Converting EMI Thunder wet passage riser gasket joint to dry.
 

I ordered fittings, hoses, gaskets, and modified filter bracket to keep the water away from the gasket joint. My 502 HO Gen VI gulped water and will fix it after Christmas. Eddie Marine says to fill the passages about 1/2" deep with marine grade silicone to keep the water away from the gasket...wouldn't welding the passages shut be better?

http://i690.photobucket.com/albums/v...7/IMG_2189.jpg

How do you know the water came from the joint and not from reversion????
I don't see any trickle lines from the water passages

They could be welded but need to be careful of the heat, it can cause distortion. Not a fan of silicone, it will not last and will come loose, guess it will go right out the exhaust later.

Also agree don't see signs of water leak at the surface. What does the elbow surface look like?

Griff-Not sure...want to cover as much as possible. Can you tell me what that speckling is? The bulk of it is around the #5 exhaust port which had the worst signs of water. From the gasket joint there is 80% of that between the gasket & the heads vs. about 20% between the gasket joint into the riser. Also has signs of steam cleaning #5 in the manifold. Ether way, it's getting a tear down due to (minimum) #5 rocker ball fragments, twisted intake push rod, & gold in the oil filter. I'd like to reduce the future possibility of water involvement between the cam & exhaust riser design...to get the motor back to more reliable EMI recommended no more cam duration than 225/225 @.050 duration with the stock style aluminum risers (which is the plan)...They also said they haven't used that gasket joint design in over 10 years due to water leaking in (that's easy enough to do)... I'll do what the builder suggests but THIS boat isn't worth an additional $3k for all new exhaust just to fit the existing cam. I plan to use the existing Corsa Captain's Choice exhaust (with the new harness & solenoids). Thanks for the help. Would you trust Marine Grade Silicone to keep water away from the riser gaskets?

Already started some cleanup http://i690.photobucket.com/albums/v...7/IMG_2202.jpg

I had mine welded up on a boat I had years ago. Ran it a few years before I sold it without issues.

Try to keep the weld just below the surface to minimize having to true the surface back.

I welded up mine. I had leakage before. I have not had any issues since welding mine up. I have stainless risers though, so the passages were useless anyways.

I don't weld...what do you think it'd cost to fill all16 passages @ a welding shop?

85-90 per hour, prep,clean and weld 2 hours

With the aluminum that dirty, do they only need to clean up the inside edges of the passage? Also thought about Marine Tex Epoxy or JB Weld High Heat...