Leaking exhaust

[jwall116]

Big shout out to this forum for all of your help! Took the ski out two days in a row, 6700 rpm wot and 52mph.

I noticed a small amount of water in the bilge and traced it back to the exhaust flange. My question is why is there water in this area?? The bolt will require an easy out or a replacement of the exhaust manifold for sure. Any guidance here would be helpful!

 

[Mickirig1]

Haaa !
I did the same thing! Damn bolt snapped off two hairs from tight!
Take the bottom half of the exhaust manifold off. ( part the tuned pipe bolts to ) Take it to an auto machine shop and have them fix it. Cost me like $30, well worth it.
Be careful when you take it off. Should be able to save the gasket. Need a new one most times between tuned pipe and manifold. I used some high temp sealer on the manifold connection. Make sure the rubber bushing horizontal bolt has the washer on it.( On the tuned pipe. ) If not, the vibration will make your tuned pipe come loose. Learned the hard way!

 

[jwall116]

Is it normal for water to leak here ? Not much. Just a trickle. Seems like the water has a gravity path for the heads of the engine.......

 

[snikwad003]

There is more of those round plugs on the pipe that your flash light is next to, they corrode and leak also

 

[jwall116]

Didn't feel any wetness coming from them while on the hose or in the water. But water does appear around the flange.

 

[mikidymac]

The 720 pipe plugs don't rot as often as the 787. It is not normal to leak there.
The broken bolt is almost always caused by the lower pipe bushings being worn.
I would get a good used manifold as all shops here want about $100 to remove and repair a single stainless bolt and I spent about $40 just on cobalt bits and heli-coils to do my cylinders.
Next I wouldn't reuse the gasket and they go on dry with blue threadlock on the bolts. Torque to spec. With new rubber bushings.
If it is a clamp pipe like the HX and he 97'+ XP's you need to make sure the copper ring is in correctly and coated with high temp copper RTV.

 

[jwall116]

I will price out used manifolds once I have it off IF I'm unsuccessful getting the bolt out.

With the bolt being broken I still wonder why is water presenting itself around this area ? Shouldn't the water be shot in further down the pipe?

 

[mikidymac]

Well you only have 3 of the 4 bolts clamping down the pipe and..... No the pipe is waterjacketed so the headpipe and manifold have a wet water jacket keeping them cool then further down water is injected into the exhaust stream.

If you look at the gasket you will see the two water passages and source of your leak.

 

[jwall116]

Mikidymac you are the man. Makes perfect sense!

 

[mikidymac]

Keep in mind the stainless will work harden so you have to use new cobalt bits, a good lubricant like Tap-Magic and a drill press helps. Best of luck.

If you can't get it contact Minnetonka4me for a manifold and bolt.

 

[jwall116]

These manifolds aren't cheap on the used side. I'm hoping there's a little meat that I can grab onto with vice grips. Will rip into tomorrow.

 

[mikidymac]

PB blaster or a 50/50 mix of acetone and ATF. I would also heat the manifold with a propane torch hoping it would expand a little giving the bolt a little wiggle room.

 

[Mickirig1]

That is why I took it to the machine shop. They got it out and chased the threads for $30. I can bet you can't get it cheaper. Went to home depot and got the new 8mm bolt.

 

[jwall116]

Sounds like a plan.

Should I check that bushing as well? I purchased ski used so this bolt may have been broke. When I bought it or snapped while riding. Not sure.

 

[mikidymac]

That is why I took it to the machine shop. They got it out and chased the threads for $30. I can bet you can't get it cheaper. Went to home depot and got the new 8mm bolt.

That's a great price. If you can find one to do it at that price go for it. Like I said here all the shops wanted $100 per hour and I they all thought it would be at least $80.

 

[jwall116]

I live in Houston, lots of machine shops around here.

If I can replace the manifold cheaper then they quote that's a no brainer. Will dissemble tomorrow and make some phone calls.

Appreciate all of the input. And I can actually sleep knowing there's water jackets on the outside of pipe. I thought my pipe was rusted through and killing my engine. Phew!

For every 10 minutes I rode today the gf rode 30. She's already asking me to buy a 2nd one.

 

[mikidymac]

I live in Houston, lots of machine shops around here.

If I can replace the manifold cheaper then they quote that's a no brainer. Will dissemble tomorrow and make some phone calls.

Appreciate all of the input. And I can actually sleep knowing there's water jackets on the outside of pipe. I thought my pipe was rusted through and killing my engine. Phew!

For every 10 minutes I rode today the gf rode 30. She's already asking me to buy a 2nd one.

Sounds like a great excuse to get another ski. If you like the GSi get a GSX for yourself. From what I have read the ones to have are the 96-97 GSX, once they switched to the 97.5' GSX with the 951 the handling and fuel consumption got worse although they were a tad faster on top end.

 

[snikwad003]

Just never let the woman get a taste of the faster ski

 

[jwall116]

No such luck with the broken bolt by previous owner. It broke flush to the flange.

Take it the only way to get the pipe out is separate at the big hose clamp? I disconnected at the muffler and can't get it out of the damn hull! Used manifold runs $80-100!?!? Seriously. That's crazy. I've never used an easy out in my life. I can remove manifold and take to machine shop or attempt without removing more parts. If I get it out now it's a cheap and easy fix.


Do those two words go together? Lol

 

[Seadoodoc]

No such luck with the broken bolt by previous owner. It broke flush to the flange.

Take it the only way to get the pipe out is separate at the big hose clamp? I disconnected at the muffler and can't get it out of the damn hull! Used manifold runs $80-100!?!? Seriously. That's crazy. I've never used an easy out in my life. I can remove manifold and take to machine shop or attempt without removing more parts. If I get it out now it's a cheap and easy fix.


Do those two words go together? Lol

Back when that machine was new we were flooded at dealership with broken bolts. I tried everything to fix.. never more than 5 hrs before breaking bolts. SD finally issued a fix. It was nothing more than triple thick washers. Im still baffled why this works.

 

[snikwad003]

On 2 totaly different 717 skis i have been riding, have broke those bolts and filled the engine bay with water

 

[jwall116]

How did you fix [emoji12]

 

[snikwad003]

Tossed the lanyard to sombody and said dunno.

 

[mikidymac]

I just saw the manifolds on ebay for $60. I am sure [MENTION=41828]Minnetonka4me[/MENTION] would help you out on one nicer.

You are going to have to take it off and take it to a machine shop or replace it. Don't even bother with an easy out as they will just break off. Trust me, if you look at my HX thread I just repaired 4 of the same bolts on my cylinders on Saturday. All of them had to be drilled out and all had to be Heli-Coiled. I would check with the machine shop and go with which ever one is cheaper, either replacement of fix.

You will have to split the pipe to get it out.

Most of these break because the pipe is so heavy and the 720 vibrates a lot. The heavy pipe is actually used a a sort of vibration damper by design but once the rubber bushings in the lower pipe get worn it torques enough to break the bolts.

 

[mikidymac]

Back when that machine was new we were flooded at dealership with broken bolts. I tried everything to fix.. never more than 5 hrs before breaking bolts. SD finally issued a fix. It was nothing more than triple thick washers. Im still baffled why this works.

It looks like they changed the washer part number in 2002 does that sound about like when you noticed the change?