Every Time I Turn Around!!!!
 

Well...........what can I say........this boat is gonna be the end of me!!!! :(

Spent a year on the restoration, used the boat maybe twice and had to pull the motors, now it looks like I need to replace the exhaust manifolds!!!!!!!

Can anyone point me down the right path to an affordable exhaust system?

I currently have the Mercrusier / Gil set-up (Stock set-up) on a set of stock 454's.

Any help would be appreciated..........

hardin, K/E, eddie marine

google it

a lot of people using the stock Merc 496 manifolds as they are supposed to flow as well as some of the cheaper aftermarket stuff.
You can pick them up used fairly reasonable.
Do a search on here to read up on them.
on stock 454s you dont really need to spend a lot on aftermarket exhaust.

B...Bring
O...Out
A...Another
T...Thousand

Its great, isnt it? :lolhit:

I can't remember that last time it was only a thousand dollars though...........uhg! lol...

Thank you everyone for the advice. I didn't realize that I could get new manifolds only. Didn't think they were available anymore for some reason. The Risers are still good, as far as I've been told anyway. Still investigating, but as of right now, I can get a set of new replacement manifolds for $1,895 a pair. Ouch......that was even painful to type. Not to mention, I need to buy two sets....... :(

I have a good used freshwater set(only 1 set) off my Pachanga. I'm not sure if they are the same as yours but they are off my 1987! They are painted blue and complete with risers. I am open to an offer if they will work for you.

http://miami.craigslist.org/pbc/boa/1931656178.html
http://atlanta.craigslist.org/nat/boa/1937912959.html

Stainless Marine are probobly the best bang for the buck. Cast aluminum manifolds to a stainless riser, look them up. I bought a set for a boat I had in 94' and took them off and have been running them on the boat I have now since 2005. If you shop around you can find a set for about what your going to pay for your manifolds.

B..end
O..ver
A..nd
T..ake it

That is more like it. :angry-smiley-038:

Yeah - and that is just to fill up the tanks!!!

Everyone seems to like those Stainless Marine products - I would look there if you don't want to pull the the trigger on Headers....

http://www.keitheickert.com/c-426-big-block-chevy.aspx

much cheeper than $1800

I've repaired my Gils (a crack in the aluminum can be welded).

Giils are good stuff.

I prefer Stainless Marine for replacement.

I feel your pain....

I put Stainless Marine on my Formula a few years back and really like them.

5 year warranty, and I just saw today in the General section where someone had a bracket break of come loose, and Stainless had it fixed for him within the week.

Here's the link;
http://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/g...ss-marine.html

heres some I found om ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Imco-...item33611610dd

Once again, THANK YOU to all of my Cigarette brethren!!!! This forum is amazing!!!

Well, I decided to go with new Stainless Marine exhaust manifolds and risers. I couldn't exactly afford to do it, but, better safe than sorry. The piece of mind is priceless. The Gils were original from 1987, so, it was just a matter of time anyway. So, at least for now, that's one less thing that I need to worry about. It was the right thing to do as well, especially since the motors have just been rebuilt. It would be just my luck that the originals would fail causing engine damage to my newly rebuilt engines. It worked out in a couple of different ways; 1) Stainless Marine is local, so they've already been picked up and installed. 2) I got a great deal on them. 3) Didn't have to pay any shipping costs.

If I'm forced to sell this boat in the near future; 1) I'll be pissed. 2) Someone will be getting an amazing boat for pennies on the dollar.

With all of the money I loaded into it (No expense spared), hopefully she'll be relatively trouble free.

Here's a couple of photos to share. I have the flame arrestors redone to show my buddy some love at Native Racing Engines.

Looking good as usual. Keep up the good work!

Well........the motors are finally back in the boat!!!!!!! Yippie!!!! :)

Sea trialed the boat today for 5 minutes. Starboard motor shot from 3,500 to 5,000 on it's own. Turns out, now there is a transmission problem!!! Transmissions are freshly rebuilt too!! WTF!!!

So.......pulling the motor AGAIN to take the transmission off!!!! @$@%#%#!!!!!!!!

I feel sorry for you. Time to call it a summer. If it makes you feel any better, I had to spend $25,000 within the first 4 months of purchasing my Cigarette.

It's really too bad. I got out of boating for a while and had gotten into exotic cars. Now, I remember why I got out of boating in the first place. This mother @#%@#ing boat!!!!!!!

Ya know....if business were better, I wouldn't even blink. It's as if, there is a hole in the boat.........and to add insult to injury it's raining in the boat while I'm trying to plug the damn hole!!!!!

Ah........I'm just complaining out loud. I know how boats are.......but.....enough is enough already! ;)

Who rebuilt the trans? Marc at BAM is the best. Right in Boca and eeasy to work with. Also offers a no questions asked warranty. www.go-fast.com Phone 954 545 8681

Mark re-built them roughly 6 months and 10 hours ago +/-. I've already spoken with him. He's gonna take a look at it. As long as the problem isn't from an outside source, he said that he'll take care of it. So, we'll see what happens once he's had the opportunity to take a look at it.

Good luck...........:ernaehrung004: