Exhaust Elbow Refurb Advice

Seatrout

Seatrout

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I have removed the exhaust elbow as part of a service on a VP 2001 engine. The seawater channels are pretty clogged up with solidified salt/rust.
So far I have hit it with boiling fresh water, which helped to a degree.
Can anyone on the forum recommend tools/cleaners etc to get them back to new... and for that matter I'm also thinking about the block which is still insitu on the boat.

TIA
 
Won't HCL attack the metal?

Wouldn't chipping the deposits away with a chisel or similar be the best way to start with?
 
I used B&Q's brick and patio cleaner last year on the exhaust elbow off my VP 2003. Lots of fizzing and bubbles. Didn't dare leave it in too long, just kept repeating with some physical dislodging of deposits between times. Didn't appear to harm the metal-but as said I didn't leave it in for too long at any one time.

HTH
 
Hydrochloric acid has very little effect on steel and none on brass and bronze in the short term. But physical methods are far more effective at removing these deposits. Boiling water won't do much good, the deposits are insoluble.
 
vyv_cox said:
Hydrochloric acid has very little effect on steel and none on brass and bronze in the short term. But physical methods are far more effective at removing these deposits. Boiling water won't do much good, the deposits are insoluble.
Click to expand...

I has the same problem on a VP D2 40 , I plug one end and filled it up with Toilet cleaner that had HCA in it then used a hacksaw blade to slowly work my way around the water jacket , it done the trick .

www.bluewatersailor4.webs.com
 
nigelmercier said:
If you resort to chipping at it, you may go through the wall. This is the best time to discover a weakness, but don't do it when you are about to go sailing.
Click to expand...
Plus one! They go like cheese, I had to replace the one on my 2030 and I have just made one in stainless for my MD22. I cleaned the MD22 one 3 yrs ago, when I took it off the other week, the very act of removing the hoses broke the rotten cast iron stub. I have written it up for PBO so it should be out shortly.
I used some bits from ASAP and had the flange made up.
Stu
 
sailorman said:
Brick cleaner ( Hydrocloric acid)
Click to expand...

Thank you for that advice. By way of update, elbow duly refurbed and refitted, however the engine continued to overheat after 20 mins or so at 75%.
On researching the problem on here (a lot of forum threads on the matter), the decision was taken to introduce HydroChloric Acid to the engine block via the top water feed in pipe in an attempt to clear any crud in the block capillaries.
Following advice from another thread, the zinc pencil anode and thermostat was removed prior. 2 x attempts of 1 and 2 hours did not cure the overheating problem, so I grabbed the crown jewels and left it simmering overnight.
Result! The engine ran for an hour on load at 75% with no sign of overheat and the block cool enough to touch.
Again a big thank you for pointing me to the correct medicine for a cure.
 
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