WATER LIFT (by SeaFever)

[roadnsky]

Posted in another thread by SeaFever...

Does anyone have the SS waterlift muffler with their A4 such as the one seen in the photo bill posted above on 12/31? This is the photo that shows the manifold, exhaust riser and the muffler can be seen in the back ground.

I have the same muffler that came with my A4 in my Pearson 10M. The muffler is Monel SS, I think, since the material looks very similar to my fuel tank. The muffler dia is ~7" and ht ~8" the IN/Out are both on top and about 1/34" in Dia.

I want to know people's experience with that muffler. I am guessing mine is stock from 1974. I don't see any leaks or much of rust. I need to decide whether to replace it with a new one (like the Naqualifts made of fiberglass) or just check this one, clean it and re-use it when I do my repower.

Option 1 would be - "don't mess with it if it is in good condition. These SS mufflers last a lifetime"
Option 2 would be - " don't take a chance. Since you are going to be working in the engine compartment and making othert changes, just replace it with the FG ones. The FG ones also are reliable and last a long time".
Or, there may be other advice/suggestions you may have.

Cheers.

[roadnsky]

SeaFever-
First of all, I hope it's ok that I took the liberty of starting YOUR thread...:o
If not, well Bill knows where to find me. (:eek:)

Is the water lift you're talking about this one? (See attached pics)

If so, I had it out last year when I re-did my exhaust and cleaned it out with vinegar and hi-pressure hose. It's good as new.
(Disclaimer) It's 30 years old, but in fresh water all of it's existence...

[SeaFever]

No worries. I thought I started a thread. I guess I did not do it correctly.

My muffler looks different. I am attaching a picture that shows a partial view of it. There appears to be discoloration (rust) on the outside but that can be cleaned. I think it is Monel SS given the texture is the same as my Fuel tank which I know is Monel.

I just want to find out if someone has that type, used by Pearson yachts, and what their experience is. Yours seems to be slightly different.

Thanks.

[zellerj]

When winterizing my atomic four one year, I naively circulated antifreeze from a bucket. To do this, I put the raw water intake hose into a bucket of antifreeze, and puled the outlet hose off of the exhaust tee just prior to the fiberglass water lift muffler, and put that into the bucket. I started the engine and circulate the antifreeze until the engine was warm enough to open the thermostat and to fog with MMO. Thinking my engine was safely tucked in for the winter, I too hibernated in cold, snowy Michigan. The following spring, upon starting up the engine after launch, water was leaking at the water lift muffler. It turns out that the hot exhaust gases melted and deformed the inlet tube of the muffler, causing the leak, and I had to replace it. This winterizing strategy would have worked with a stainless muffler, and it would have prevented putting antifreeze into the environment.

I would keep it.

Does it do a good job of quieting the engine?

Best,
Jim
Catalina 30, 1982

[SeaFever]

I just realized that the photo did not get attached properly and re-attached it in my above message. Now you should be able to see it.

Jim,

I can't confirm whether it does a good job of quieting the engine as my current engine, an A4 is a hard mounted engine with 1:1 straight drive. The hard mounting passes quite a bit of vibration to the hull/lockers. Having said that it does quiet the sound of the engine and had done a good job of 'water-lifting' w/o any leaks for all these years. I am sure it is stock. I have the boat from the last 2 years or so.

[Dave Neptune]

Jerry, unless you need to change the configuration of the exhaust why bother changing. The stainless should last almost forever and it is easily repairable. I have a fiberglass one I molded up (big PIA) that fits under my floor, the reason I went through that trouble is it opened an entire area under the cockpit for tool and parts storage on a series of shelves above the fuel tank. I couldn't access the area with the muffler where it was.
They do cut a considerable amount of noice.

Dave Neptune:cool:

[roadnsky]

Jerry, unless you need to change the configuration of the exhaust why bother changing.

Dave-
It's actually SeaFever who was asking.
I just confused everyone by "Re-Directing" his Thread.

I'm very happy with my SS Waterlift...;)