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Exhaust problem with Palmer M60

C

Curt Larsen

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" I have a Palmer M-60 engine

" I have a Palmer M-60 engine in my 1969 Luders 33. It is one I rebuilt 6 years ago from a Cub tractor block and has run fine. I want to get a couple of more years out of it before I replace it with a diesel.

The problem is this: the wet exhaust system is an old tube-in-tube copper design that was apparently made to fit the boat. The manufacuturer was
Marine Manifold Corp. in NY. The dry exhaust tail pipe from the flange screws into the neck of the copper system and the raw water hose from the
mainfold connects to a hose barb on the side of the copper tube. The water appears to flow around the dry exhaust inner tube for half its length and
then exits through a second hose barb higher up a non-jacketed tube ending with a gooseneck. The second hose barb is connected to a third barb located downstream from the gooseneck so that it dumps water directly into the exhaust hose. It doesn't mix with the exhaust until there.
The inner tube on the system has given out and allows water to flow back into the manifold and engine.

I planned to just scrap this old system and put in a Naqualift wet exhaust, but there is just no room in there to properly install it.

After agoninzing over this for some time now, I've
come to the conclusion that it might be better for me and the boat to find someone who can rebuild the old copper system. Does anyone know of someone in the Baltimore/Annapolis area that might be able to to this type of work? I live in the Solomons, MD area.

Any ideas would be great. Thanks,
Curt Larsen "
 
I suggest you query John Adki

I suggest you query John Adkins Sr. home phone 410-228-6498. I believe his son works in a machine shop and it very talented. He might be able to do the job or give you a lead on someone who can. Construction of that type exhaust cooling system is very easy and almost any good machine shop could do the job. Are you sure the leak is in the copper portion or is it really in th cast iron exhaust manifold? If it is it will be very hard to find a replacement for the P-60 exhaust manifold. Too bad you didn't fresh water cool the engine when you had it rebuilt. There will be an antique marine engine show at the Solomons Island Marine Museum and perhaps one of the exhibitors will be able to give you a lead on a replacement manifold. I have not been able to locate one anywhere in the country in the last two years. If you want to give me a call on the phone my Name is Richard Day and my tel is 301-475-3798. I am located just outside Leonardtown.
 
" Thanks Richard: I'll ca

" Thanks Richard: I'll call him for advice. I did check out the manifold. I pulled it and pressure tested it with a hose, then cleaned it out and primed and repainted it. In your search for a Palmer M60 manifold, you might try Duby Marine in upper New York state. He advertises in Woodenboat. He offerred to have a few Palmer manifolds cast to add to his parts inventory if I could send him the old one to copy. The cost didn't seem outrageous. Also, if you are still trying to find one of these manifolds you might call John Little at Flag Harbor Marina near St. Leonard, MD. He mentioned the other day that he had a Palmer M60 torn down for parts at his place.
I will go to the old engine show at the Calvert Marine Museum. I saw the announcement here on Andrew's homepage. Thanks for your help. Curt "
 
" Curt, I have serious doubts

" Curt, I have serious doubts that anyone will do a hollow casting of the P-60 manifold. Bill Fiege made the patterns and core boxes for the N-L cylinder and It took him months. It cost us $450.00 per cylinder to have them cast up a Cat Tail foundry. Lunenburg gave up trying as they no longer have the people who know how to sucessfully do hollow castings. I followed up the outfit on the west coast supposedly making them and they were not and not about to try. I followed up the guy on the east coast and he wasn't. The only source I know of is to buy a fresh water cooled P-60 hoping to get a useable exhaust manifold. If it was salt water cooled and allowed to dry out it is probably cracked not worth anything. I have three P-60s and I don;t need manifolds. People come to me looking for them. I sold the last one I had a year ago to a man in Illinois. If you find a good used one and it was saltwater cooled fill the water jacket with straight auto anti freeze, not kerosene or diesel to keep the oxygen away from the salt in the pores of the iron. Not a problem for fresh water cooled. Glad yours is ok. Stop by at the show. "
 
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