tpenfield
Senior Member
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2016
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- Location
- Cape Cod, MA - USA
Quick update on the exhaust riser extension block issue. . .
It has been a couple of years and all is well with the swim platform. As noted earlier in this thread, the exhaust risers seem to be marginal as per the Mercruiser spec. I've had the boat out in various conditions and load without issue, but I did want to bring the exhaust system fully into spec, which is 13" of riser height WITH a full load on the boat. Currently the measurement is about 2" shy of the spec.
Fast-forward to 2021, having used the boat/platform for 2 years. I purchased a set of riser extension blocks as shown below.
It took a bit of searching, as I wanted to make sure the extension blocks were the kind that would allow 'cross flow' for coolant between the main ducts of the riser. These seemed to be the correct type, but were in short supply. I was able to obtain 2 sets.
The engines are closed cooling with sea water going from the heat exchanger to the exhaust elbows, which are stainless steel . . (so they hold up well to the salt water). In adding the extension blocks, I wanted to maintain coolant flow through both the exhaust manifold and the extension block since they are iron. the new configuration is to look something like this . . .
Currently the 'block-off '(separator) gasket is between the manifold and the elbow, since there is no extension block. The new configuration would have the separator gasket between the extension block and the elbow. The gasket between the manifold and the extension block would now be a full flow gasket.
There is a bit of re-engineering needed, but it looks like everything will work out. The extension blocks (once they arrived) turned out to have internal channels between the main ducts in addition to the surface channels that are visible. So, lots of cross flow.
Here are a few pictures of putting the blocks in place for test fitting.
.
.
Still a few fittings and some new hoses to be installed, but it looks like this will work out to add 3" of riser, making the exhaust height above the static waterline 18" without load and about 14" with full load on the boat.
I'll post a few final pics when done.
It has been a couple of years and all is well with the swim platform. As noted earlier in this thread, the exhaust risers seem to be marginal as per the Mercruiser spec. I've had the boat out in various conditions and load without issue, but I did want to bring the exhaust system fully into spec, which is 13" of riser height WITH a full load on the boat. Currently the measurement is about 2" shy of the spec.
Fast-forward to 2021, having used the boat/platform for 2 years. I purchased a set of riser extension blocks as shown below.
It took a bit of searching, as I wanted to make sure the extension blocks were the kind that would allow 'cross flow' for coolant between the main ducts of the riser. These seemed to be the correct type, but were in short supply. I was able to obtain 2 sets.
The engines are closed cooling with sea water going from the heat exchanger to the exhaust elbows, which are stainless steel . . (so they hold up well to the salt water). In adding the extension blocks, I wanted to maintain coolant flow through both the exhaust manifold and the extension block since they are iron. the new configuration is to look something like this . . .
Currently the 'block-off '(separator) gasket is between the manifold and the elbow, since there is no extension block. The new configuration would have the separator gasket between the extension block and the elbow. The gasket between the manifold and the extension block would now be a full flow gasket.
There is a bit of re-engineering needed, but it looks like everything will work out. The extension blocks (once they arrived) turned out to have internal channels between the main ducts in addition to the surface channels that are visible. So, lots of cross flow.
Here are a few pictures of putting the blocks in place for test fitting.
.
.
Still a few fittings and some new hoses to be installed, but it looks like this will work out to add 3" of riser, making the exhaust height above the static waterline 18" without load and about 14" with full load on the boat.
I'll post a few final pics when done.
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