Volvo 2003 exhaust elbow removal and replacement.

Len Ingalls

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We have found that you can only acid wash the elbow once. The build up is calcium, in some form (but soluble in acid), and carbon (which is why its black). Unfortunately rust or iron oxide also dissolves in acid and as the elbows corrode or rust the simple technique of removing the clogging also removes some of the oxide, leaving a fresh surface to rust. I think the steel is also soluble, slowly, in acid so the act of cleaning need to be done with caution - it might not work (or it works to well) and you end up with a hole in elbow, been there, done that!

Stainless seems the way to go, especially if you intend keeping the yacht. I have heard tell that stainless does not result in the build-up or clogging in the first place - but I actually do not know of anyone with one to verify this.

Jonathan

I think the advantage of SS is that it shouldn't corrode/rust . The build up in exhaust ells is a combination of rust & lime scale.
You may still get some mineral scale build up but no amount of rust flakes mixed with it,meaning a lot longer time before significant blockage occurs. This is personal opinion only-it will be awhile before I have actual results.

Cheers/ Len:)
 

RichardS

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I think the advantage of SS is that it shouldn't corrode/rust . The build up in exhaust ells is a combination of rust & lime scale.
You may still get some mineral scale build up but no amount of rust flakes mixed with it,meaning a lot longer time before significant blockage occurs. This is personal opinion only-it will be awhile before I have actual results.

Cheers/ Len:)

I'm not sure if that is always the case. My SS Yanmar elbows are both totally clear after 3000-odd hours of use. However, I'm sure we have had forumites on here with SS Yanmar elbows who have found them severly congested.

I suspect that it's more to do with engine usage patterns and techniques rather that the elbow material but I'm open-minded either way.

Richard
 

Neeves

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Calcium build up is one of the most common issues on this forum, it occurs (the threads) with depressingly regularity. Depressing - only because there seems to be no solution. I find it odd that the actual mechanism has not been defined, at all, such that owners can try to reduce the problem.

I had this idea at the back of my mind that the calcium build up did not occur on stainless stee., that it was thus a function of the steel casting - but I really don't know.

Jonathan
 

lampshuk

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Well, I washed out the acid this morning, and had a good old scrape around inside the elbow tonight. Unfortunately I couldn't wash it properly, since our outdoor tap has frozen up and I don't think I would be forgiven for rinsing out all that sooty gubbins in the kitchen sink.

The last 3 photos here show the grisly tale: https://goo.gl/photos/3pyqoLwsrditEZTN7

The side-channels are now open, at least. They were not only blocked by the resinous glue (I think) from the previous service, but clolgged by internal deposits. Worryingly, as I was scraping them out with an old chisel, the metal around the edge of the channel seemed rather soft. So much so that at first I assumed I was just scraping away the deposit, but the scraping just seemed too extensive, and the dust coming off was magnetic, so I stopped. Could HCL do that to iron? Ooer. Better check the stainless steel sink. No, wait, that's hydrofluoric acid, isn't it?

The 3rd from last picture shows the erosion around one of the side channels (not my efforts, it was like that when I found it yer honner). You can see the amount of light between the edge of the rule and the flat edge of the elbow.

I will also need to buy about 8 inches of exhaust hose. Anybody got a scrap at the bottom of their spares box?

That S/S elbow is looking more attractive by the minute
 

Len Ingalls

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Well, I washed out the acid this morning, and had a good old scrape around inside the elbow tonight. Unfortunately I couldn't wash it properly, since our outdoor tap has frozen up and I don't think I would be forgiven for rinsing out all that sooty gubbins in the kitchen sink.

The last 3 photos here show the grisly tale: https://goo.gl/photos/3pyqoLwsrditEZTN7

The side-channels are now open, at least. They were not only blocked by the resinous glue (I think) from the previous service, but clolgged by internal deposits. Worryingly, as I was scraping them out with an old chisel, the metal around the edge of the channel seemed rather soft. So much so that at first I assumed I was just scraping away the deposit, but the scraping just seemed too extensive, and the dust coming off was magnetic, so I stopped. Could HCL do that to iron? Ooer. Better check the stainless steel sink. No, wait, that's hydrofluoric acid, isn't it?

The 3rd from last picture shows the erosion around one of the side channels (not my efforts, it was like that when I found it yer honner). You can see the amount of light between the edge of the rule and the flat edge of the elbow.

I will also need to buy about 8 inches of exhaust hose. Anybody got a scrap at the bottom of their spares box?

That S/S elbow is looking more attractive by the minute

One side passage is eaten out to the exterior of elbow at the flange face & will leak-probably why PO had it gooped up with sealant. The other side passage is well on it's way to the same problem.
Cheap? & dirty fix may be to have a machine shop plane enough metal off that face to get down to a flat surface all round. Not sure how thick the flange face is. Your original bolts will be a bit long but that could be a good thing as I previously posted.
I'm not recommending this as a "proper" fix,but may get u by for a couple of yrs. A new elbow is the proper fix.
Before you do this,you can check for other leaks by plugging the water injection slot where it meets the exh. gases. Pour Methyl Hydrate(wood alky) into the oblong holes at flange & see if there are any leaks from water jacket to exhaust gas passage.Methyl is a good test fluid as it is thinner than water & causes cracks to expand for some reason.

I note that the inlet water spigot appears to be a short pipe welded to elbow.The original VP copper pipe,crowfoot clamp & rubber ring is no longer there. That is the solution to the cursed weeping VP method,but a new elbow will be machined for the old VP set up. This means you will have to have a spigot welded to new ell or buy a short section of VP copper pipe,crowfoot,rubber & bolt from VP-expensive!-or locate used parts. Your choice.

Cheers/ Len
 

Len Ingalls

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Wow - that's a really complicated casting compared to the usual concentric-pipe-with-a-flange type of elbow.

What connects to the three fittings either side of the elbow? Is that a triple injection water feed and do those rounded rectangular channels in the elbow connect through into the injection points, if that ls what they are.

If the rectangular holes do connect through to the injection points then they should be unblocked at the manifold as they appear to be some kind of manifold cooling device. If they do not go through to the injection points but are dead-ends then they are not circulational so probably not very important. When you get the new manifold gasket you will soon see whether it is designed to keep the holes blocked or not.

Richard

Overlapped posts and Len has answered all those questions - ports connect through to injection point so an active manfold cooling device. First time I've ever seen active manifold cooling although I'm not a marine expert!

Richard & other interested members

The reason that the VP 2000 series exhaust elbow gasket has the oblong cooling passages cut out is,I believe, purely production economics.
This same gasket is used on extended elbows for engines mounted below waterline,or,at least lower in vessel. A 4" spacer block is inserted between elbow & flange surface of manifold. In this situation,raw cooling water is wanted in the complete elbow & spacer jackets.
But in no case is raw water ever circulated down thru manifold flange to the manifold itself.The oblong passages are not cut thru the manifold flange.

The manifold is part of the cyl head casting(not bolted on) & is cooled by the "fresh water/antifreeze mix that is circulated thru the engine & block. Even in the case of a raw water cooled VP2000 series,the cyl head/manifold water does not pass up thru the exhaust flange.

In both cases,raw cooling water enters the elbow assy. thru a pipe attached to the fwd side of exhaust ell & fed by a copper pipe or rubber hose with raw water.

The blocked off passages on the sides of the elbow are used for optional equipment,SOLAS versions & by the turbo charged VP 2003.
VP Exh. ell_0002.jpgVP Exh. ell_0001.jpg

Cheers/ Len
 

lampshuk

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Richard & other interested members

...
But in no case is raw water ever circulated down thru manifold flange to the manifold itself.The oblong passages are not cut thru the manifold flange.

The manifold is part of the cyl head casting(not bolted on) & is cooled by the "fresh water/antifreeze mix that is circulated thru the engine & block. Even in the case of a raw water cooled VP2000 series,the cyl head/manifold water does not pass up thru the exhaust flange.
...
View attachment 55506View attachment 55507

Cheers/ Len

Thanks, Len. From what you're saying it sounds like it's quite important that the rectangular channels are sealed from the main exhaust chamber in the elbow, to avoid the water circulating through the head itself becoming contaminated (I have a Martec aftermarket fresh-water cooling system fitted). So in my case I either need to clean up the channels so they seal properly, or goop them back up altogether. Since the engine was functioning quite well before I embarked on this project, the gooping option sounds like the path-of-least-resistance.

And thanks for the tip about the modified injection point.

Sigh.

The unintended consequences of preventive maintenance....
 

Len Ingalls

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You don't ever want water in the exhaust passage until it is injected at a point below the exhaust valves. Otherwise some of it will run backwards thru the exh. valves & into the cylinders causing corrosion & waterlock.

If you must patch elbow flange for now, I suggest using one of the heat resistant "metal" epoxies,rather than any kind of sealant. This area gets hot.

You really need a new elbow soon. If water gets into a cylinder it will not compress & you end up with a smashed piston,etc.

Cheers/ Len
 

Stork_III

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Well, I washed out the acid this morning, and had a good old scrape around inside the elbow tonight. Unfortunately I couldn't wash it properly, since our outdoor tap has frozen up and I don't think I would be forgiven for rinsing out all that sooty gubbins in the kitchen sink.

The last 3 photos here show the grisly tale: https://goo.gl/photos/3pyqoLwsrditEZTN7

The side-channels are now open, at least. They were not only blocked by the resinous glue (I think) from the previous service, but clolgged by internal deposits. Worryingly, as I was scraping them out with an old chisel, the metal around the edge of the channel seemed rather soft. So much so that at first I assumed I was just scraping away the deposit, but the scraping just seemed too extensive, and the dust coming off was magnetic, so I stopped. Could HCL do that to iron? Ooer. Better check the stainless steel sink. No, wait, that's hydrofluoric acid, isn't it?

The 3rd from last picture shows the erosion around one of the side channels (not my efforts, it was like that when I found it yer honner). You can see the amount of light between the edge of the rule and the flat edge of the elbow.

I will also need to buy about 8 inches of exhaust hose. Anybody got a scrap at the bottom of their spares box?

That S/S elbow is looking more attractive by the minute

HCl will turn your stainless sink black, reaction with Chromium in the steel, I think. Stainless and hot sea water do not necessarily go together well. http://www.bssa.org.uk/topics.php?article=100
 

lampshuk

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OK, something doesn't quite add up.
With help from my son, I had a closer look at the channels in the elbow. The raw water injection point IS connected to the rectangular channels. I poured water down the raw water injection point, blocking up the exhaust outlet, and eventually the water came out of the rectangular channels. All 3 of them.
You can see the torch shining through from the injection inlet to the central rectangular channel in the last photo here: https://goo.gl/photos/3pyqoLwsrditEZTN7

So now I'm confused. If these rectangular channels connect to the cooling in the engine head, I would be getting raw water in the cooling.
...
Doh! Penny drops!
...
The "conversion" to fresh water cooling must involve blocking the circulation of raw water from the injection point back into the head, since that would ruin the whole point of having fresh water cooling in the first place.
So, in fact, I have to block the rectangular holes, or I will bu**er the cooling system.
Does that sound right, Len? I think that's different to your earlier posting (unless I misunderstood) but it's the only thing that makes sense to me, looking at the way it's all laid out.
Would I be better off making a blank gasket (and cutting a hole for the exhaust, obviously), rather than gooping it up?
 

Len Ingalls

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OK, something doesn't quite add up.
With help from my son, I had a closer look at the channels in the elbow. The raw water injection point IS connected to the rectangular channels. I poured water down the raw water injection point, blocking up the exhaust outlet, and eventually the water came out of the rectangular channels. All 3 of them.
You can see the torch shining through from the injection inlet to the central rectangular channel in the last photo here: https://goo.gl/photos/3pyqoLwsrditEZTN7

So now I'm confused. If these rectangular channels connect to the cooling in the engine head, I would be getting raw water in the cooling.
...
Doh! Penny drops!
...
The "conversion" to fresh water cooling must involve blocking the circulation of raw water from the injection point back into the head, since that would ruin the whole point of having fresh water cooling in the first place.
So, in fact, I have to block the rectangular holes, or I will bu**er the cooling system.
Does that sound right, Len? I think that's different to your earlier posting (unless I misunderstood) but it's the only thing that makes sense to me, looking at the way it's all laid out.
Would I be better off making a blank gasket (and cutting a hole for the exhaust, obviously), rather than gooping it up?

You have been working too hard :)

In both raw & fresh cooled engines,the only water in the elbow is the raw water injected into that welded spigot,filling the oblong jackets & exiting into the exhaust at the water outlet hole near the exhaust hose. The outlet I speak of is that hole that you see light shining thru.
Fresh water is never sent thru the elbow in either raw or fresh cooled versions.
Use the gasket as it comes.The raw jacket water can't get back into the manifold since it can't pass thru the solid metal of the manifold flange.
Ignore the oblong holes in gasket.They aren't required at the manifold flange that is true. But this same gasket could be used if you had the 4" riser block option(which you don't). VP just use same gasket for 2 different places.

Don't feel bad about taking the elbow apart for maintenance. It wouldn't have lasted much longer the way it was.Better to find these things at your convenience than to have it break while offshore. That is the purpose of maintenance:)

Cheers/ Len
 

lampshuk

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OK. Thanks, Len!
I have been working on the assumption that the rectangular holes in the elbow match up with similar channels in the engine block where the elbow attaches, leading me to think that the water from the elbow channels also circulated around at least the exhaust outlet stage. Looking back at my original photos of the engine I can't tell one way or the other. I didn't have time to clean that surface up before I came away.
Thanks for your patience! It beats me how duffers like me kept their boats working before the internet and web forums. I suppose they relied on more professional help, or just found out the hard/expensive way.
 

Len Ingalls

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OK. Thanks, Len!
I have been working on the assumption that the rectangular holes in the elbow match up with similar channels in the engine block where the elbow attaches, leading me to think that the water from the elbow channels also circulated around at least the exhaust outlet stage. Looking back at my original photos of the engine I can't tell one way or the other. I didn't have time to clean that surface up before I came away.
Thanks for your patience! It beats me how duffers like me kept their boats working before the internet and web forums. I suppose they relied on more professional help, or just found out the hard/expensive way.

That is the great thing about forums & the net. We can all benefit from each others sometimes hard learned experience.
Pay it forward & best of luck.
Cheers/ Len
 

RIBW

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In both raw & fresh cooled engines,the only water in the elbow is the raw water injected into that welded spigot,.......Cheers/ Len

Len,
There have been many postings on the subject of cooling 2000 series engines and, taken with a very poor description in the manuals, I have never seen a final clear undisputed description of how the cooling works. I am far from being knowledgeable about engines so, for my own use, I try to distil the information available and do a little write-up for my own benefit. (I see one of these, on the Instrument Panel, escaped to Dropbox in your #27 posting). I have done a write up on the cooling based on the following gleanings.

Referring only to a raw water cooled engine, I had understood that there are two routes into the elbow:-
A permanent flow through Pipe #8 on the diagram
http://www.marinepartseurope.com/en/volvo-penta-explodedview-7726000-26-11620.aspx
This flow is routed through the engine on a perforated end-to-end tube and provides exhaust cooling before the thermostat opens.
The second input comes eventually from the open thermostat through what this posting refers to as the 'welded spigot'.

It would be good to hear your views.

Cheers
Bob
 

lampshuk

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Thanks for your point, Bob. Like you, I am struggling to make sense of this.

I have no Pipe number 8 installed, nor do I have the extension block 29 (marked obsolete).
Oddly enough, I do have a random spare part that looks like pipe number 8. but it's just sculling around in the bottom of a tuopperware box that was on the boat when I got her.

So on my engine, the only source of water going in to the exhaust is the spigot. This usually appears in the cooling water within 10-15 seconds of startup, so is it accurate to say that it's controlled by the thermostat? I can see the exhaust gases coming up to temp before the main engine block does.

Today I got down to the boat and cleaned up the block side of the connection. You can see the before and after photos here: (the last 2) https://goo.gl/photos/3pyqoLwsrditEZTN7

What's interesting is that although the 3 channels that would correspond with the 3 in the elbow exist, they have been blocked with something that isn't quite metal. You can't really see from the photos, but I was easily able to gouge out holes in them using a wood chisel. I stopped rather quickly, but there definitely have been channels there. So where do they go? Wherever it is, if not blocked, it's going to get raw water pumped down it, since those channels connect with the elbow, which squirts raw water through the elbow (in my case, via the spigot).

Right now my main concern is to reattach the elbow in such a way that it doesn't leak exhaust gas into the cabin, nor cooling water into the exhaust chamber. I have been ferreting around looking for a machine shop in the Andover area. Found one that charges only £45 per hour...perhaps I'll stick with the goop...sometimes there's a reason that the PO did the things he/she did...

(on a not-unrelated topic, should I be worried that another discovery in the same tupperware box as Pipe8 is a brand new "anti-siphon device", complete with fitting instructions. Is that important?)
 

Len Ingalls

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Len,
There have been many postings on the subject of cooling 2000 series engines and, taken with a very poor description in the manuals, I have never seen a final clear undisputed description of how the cooling works. I am far from being knowledgeable about engines so, for my own use, I try to distil the information available and do a little write-up for my own benefit. (I see one of these, on the Instrument Panel, escaped to Dropbox in your #27 posting). I have done a write up on the cooling based on the following gleanings.

Referring only to a raw water cooled engine, I had understood that there are two routes into the elbow:-
A permanent flow through Pipe #8 on the diagram
http://www.marinepartseurope.com/en/volvo-penta-explodedview-7726000-26-11620.aspx
This flow is routed through the engine on a perforated end-to-end tube and provides exhaust cooling before the thermostat opens.
The second input comes eventually from the open thermostat through what this posting refers to as the 'welded spigot'.

It would be good to hear your views.

Cheers
Bob

Hi Bob
You are 100% correct on the raw water version. RW cooled have the additional pipe # 8 from rear of block(perforated tube outlet) to another rubber ring fitting on the port side of the elbow. As you say,this path supplies raw water cooling during engine warm up on the RW cooled version.
This path is not used on a fresh cooled version since raw water does not pass thru the thermostat. RW comes out of the RW pump as soon as engine is started & goes directly via the anti-siphon & thru the RW section of the external heat exchanger,out of the heat exchanger & into the "spigot" or rubber ring fitting in elbow front,thru the jackets of elbow & into the exhaust gas via an "injection hole" near the elbow outlet/exhaust hose joint.
What I meant & said very poorly is that there is never any fresh water used in the elbow. It is cooled only by raw water in all versions regardless of the routes that the raw water takes to get to elbow cooling jackets & injection to exhaust gas.
Thanks for pointing this out.
lampshuk was concerned about possible need to open the elbow cooling jacket oblong holes thru the flange on manifold. They are never open in any version as you would have RW pouring into manifold & in thru exhaust valves.
In my printed parts manual there are near 50 pages covering the various 2001,2002 & 2003(Turbo & non Turbo) -in Raw Cooled,Fresh cooled, SOLAS versions with hot & water cooled exhaust - no wonder there is no simple description of 2000 series cooling!!:)
Keep this in mind when you look at online parts manuals for these engines & not just the cooling system. Check & read carefully the heading at top of parts page to make sure it is the pics for your engine.
I bought the paper version 8 yrs ago as I couldn't make sense of the online version. Not that online is incorrect or missing anything-everything appears to be there-but I just couldn't follow piping especially & some other things.

Here is another Dropbox link that shows cooling flows.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ei0ui9tp6fgpkxl/VP 2003 Cooling & Ext Heater Sys.pdf?dl=0

Cheers/ Len:)
 
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Len Ingalls

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Thanks for your point, Bob. Like you, I am struggling to make sense of this.

I have no Pipe number 8 installed, nor do I have the extension block 29 (marked obsolete).
Oddly enough, I do have a random spare part that looks like pipe number 8. but it's just sculling around in the bottom of a tuopperware box that was on the boat when I got her.

So on my engine, the only source of water going in to the exhaust is the spigot. This usually appears in the cooling water within 10-15 seconds of startup, so is it accurate to say that it's controlled by the thermostat? I can see the exhaust gases coming up to temp before the main engine block does.

Today I got down to the boat and cleaned up the block side of the connection. You can see the before and after photos here: (the last 2) https://goo.gl/photos/3pyqoLwsrditEZTN7

What's interesting is that although the 3 channels that would correspond with the 3 in the elbow exist, they have been blocked with something that isn't quite metal. You can't really see from the photos, but I was easily able to gouge out holes in them using a wood chisel. I stopped rather quickly, but there definitely have been channels there. So where do they go? Wherever it is, if not blocked, it's going to get raw water pumped down it, since those channels connect with the elbow, which squirts raw water through the elbow (in my case, via the spigot).

Right now my main concern is to reattach the elbow in such a way that it doesn't leak exhaust gas into the cabin, nor cooling water into the exhaust chamber. I have been ferreting around looking for a machine shop in the Andover area. Found one that charges only £45 per hour...perhaps I'll stick with the goop...sometimes there's a reason that the PO did the things he/she did...

(on a not-unrelated topic, should I be worried that another discovery in the same tupperware box as Pipe8 is a brand new "anti-siphon device", complete with fitting instructions. Is that important?)

Hi again
Your engine is fresh water cooled isn't it? You have a bronze RW pump on lower port front & a fresh water circulator pump under the alternator on the stbd front of engine plus you have a heat exchanger.

I'm willing to bet that the short pipe found in Tupperware box is the original copper tube that used to go where the welded spigot is now. A fresh water cooled eng. doesn't have pipe # 8 .

Anti siphon valve is important. If you leave your intake seacock open,seawater could siphon from seacock thru RW pump,heat exchanger & elbow & fill muffler. Water could back up thru exhaust injection hole in elbow & over the hump & into the manifold & exh. valves. The siphon break is located a foot or more above the waterline & if any suction occurs in the elbow,etc. due to siphon flow,a small port on anti siphon valve opens & allows air into the RW circuit thereby stopping any siphoning.
Check that this little vent valve is working by sucking on one port of anti siphon valve & finger blocking the other port. Vent port should open when you suck & close when you blow.

The oblong "dents" in the manifold flange were never supposed to go all the way thru the flange & into manifold/cyl. head. On a new engine,the manifold flange is flat & the only holes are the center exhaust & the 4 tapped bolt holes.
Over time,water from the matching oblong elbow holes lies on the manifold flange & rusts the oblong depressions you are seeing.
Put your finger in the center exhaust hole & feel beneath each oblong depression. There should not be any indication that these holes ever went all the way thru.
Dig the loose rust out of the depressions with a screwdriver.You should find solid cast iron.
If they are rusted thru,or PO punched them thru for some wrong reason,they must be blocked off.
If that is the case,I would not trust any kind of sealant myself. I would make a 1/8" (3mm?) plate with the 4 bolt holes & center exh. hole. Use 2 gaskets. One gskt on top of plate & one under it. Longer elbow bolts would be needed.

Cheers/ Len
 

lampshuk

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Thanks, Len. That Dropbox doc is very clear. It shows the blocking of the Pipe 8 vents.
My FW cooler is a Martec aftermarket one, so my layout is a bit different. RW pump is lower port side front ( that should be the same, I suppose), FW pump is rear starboard side, under the heat exchanger.

Thanks for the advice on the siphon valve. I've been wondering about that for a while. Sounds like I should get on with it.

For completeness, the cleaned-up elbow is photographed here https://goo.gl/photos/3pyqoLwsrditEZTN7
(last 2 pics). I was surprised how tough the encrusted deposits were. I ended up filing away at the narrow point to get it to open a bit.

Thanks, all, for your helpful advice. I will update the thread when I get Drifter back in the water and fire her up.
 
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