[C320-list] Aqua Lift Muffler

[James Harkness]

Hi, Arthur

Went through this one a couple of years ago (about 800 hours on the 
engine) when the muffler started leaking around the base (& rapidly got 
worse). Couldn't find anything to fit off the shelf which fitted the 
space and engineering requirements (eg there is a pressure differential 
between inlet and outlet built into the design) and Catalina were going 
to be both slow (am UK based) and expensive.

 Eventually took the unit to a specialist GRP fabricator who cut the 
bottom off revealing serious defects in the original's layup. They then 
made a new base which was glued to the top with epoxy and we bolted the 
repair back in situ. With lots of bolts. No problem since and we have 
added a further 250 engine hours. Cost was about a quarter of the quote 
from Catalina - about $200 in your language

We took care to replace the existing connecting hose from engine side 
with as flexible a material as we could find but I don't any longer have 
details of what it was.


Jim
#303

Arthur Gates wrote:
> Has anyone had a local fiberglass fabricator re-build the aqua lift muffler
> -- as an alternative to returning it to Catalina for making a new one?
> If so, result and approx. cost?
>
> If I remove the muffler, what do I look for that would tell me it needs
> attention?
>
> The forward flange cracked a year ago but I was able to fix that with mixed
> epoxy.  I am putting on a new hose from the engine to the muffler, thinking
> that the old one was too stiff after 12 years and was sending big
> vibrations to the flange, but the new one is also stiff?
>
> Rollie   #182   		(440 hrs on engine and muffler after 12 years, 7 in fresh
> water in NH and 5 in salt)
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