New and Improved Perkins- Now With 100% Less Smoke

When last you visited with your intrepid would be-sailors we were dealing with fall out from a blown exhaust elbow. Yes, the survey had picked up that the elbow had corroded and would need replacement. We just thought perhaps we could replace it during the haul out, the elbow had other plans and wanted to be put at the top of the punch list.

Our engine is a Perkins 4-108 and for the most part, it is in very good condition. This is a good thing because it is just about impossible to find a replacement parts. We looked everywhere for a stock ehaust elbow- at chandleries, marine diesel engine shops, Perkins dealers, etc. We did not limit our search to those in our local area, we cast the net for the part far and wide to no avail. You simply could not buy a replacement part from stock.

An internet comrade ( thanks Cam!) suggested we try Trans-Atlantic diesels. http://www.tadiesels.com/  While they did not have the replacement part, they did offer to fabricate us a nwe one if we would send them our old one. We loved their Can-Do attitude, their professionalism in answering questions very quickly what we didn't love was the price. They were not over charging by any means, just charging a fair price for their efforts. Unfortunately or fortunately ( depending on how you look at these things) our number one goal while refitting Ceol Mor is to do so and still slow the hemorrage the bank account has been suffering of late.

Hey..wait a minute. Mark can fix or build anything. Seriously. Mark spent a couple of nights in the garage with his grinder, the old exhaust elbow and stainless pipe and elbow purcahsed from Grainger. A trip to Hobby Lobby (seriously) produced a fine sheet of copper which would be cut into gasket for the exhaust elbow. A bottle of whisky and a trip to Mark's friend Christian's home work shop (with TIG weld) produced the end result of a beautiful stainless steel, well gasketed and perfectly welded exhaust elbow at a savings of 75% of retail.

Thank you Christian and well done to you and Mark! The new part was tested at length on July 4 and it performed beautifully.