Exhaust leak

[Delray]

I have twin yanmar diesel and have discovered a exhaust manifold gasket leak. Can this be temporarily repaired with a sealant? There are no diesel mechanics near me to replace the gasket.

[Sailmonkey]

No sealant applied on the outside is going to do much good.

But it’s just a manifold gasket. Why hire a mechanic? You literally unbolt the manifold and put a new gasket in.

But the question is why did it start to leak? Is the manifold warped or cracked?

[tkeithlu]

If SailMonkey's question of warping or cracking has been answered, and a replacement gasket is not to be found, it may be time to learn to cut your own. Get a sheet of gasket paper of the right thickness, spread it over the surface, and use the rounded end of a ball pein hammer to gently tap the sharp edges of the metal, scoring ot even cutting the paper. You soon have a gasket, and now know that if you stock a bit of paper on board, you will never be caught without a gasket in some out of the way anchorage.

[kenbo]

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

If SailMonkey's question of warping or cracking has been answered, and a replacement gasket is not to be found, it may be time to learn to cut your own. Get a sheet of gasket paper of the right thickness, spread it over the surface, and use the rounded end of a ball pein hammer to gently tap the sharp edges of the metal, scoring ot even cutting the paper. You soon have a gasket, and now know that if you stock a bit of paper on board, you will never be caught without a gasket in some out of the way anchorage.

Remember the book Fahrenheit 451? I'm fairly sure paper is not the proper gasket material in than application. But you describe the process very clearly.

[steve77]

To the OP - I really can't see that this is a big job. If you are uncomfortable with your ability to replace the gasket then ask another cruiser if they can help you. You will learn more about your boat and probably be surprised how easy this was to fix. It may cost you a dinner or some beer, depending on how much help you need. Plus the cost of a gasket or some gasket material.

You don't want CO leaking into the boat and causing a health hazard. Good luck!

Steve