Smoke filling up engine bay

[Waternut]

I've got some kind of exhaust leak filling up the engine bay on the SJ and I can't seem to find where it's coming from. All the connections are tight (manifold to head pipe, head pipe to chamber, chamber to elbow hose, elbow hose to waterbox, waterbox to long hose, and on out the back of ski). Short of blowing a weld on the factory pipe aluminum waterbox, I don't know where else it could be coming from.

The pipe did overheat yesterday because I forgot to hook up the cooling line to it. When the pipe overheated, it did melt the cooling lines under the hose clamps on the head pipe and stinger but those have been replaced. The pipe did get hot yesterday during a 5-10 minute trial run so I blew out all the cooling lines this morning. I don't recall any exhaust in the engine bay last night. I can't see or feel any damage at all to the silicone coupler as that was certainly my first thought.

I can't figure it out! :banghead:

 

[sflsurfrider]

start it and see what general area the smoke starts to emerge from.

or start disassembling sheit

 

[restosud]

is it smoke or steam from a hot pipe?

 

[Waternut]

Well I'm really hoping to ride today as opposed to pulling it out of the water and disassembling everthing...for the third time this week!!

I did try starting it up and searching for the leak. Seems like as soon as the first puff of smoke is noticeable, it coming from everywhere. I even tried some stupidity and put my hand around all the hose connections and couldn't feel any heat coming out.

 

[Waternut]

is it smoke or steam from a hot pipe?

Well I guess it could be something burning off but the smoke-like substance comes even when the engine is cold.

 

[Big Kahuna]

I would say your burned a hole in your coupler. Crank it up, if it comes out around the engine than the problem is either gaskets or couplers. If it seams to be coming from around the stinger end or around the gas tank, then the problem is at the waterbox connections.

 

[Waternut]

Well I have a bad feeling it is the coupler. I thought of a cool trick and filled the entire hull with water while it was running and the most bubbles were coming from under the exhaust manifold so maybe there's a tiny hole where I can't see it.

Is there a way to repair the coupler? If not, where is the best place to get another one?

 

[McDog]

I have an extra. Come and get it.

 

[Big Kahuna]

Well I have a bad feeling it is the coupler. I thought of a cool trick and filled the entire hull with water while it was running and the most bubbles were coming from under the exhaust manifold so maybe there's a tiny hole where I can't see it.

Is there a way to repair the coupler? If not, where is the best place to get another one?

Good idea on the water!!!!!!!!!!!

Replace, no repairs.

 

[Waternut]

After replacing the current one with one Mcdog had, I noticed that the old one had a cracked area burned in it. Looked like it burned from the inside out as the red interior in that area was melted but the outside looked fine...minus the cracking.

Because of the lightning storm, I didn't get it finished until almost dark so I'll see if everything is good to go tomorrow. The plus side is, it was really easy to replace and I didn't have to pull the engine, or the fuel tank!!!

Thanks guys.