over 5 years and 454 hours.

main.php


Howard
 
Taking a closer look at the photo it appears that all the cracks are all on the outside of the bend. Is that so? Also from the photo it looks like in addition to the cracks there is discoloration. Or has all the dust simply been rubbed/washed off? Hard to tell much from low rez photos. If it is discolored then it may have been hot at some point. Not sure if you know the entire history of the boat. Are you aware of any pump raw water pump/impeller failures? I'd look for other signs of heat upstream on the rest of the hose, at the muffler and the "mixing elbow".

Even if it is heat damage it's not necessarily an imminent threat. But I'd definitely move it up the priority list. Part/most of the safety factor in exhaust hose design is for aging and to accommodate temperature excursions above design. But every excursion degrades that safety factor. So it may be OK from now till dooms day in normal service but depending on how hot is has been and/or how many times it may not survive another failed impeller.

Yet another plug for low flow and/or high exhaust temp alarms...
 
Nothing in my maintenance summary from the previous owner indicate any issue like that.
However, now that you mention it, the wet discharge to the muffler looks quite new and shiny. Muffler is in good shape.

Maybe I should look closely for date codes... ?

also, you said...
"OK from now till dooms day "

Dooms day is defined as the time when it suddenly becomes "not-OK".
 
I would replace the hose. It is evident that its time is close to an end. The risk of failure is most likely high so what will putting it off a year or so accomplish other than catastrophic failure. You are only deferring the cost and the pain of replacing it. I would bite the bullet now.
 
Date on the muffler is 2011, so I'm guessing that it is the original. Still has a glossy shine to it.
The hose from the mixing elbow does look new. at least newer than the anti-siphon transom loop.

Pretty sure i'll be replacing it after haul out. (Which might be next week, depending upon Matthew.)
Since I'll also be messing with the stern thruster which quit responding recently.

Busy winter.
Stay tuned.
 
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