Preventive Maintenance for Exhaust & Water System

[Have Fun Today]

I'm starting to make a list of end-of-season preventive maintenance items to avoid problems next year.

I saw something recently posted about the rubber exhaust tube and how one of them is below the waterline. Got me thinking...if this leaked, I could sink. Mine's working fine now, but how often should it be replaced to prevent a bad incident? I have a 97 Merc, used to run in salt water. I think it's all still 10-year-old original parts.

Also, how about the rubber hoses for circulating water in the engine? Again, still original stuff, but fairly easy to replace.

 

[Don S]

Re: Preventive Maintenance for Exhaust & Water System

If you see a lot of cracking on the outside of the hose, I would sure pull them and inspect. About the only thing that goes wrong with those hoses is when you have an overheat because of a bad impeller or plugged risers. Then the heat from the exhaust burns holes in the rubber.
Never seen one fail by just cracking for no reason. The should have double hose clamps on each connection. If you see streaks from water, might want to pull them and check the exhaust tube they hook to. They do corrode and get pitted which could cause a leak.