Beta exhaust injection elbow

alahol2

alahol2

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Joined
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Location
Portchester, Solent
www.troppo.co.uk
My Beta 13 has been installed for 9 years (600 hours). I've no reason to be suspicious but should I be examining the exhaust elbow every year? Has anyone had to replace theirs and if so how many years/hours?
To save me searching, if I remove it will I need a new gasket?
 
alahol2 said:
My Beta 13 has been installed for 9 years (600 hours). I've no reason to be suspicious but should I be examining the exhaust elbow every year? Has anyone had to replace theirs and if so how many years/hours?
To save me searching, if I remove it will I need a new gasket?
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I ran my old, 1993, Beta B662, 17hp, for a similar period. When I looked at the elbow, it was as clean as the proverbial whistle, (OK, a smear of carbon above the water entry point).
If you do take it off, the gasket is likely to tear, a new one to hand would be useful.
BTW, my exhaust elbow was SS, I think the current standard is an aluminium casting.
 
I've replaced two on a 19 year old Beta 622, each after approximately 7 years - and in the second case, when it had been entirely in my ownership so I could make an estimate, after perhaps 800-1000 hours at a very rough guess (no hours meter). They were both the stainless ones, and the last one was changed for the aluminium variety which I was told should last longer (the aluminium ones are much thicker and require longer bolts). It seems yours and earlybird's did better, in years at least, and I guess the particular installation and pattern of use can affect the life so my case may not be typical, but I'd recommend a check at that age.
 
My BZ 482 which was about the same age as yours needed a new exhaust elbow a couple of years ago. I got it done by TS Marine which is the agent for Beta on the Hamble. It took him an hour to do it along with one or two other jobs along side the pontoon. Would recommend as nuts can be seized on.
 
One point if you do change to the aluminium type: longer bolts came with mine but one didn't get a good grip. Beta advised that there should be enough thread in the H/E for longer ones again, and indeed there was (on the 622 anyway!). May save a moment's worry if it happens to you. :)
 
Hydrozoan said:
One point if you do change to the aluminium type: longer bolts came with mine but one didn't get a good grip. Beta advised that there should be enough thread in the H/E for longer ones again, and indeed there was (on the 622 anyway!). May save a moment's worry if it happens to you. :)
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Thanks, I'm fairly sure mine is already an aluminium one. My understanding is that the standard elbow is aluminium and the high rise is stainless, or at least it was at one time in the past.
 
The standard ones are now aluminium, but when I changed the first one about 10 years ago they were evidently still stainless. Anyway, good luck with it.
 
My nearly 10 year old BD722 1000 hours, has a aluminium elbow and was fine (just a bit of soot) last year after taking the engine out for a sail drive diaphragm. Did have to clean off some salty deposits though but metal was unpitted and full thickness.
 
Habebty said:
My nearly 10 year old BD722 1000 hours, has a aluminium elbow and was fine (just a bit of soot) last year after taking the engine out for a sail drive diaphragm. Did have to clean off some salty deposits though but metal was unpitted and full thickness.
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That's good to hear. Just spent all morning getting the water and exhaust hoses off mine. Quite a lot of salt type deposits under the pipes. Now have to go out to get a 6 point socket to get the bolts undone. Don't want to risk rounding them off with my 12 point socket, they are VERY tight.
 
alahol2 said:
That's good to hear. Just spent all morning getting the water and exhaust hoses off mine. Quite a lot of salt type deposits under the pipes. Now have to go out to get a 6 point socket to get the bolts undone. Don't want to risk rounding them off with my 12 point socket, they are VERY tight.
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Put some grease on them when you put them back. Next time they might not be so tight! Your bolts were probably put in by the installer. It never fails to surprise me how many "Professionals" do not grease nuts and bolts on assembly. It just makes taking things apart so much easier.
 
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Alex_Blackwood said:
Put some grease on them when you put them back. Next time they might not be so tight! Your bolts were probably put in by the installer. It never fails to surprise me how many "Professionals" do not grease nuts and bolts on assembly. It just makes taking things apart so much easier.
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Yes, just got the socket and bought some copper grease at the same time for when I re-install. The elbow was on the engine when I got it from Beta and hasn't been touched since. Let's hope the bolts come out tomorrow.
 
Oh why do I listen to you lot? Tried unscrewing, punching the head, heating, Plusgas etc etc. Have now got the head of one of the bolts in my pocket.
After that I gave up on the destructive testing and tried photos instead.
From the many photos I took, this one is overall the clearest...

ELBOW 2013-2014.JPG


As you can see it looks fine, water inlet at the top. As far up the elbow as I can get a finger, well beyond the water inlet and almost to the bend, it feels very smooth with no discernible erosion/corrosion or build up of carbon. It feels like the full thickness of alloy is still there.

At that point I put the pipes back on and went home somewhat despondent but hoping the elbow will last another 10 years before I need to try and get the other three bolts out.
 
I'm very sorry to hear that and can understand your reaction. My experience was changing the first one shortly after we bought the boat, and intending to check the second after a similar period, but leaving it just too long . We ended up with exhaust filling the engine bay over the latter part of a trip, without our realising, followed by a long and messy clean-up and organising replacement away from our home berth. That was when we changed to the aluminium type (which I did not know you had - see earlier post). It was in that context that I wrote, but you can perhaps imagine my feelings on reading your post.
 
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Might I also suggest that you will know when the exhaust is going as some tiny holes will appear. You can do a temp fix with metal sticky stuff and deal with the problem when you can.
 
alahol2 said:
Please don't beat yourself up! I would have tried to check it anyway, 10 years is a long time.
Perhaps anyone with a recent engine should remove, grease and replace the bolts while they still can?
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Well, I did - but thanks for the kind words, which are much appreciated. Yes, I think I was lucky after 7 years to get the bolts out just after a bit of a struggle, but it was better the second time perhaps because I had lubricated them very well on installation. And, yes, it's probably wise to run them out and lubricate every few years. Anyway, I'm very sorry for your trouble and hope that it can be resolved without more hassle.
 
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