Changing inlet zinc Yanmar 2QM15

[O32]

Just went through this.

Manual says to just unscrew the plug on the CW inlet 3-way pipe.

Problem is that the plug is in there tighter than the 3-way. So if you turn the square head plug, the whole pipe turns.

That might not seem so bad, but there are hoses attached that need to first come off. But then the nipples that the hoses attach to cannot turn because they hit into other stuff.

I ended up removing the alternator to gain access, then used water pump pliers to unscrew the nipples. Then unscrewed the 3-way pipe. Then put pipe in vice and used a long cheater bar to unscrew the square headed plug!

Seemed like a lot of work to check a zinc (which turned out to be fine!)

The 3-way pipe appears to have a pipe thread that threads into the block. In reinstalling, it has to end up being tight at an exact position - so nozzles for hoses are vertical. It took me several tries, but I got it there by adding 3 or 4 wraps of Teflon tape. With just pipe dope, I wasn't able to get it tight in correct position.

For those in salt water where you need to check anodes regularly, do you go through this rigmarole?

[charliehows]

I was lucky - first time I unscrewed it the 3wy held position - but i made sure i greased the thread when i put it back so its easy to check later - did it last weekend actually, took 5 minutes - by coincidence the square plug on that lower anode fits the same socket as the hex nut on the upper anode, so both of them can be checked in about 5 minutes. The annoying one is the one on the rear galley which can only be checked by removing the rear galley plate and unscrewing from the inside of the plate.

[charliehows]

BTW - while you have that anode plug out check for accretions of white muck in the far end of the 3way (poke it with a long screwdriver) - I had a blockage at one point because the stuff likes to collect in there and concretise.