[C320-list] Yanmar mixing elbow

[Jack Brennan]

Just replaced the mixing elbow on the exhaust of my Yanmar and discovered an interesting development.

This used to be a bear of a job because it’s really a three-piece system – elbow, a connector pipe fitting and the part that bolts onto the engine. Separating the elbow from the other parts took the strength of Hercules. At least it did when I did the job on a previous sailboat.

I ended up going to my auto mechanic back then. With all of his equipment, HE complained about how tough it was to remove.

Well, this time I went to Mastry, the southeastern U.S. dealer for Yanmar, and the parts guy sold me all three pieces already connected for $246. What a deal! He said they started doing that because so many people had tried and failed to remove the elbow, ending up hiring a mechanic for many hundreds.

I did the job myself in under an hour, including getting those #$$%^^ hoses off. Not even any curse words. Four bolts and two hoses to disconnect and reconnect.

The elbow had been on at least five years and probably many more. It was two-thirds clogged with carbon, which explained why I had been having trouble lately getting above 2,800 rpm. It’s purring and running easily now.

It’s a worthwhile maintenance item. Yanmar recommends every five years.

Jack Brennan
Spmnas, 1998 Catalina 320
Tierra Verde, Fl.

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