rpengr wrote:
LouC wrote:
Ray how often do you replace your manifolds/risers in Fla?
Every 5 years or so?
In the past, I had tried to get at least 7-8 years out of them, but I trailer the boat, and run 5+ min in fresh water after each salt water use.
The last set I pushed past 10 years on the old 4.3L because they were no longer available. I had "cleaned them out" a couple times with a wire rod, and some acid. They were still staying cool enough, but eventually it rusted through and leaked water directly into two cylinders. So 10 years was definitely too long!
The longest I ever used my batwings was 5.5-6 seasons, but this boat was always on the mooring and never flushed till the end. Never had even a hint of water in the cyls from those manifolds, changed at those intervals.....
You know Ray the interesting thing is, standard Volvo center riser V6 exhaust fits the V6 OMC Cobra like it was designed to! I figured this out, by studying parts diagrams on both the Crowley Marine and Volvopentaparts site. While some have used kits put out by OSCO and GLM, there was no reason all along why you could not simply use the same system both Volvo and OMC used on the joint venture engines made from 94-98. The only extra things you have to buy, are the Volvo 90* elbows that mate the 4" riser hose to the 3.5" Y pipe. These parts are expensive, like $200 each but its either that, or a cheap GLM copy of the same thing, which might be OK in freshwater but not in salt. The benefit for us salt water folks is that after the conversion, you can use normal aftermarket Barr manifolds and risers, which can be bought for around $650-700 or so. The last pair of batwings I bought, were priced out at $410 each and that was like 10 years ago!
I have also been cataloging which Volvo parts will fit OMC Cobras, like the steering actuator and cooling hoses. Just in case I need it one day......