Hole in Exhaust (Keeps Happening)

I have a 72 Skier. When I bought it(6 years ago), the guy said he replaced starboard side exhaust hose a couple years prior. I had the same thing happen to it 2 years ago. I replaced it and thought all was fine. I took it out yesterday and water started coming in. I looked through the exhaust opening and it looks like the rubber has melted and come apart about 1 1/2 feet in from the back. Why do I keep ruining these hoses? Not real mechanically inclined so any help would be greatly appreciated.

It is supposed to be a 351 and they told me at Midwest Correct Craft a few years ago that they thought it was a Thermo-electron.

Yes it is drivers side that keeps failing. I will post pictures as soon as I can. I was told by previous owner that is was a 351, I don't know how to tell difference between that and a 302. Valve covers says 220 hp, I know that really doesn't mean a lot, though. Also, 2 years ago I replaced hoses going from thermostat housing to exhaust manifolds and noticed looking in the manifolds there was a fair amount of rust. Also, 3 years ago, impeller had to be replaced. I can't remember for sure, but I think 1 or 2 blades were missing. Boat doesn't ever seem to overheat according to guages. Thanks in advance. I really like this boat, it just seems to not like me.

Usually around 110 degrees, I think. I will post picture as soon as I can.

Ryan,
Do you know if there's a T stat installed? Did it ever overheat and an attempt to correct the problem was removing the stat? I agree with Tim, that 110 is very low.

vetski wrote: Yes it is drivers side that keeps failing. I will post pictures as soon as I can. I was told by previous owner that is was a 351, I don't know how to tell difference between that and a 302. Valve covers says 220 hp, I know that really doesn't mean a lot, though. Also, 2 years ago I replaced hoses going from thermostat housing to exhaust manifolds and noticed looking in the manifolds there was a fair amount of rust. Also, 3 years ago, impeller had to be replaced. I can't remember for sure, but I think 1 or 2 blades were missing. Boat doesn't ever seem to overheat according to guages. Thanks in advance. I really like this boat, it just seems to not like me.

Try measuring across the intake manifold. My understanding is a 302 is 9" wide and a 351 is 10 3/4" wide. Stickers long gone on my T-E 351 but I believe it is 250hp.

Intake manifold is about 9" wide so it must be a 302. RWP looks original, could that be an issue? Also, is there a way to flush the engine and manifolds out if there is debris in there? Now that I think about it, when skiing behind it, I always noticed that one side of the exhaust had a lot more water coming out than the other(I think it was the left that had all the water and the right that didn't). Is that normal or is that the problem?

vetski wrote: Now that I think about it, when skiing behind it, I always noticed that one side of the exhaust had a lot more water coming out than the other(I think it was the left that had all the water and the right that didn't). Is that normal or is that the problem?

I would say that's a problem. You have to somehow figure if water is being supplied to both sides.

Also, unhooking the water from the manifold, and watching it flow freely, doesn't automatically mean that the water is being allowed to make it's way through the manifold when it it hooked back up.

one piece of rust could restrict water flow...water follows its easiest path, these boats the water flow always tends to favor the shorter hose also

The idea behind the bucket test, is it makes the impeller do the work of sucking in water for itself. If you just connect a garden hose and "force" water in, you'll never know if the impeller would work while the boat is actually in the lake.

75 Tique made this cool video:
http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/lhine763/?action=view¤t=bucketmethod.mp4

Here's another good write up:
http://www.correctcraftfan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=24767&title=how-to-run-your-boat-out-of-water-bucket-method

I had a problem years ago with blowing out exhaust hoses on a ski challenger
The mechanic had installed the wrong impeller in the rwp

Yes on the new Exh manifold gaskets. Those can be an automotive part, no need for 'marine'.

I also took the floor up on the problem side. It looked like the exhaust hose was basically coming apart layer by layer.

I know with the PCM marinizations, that the orientation of this gasket is also important: http://www.skidim.com/products.asp?dept=1158

They may have been trying to recreate the blockages that the gasket would make. With the gasket, the blocked passages should be near the exhaust outlet.