Onan exhaust elbow

[delta]

The exhaust elbow and connecting nipple on my 1981 Onan 7.5kw generator cracked allowing exhaust gas and cooling sea water to be pumped into the engine room. Fortunately shut the generator down before any significant damage occurred, but could have been a serious problem. Just wanted to alert ohers with similar generators to check their elbows. Replacement parts are still available and not too expensive.

[rsmith]

The exhaust elbow and connecting nipple on my 1981 Onan 7.5kw generator cracked allowing exhaust gas and cooling sea water to be pumped into the engine room. Fortunately shut the generator down before any significant damage occurred, but could have been a serious problem. Just wanted to alert ohers with similar generators to check their elbows. Replacement parts are still available and not too expensive.

I had the same problem a long time ago. With the sound shield on, the salt water was pulled thru the electrical end of the generator and shorted out the windings. I got rid of the soundshields better to keep an eye on whats going on.

[yachtsmanbill]

ONAN actually had a recall on that nipple about 15 years ago. Mine was bad so I changed it out to a schedule 80 black nipple. So now here it is 15 years later and it started leaking again! Its before the water hose tho and only spews hot fumes into the ER... its on the honey WILL list! Seems that fitting is always used as a step for climbing out. ws



close nipple shown to te left

[Canuck Dennis]

last time I had that issue, I used a bronze bull head tee and continuous thread bronze nipple to pick up the sea water discharge, worked great.

[chelsea]

The exhaust elbow and connecting nipple on my 1981 Onan 7.5kw generator cracked allowing exhaust gas and cooling sea water to be pumped into the engine room. Fortunately shut the generator down before any significant damage occurred, but could have been a serious problem. Just wanted to alert ohers with similar generators to check their elbows. Replacement parts are still available and not too expensive.

That just happened to ours too! Same model.

[REBrueckner]

An alternative is a heavy duty stainless steel pipe elbow from a plumbing supply house....
say a 2" x 2" x 1/2" where the 1/2" is used to insert raw water....Did that many years
ago on an earlier boat and it worked like a charm.

On my Hatt I also replaced the exhaust elbow with a standard ONAN exhaust elbow...
that also worked just fine.

[geofish]

A bad elbow was the first thing I noticed on my 82 15kw, took the whole genset out on thursday, was not fun. The sound shield was tossed in the trash because it made maintenance/monitoing impossible, when I said it was not fun, I really mean it. 2 55 gallon drums in the salon with an A frame steel structure on top, some 4x4 wood beams here & there only 2 chain falls on hand grease, shit & oil everywhere.... but it's out and I will either rebuild or replace it.

I am finding the engine room on the 46c to be a very uncomfortable place to work in and hate having that hatch open... I don't want to fall in and have had a few close calls... Pleasure boating my ass...

Have a nice long weekend!
Geo.

[rsmith]

A bad elbow was the first thing I noticed on my 82 15kw, took the whole genset out on thursday, was not fun. The sound shield was tossed in the trash because it made maintenance/monitoing impossible, when I said it was not fun, I really mean it. 2 55 gallon drums in the salon with an A frame steel structure on top, some 4x4 wood beams here & there only 2 chain falls on hand grease, shit & oil everywhere.... but it's out and I will either rebuild or replace it.

I am finding the engine room on the 46c to be a very uncomfortable place to work in and hate having that hatch open... I don't want to fall in and have had a few close calls... Pleasure boating my ass...

Have a nice long weekend!
Geo.

Thats the only drawback to the 46. Hands and knees to get around in the ER. If I went to the trouble to pull one of mine out Id probably stick a new one in. Parts for the old OHNO'sare hard to come by.