[C320-list] water lift muffler

[John Frost]

That is a common failure for 320's. The fiberglass muffler develops cracks
because of loads and vibration. A mechanic in Chattanooga gave me a
temporary fix by grinding out the crack and filling it with epoxy. That got
me home. Catalina will make you a replacement but requires a number of
specific measurements and significant lead time. You can also buy similar
mufflers from other suppliers. The volume of the muffler is important so
that it doesn't fill during starting and cause engine damage. When I
replaced mine, I used a strap to hold it down to minimize vibration
stresses. Others have also added flex hose on the inlet side to reduce
stress

John
2009 C320MKII
Hull  #1118
Lake Guntersville, AL

-----Original Message-----
From: C320-list <c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com> On Behalf Of Louis
Spitz
Sent: Saturday, September 18, 2021 8:12 PM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: [C320-list] water lift mufflerl

I panicked when I saw water above the floorboards.Turns out after all the
panicking, checking thru hulls, etc., that the culprit was the water lift
muffler. Water was gushing from around the entire base. With the engine off
and all thru hulls closed, the water stopped flooding. Now, how do I fix
this thing? Any advice appreciated!!
Thanks.
Lou Spitz
#195, 1995 C320