Exhaust Elbow Replacement vs T-Fitting

[wescarroll]

My Oday has about 4 feet of 1 3/4" galvanised iron pipe running from the engine to a rubber exhaust to a waterlock muffler. My question is what advantage do we get using a specialized (read expensive) mixing elbow in place of a rather conventional tee fitting located in a way it cant back feed to the engine? I had my elbow break on a cruise years ago and had to use replacement parts that were available, a mixing elbow was not in the picture at that time. It has given me no apparent problems for years,

[daddle]

There is no particular requirement for a purpose-built mixing elbow. On my Cal 36 there is no room for an elbow so I have metal exhaust tube for about 18 inches from the engine to the water injection point ... it loops around over the engine and to one side. After that point it's rubber exhaust hose.

The problem is the heat from the exhaust tube. It's wrapped with motorcycle exhaust wrap, but is still very hot.

An advantage is steam from the exhaust, after shutdown, probably will not reach the valves and cylinders as it tends to with engine mounted elbows - causing rust.

[barnakiel]

On Volvo the design is so that you cannot replicate with T fittings. You can have a manufactured one made in SS but quality work comes expensive. If you can weld and have an argon tool then it is a different story.

Our replacement cost was 150 US on a 30 y.o. engine.

b.