Internal exhaust flapper replacement question and advice please
 

My 32 Fountain fever has the external ugly "salisbury" style exhaust tip flappers on 4" exhaust tips that are OE. My engines are stock 502 EFI and I have "silent choice".


I decided to have a peek up inside the exhaust pipes and this is what I found inside three of them:

http://i1033.photobucket.com/albums/...psnfydsyjn.jpg

Obviously the internal "rubber flapper" is missing from the rod in this pic. Three of my exhaust pipes are this way...

The fouth one looks like this and is missing half of the flapper:

http://i1033.photobucket.com/albums/...psrgcoc7qb.jpg

My question is what should I do for a replacement? I understand these "burn out" somewhat frequently? I do not like the idea of ripping the exhaust apart all the time for their replacement if it's just going to happen again. I saw these Hardin units on CP's website that look interesting and was wondering if anyone had any experience with them? They look to be heavier duty, easy to install, do not require any welding and have serviceable parts should there be a problem:

http://www.cpperformance.com/p-22464...ess-steel.aspx

They are appealing since I do not have to worry about taking the tips off the boat and taking them apart and resealing the transom everytime. UNLESS the OE units can be easily serviced from inside the engine bay (no tip removal) I would not like to simply replace the OE flappers with "new" OE ones if this makes sense?


Fountain 32 Fevers sit low in the back and are exposed to more water in that area for those unfamiliar. For this reason I feel having the external AND internal flapper is a good idea. I wouldn't think the boat would have come from the factory with both internal and external flappers unless they were needed. Since I am a new owner I am only working on assumptions however... please correct me if I am wrong.

If anyone has any better solutions or advise please let me know as I am looking for a more permanent fix if there is such a thing....

Thanks in advance!

I have a very easy solution for you.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]536850[/ATTACH]

It is a stainless flapper carriage. It is an insert that installs from the outside and slides inside the exhaust tip and then screws to the side of the exhaust tip. All you need to do is drill two small holes in the tip. I have them on my boat.

Now the only problem is that Dana Marine was the only company that made them and they're out of business but you're in luck. I just got brand new dry tailpipes and I can no longer use these on my back two engines, so I would sell you four of them for $200 plus the ride.. PM me if you're interested...

PS. this is a picture of an old one before I replaced them last year. The ones I have on the boat are in much better shape. If you are interested, I will take one out of the exhaust tip and take some better pictures..

i am surprised nobody makes a flapper you can slip inside the exhaust hose in front of the exhaust tips...

They do.. that is what the OP posted a link about. I've heard mixed things about those.. I've heard that they bang around like crazy..

I dont mean the built-in one but maybe a 2 inch long piece of fiberglass pipe with holes you could mount a flapper in. Then slide it into the hose in front of the exh tip. And flapper would be hitting non-metal surface so it wont sound like a rod knock at idle.

Do you mean the rubber flap makes lots of noise?

No the metal flap inside the metal exhaust tip bangs shut constantly at idle...

There is no metal flap in the ones I posted and was questioning that's why it didn't make sense...

http://www.cpperformance.com/p-22464...ess-steel.aspx

There is a rubber flap fastened to a steel hinge that lets the flapper open and close. That hinge bangs against the assembly its connected to. Any flapper thats inside the pipe is going to make some noise. Can't see how you can avoid it and still make something that will survive. They're advertised as "silent", I don't think thats true.

that is much like i was picturing. only the one i am designing in my head is the same size as the stainless tip and would sit just in front of the tip instead of sliding over and mounting on the tip. the one problem with the hardin design is it is a little bigger OD so the hose will have a hard time slipping over it. although i like that is is a salisbury style flaps shut instead of a lever style that doesn't seal as well, but is a little less restrictive...

Hyfive, what scares me about the ones you have is that since Dana is no longer in business if I ever need replacement parts I am boned... :(

I don't think there is a "hinge" per say on these. There are metal "tabs" that hold the flap in between them if you look real close so no noise I would guess.



I was wondering about fitting the hose over the Hardin one as well as well.... maybe that's why if you look at the link you can see below it "Customers who bought this item also bought:" and there is this: http://www.cpperformance.com/p-45-4-...aust-hose.aspx

May just be easier to replace them with what is there. Don't see these going bad that much. Mine are original and still good. (just checked).

I would however suggest you pull the diverters off and look at the condition of the y-pipe flappers. Those seem to go out and the flapper will fall down into the lower cavity of the y-pipe. Have seen pics of some that had done this and were left in long enough the steel bounced around enough to wear the y-pipe thru from the inside. Not a good thing to happen! If you raise your drive fully up, you can look inside the exhaust bellows and see the broken flapper ears laying inside the y-pipe, if you have the boot style bellows, vs the accordion style. Either way, can pretty much guarantee yours are broken/missing if never replaced

i don't think it is wear. it is differential metal underwater corrosion rots the y-pipe. friend of mine dropped a socket down there fresh water boat. 2 years later it almost sank. another problem with add-on flappers in front of the tips; the farther north in the exhaust stream the hotter the stuff the flappers have to survive...there is something to be said for ugly black salisbury steaks hanging off the back of the pipes.

I was under the impression that they blow out all the time so maybe you are right and I should just replace them with these: http://www.cpperformance.com/p-12576...t-flapper.aspx

I didn't like the idea of leaving the existing "rods" in there anyways but it wouldn't have made any difference I'm sure... As long as the OE ones will last I don't mind replacing them with the same thing, but like I said earlier being a new owner I have no idea how long they should live.

More flappers!! When does it end! LOL! Well I'm pretty sure that since my downstream ones are cooked like they are that the Y pipe ones are as well like you said! Thanks for pointing that out I never knew there was even any in there!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]536936[/ATTACH]I went with Teague's rubber flappers there real nice.

You mean these?

http://teaguecustommarine.com/em0011...pper-assy.html

They are cheaper than the ones CP sells too which I like!

yea those are them. just added a pic I with them installed

Yes those do look nice, definitely beefier than the shred of one I have left lol!

Does anyone know if the exhaust needs removed such as in the picture (post #15) or can they be changed in the boat without removal?

Not sure those would work, at least on mine they won't. My tips are not perfectly square to the transom, so that welded on flange may not set flat to transom when the tips are connected inside. Might take a real close look.

I think Jfoster just used the replacement flapper kit they sell in his original exhaust pipes (in that picture) which is what I would be doing as well....unless I destroy them getting the new flaps in lol!

gotcha. In that case, never mind. :)

Yea I bought the replacement flapper kit. I believe u can change them in the boat I just happened to be replacing my tips as well.

as long as the flap hinge pins are slip out replacement in place will be doable. some are welded in. then they gotta be surgically removed and holes for new pins drilled.

Since I have no comparison of the two, would you say the Teague replacement ones are heavier duty than what you had before? Or were yours "missing" also? Lol


Hopefully they aren't welded in that might change my plans lol


Does anyone know if the Silent Choice "Y" pipe flappers discussed above (post #12) have any "upgrade" options available or am I buying those from Mercury?

I had the flapper that where metal with the small rubber strip on each end. The rubber kept coming off. The Teague one wont have that problem. And there not welded in so if I replace to replace one one day should be easy.

The replacement flappers from Merc are of a newer design. An all 1 piece snap in unit. They seem to last, at least mine have.

Sweet! I haven't looked at mine yet but I will make sure to get updated ones!

Does anyone have a hookup for Merc parts?

I have the merc tips that allow you to change the flapper from the outside of the boat. I got tired of the noise and took them out. Now I just run external flappers. They might not look great but you can inspect them easily, and they are quiet. My boat sits pretty low in the back and my transom is black, so they are barely noticeable.

Those metal ones must be pretty noisy... Don't think I would want more noises to worry about so I'm with you on that one. I have the external flappers too and I sure agree they are fugly! When I hit the big leagues like HyFive (jealous lol) I'm getting these to cure that issue:

http://www.cpperformance.com/p-12578...-flappers.aspx

Be sure that those will work on your boat. Mine flip up against bottom side of swim platform. Looks like those will hit at the hinge flange, or if anything rattle against the swim platform and be noisier and wear into the gel. That is if your tips are at the very top like mine are. Not sure if there is a different height between our yr 32's.

Worth a look see. Those would not fit, let alone open on my boat. I don't see the issue with the rubber outside ones, only visible when on the trailer

Good point... I think my plan has been foiled! Mine look just like yours and sit up against the swim platform also. Unless the hinge is "smaller" and doesn't extend upwards as much and if the flaps don't "over extend" they won't work on a 32. Maybe HyFive can comment on these issues?

I have plenty of clearance above my exhaust tips. As for the internal flapper, you have a few options.. You can get the ones you originally posted about... they are reasonably priced and appear to be easily installed, you could have new internal flappers welded into your existing tips or you could replace your exhaust tips and get those with a better internal flapper (I bought those from Teague on my 38). As for the external flapper, looks like you have minimal clearance but should be able to use a standard black rubber flapper. The SS ones probably will not work if your tips are that close to the bottom of the swim platform.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]537118[/ATTACH]

Yes my rubber ones rub on the swim platform. Are your "new" ones as tall as the old rubber ones and do they have anything that "limits" the upward travel of the stainless flap?

Haven't compared them side by side, so not sure but the big difference is that the rubber ones will flex if the clearance is tight, the stainless ones, will not. There is a small steel "nub" on the back side of the hinge that does limit the travel. I don't think it will go past 3:00. I haven't installed them yet so really haven't looked at them a lot. Here's what they look like..

[ATTACH=CONFIG]537159[/ATTACH]

You can get this flap and the muffler comes for free!
http://www.drewmarine.com/products/shotgun/shotgun.html

Still comes out cheaper than the CP part.:silenced:
Wish they made em in a 5" for my current set up.
I ran the 4" and they are a very nice quality piece.

Dan, how long did they last (hours)? And what kind of power was if front of them?

For sure not fitting after seeing the side view pic you sent... BOO! Please post up some pics in the other thread when you get them installed I would still like to see how they look!

Those look sweet I really like the look of them! How much did they quiet your engines? If they start imposing some noise restrictions here I will for sure go that route but I like it loud for the time being with my measly 502's... I like sounding faster than I am lol.

It`s only muffled at idle and even then it only takes out the bark. They set the spring pressure according to your power level so at speed they are open .

neat idea, but I wouldn't substitute those for flappers because of the slots on the bottom you are going to loose the check valve effect, which can make the engine more prone to reversion. Remember Budman's reversion thread?

They claim on their site that they "Eliminate Exhaust Reversion" but what you are saying makes sense with the holes I see in them. I thought maybe there was another flapper up inside them but I don't think that is the case after looking at them more.