Cat 3208 T - Exhaust Blanket

[18rabbit]

The boat came with an exhaust blanket…synthetics with a stainless steel wire mesh outer cover. It wraps the whole exhaust and muffler with 11 different pieces. The largest piece that wraps the muffler is torn along an edge seam and the rivet-like hooks are badly rusted. I have researched a replacement…only available custom made…NOT cheap!!! I have been told the blanket is primarily insurance against fire in the event of an oil leak that sprays onto the exhaust/muffler. Exhaust blanket questions:<br /><br />Is the blanket really needed? <br /><br />Is the blanket repairable? Where or how?<br /><br />Is oil spray really a concern with diesel engines?<br /><br />Is the blanket USCG required?

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Cat 3208 T - Exhaust Blanket

18Rabbit. Exhaust blanket are nice because they keep the temperature in your engine space a little lower. Very nice if you end up having to make a repair so you don't burn yourself. I've never repaired a blanket, but I don't see why you couldn't. Oil exiting the engine depends on what kind of engine you have. The big 2 stroke Detroit Diesels leak alot of oil through the breather tubes as a matter of routine. If they stop leaking, you know you have a problem. You can end up with a good amount of oil in the bilge. Your 4 stroke Cat should be ok, although oil and fuel lines do break. If you have a turbo charger on your engine, they get red hot. The Coast Guard does not require blankets, nor does the state of California.

 

[Peter J Fraser]

Re: Cat 3208 T - Exhaust Blanket

18Rabbit,<br />You dont say if you exhaust is dry or wet at the muffler.<br />If it is dry then the blanket would only be to slow heat transfer and noise into the engine room.<br />If it is a wet muffler then you probably dont need the blanket as it would be unlikely that the muffler would be anywhere near hot enough to ignite diesel anyway.<br />It would require something flamable to absorb the oil /fuel to keep fuel burning.<br />You would need to have a jet of fuel spraying directly onto the manifold in order to get enough heat to ignite it but with a water cooled ex manifold and turbo housing its unlikely that there would be enough heat but you would certainly see some smoke.<br /><br />Good luck.<br /><br />Peter

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Cat 3208 T - Exhaust Blanket

DR and Peter – thanks! The exhaust is not water-cooled. The machine room blower can suck your socks off so removing heat isn’t an issue. The muffler is mounted near the hull and I don’t image long term exposure to heat is a good idea there. Also, the safety issue is not lost on me. It won’t cost me anything to try and repair the blanket. I’ll try to figure out how to post pix and get back to this thread.<br /><br />Thanks again!

 

[Bondo]

Re: Cat 3208 T - Exhaust Blanket

Hey 18rabbit,<br />I'm like DJ, I've spent my Life around,+ In Diesels, <br />But, Few Marine motors......<br />I'm No Pro, But I can't see Any reason we can't Fix the blanket you've got now........<br />We'll have to use Baling Wire.... It'll be too Hot for Duct Tape.............

 

[Walt T]

Re: Cat 3208 T - Exhaust Blanket

It's just a heat issue. Oil on the exhaust is likely to smoke a lot. I would keep the blankets.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Cat 3208 T - Exhaust Blanket

Here are some pix of the blanket. The metal hooks for tying the blanket around the exhaust need replacing. Bailing wire was used for most of it…rusted! A small part was done with ss wire and the hooks didn’t rust. The whole blanket needs a thorough cleaning.<br /><br />How do I clean the blanket? Soap/water? The top of the blanket (gray) shouldn’t be a problem. The back of the blanket (pink) seems very absorbent. <br /><br />Ideas on where to get the hooks or anything like them?<br /><br />Top of hook<br />

<br /><br />Backside of hook<br />

<br /><br />Top of blanket<br />

<br /><br />Side of blanket<br />

 

[Ryoken]

Re: Cat 3208 T - Exhaust Blanket

hey 18..<br /><br />the only repair i've done on those is replacing the wire used to bind, attach it... i used some monel/s.s fishing wire.. its what i also use to do safety wires on couplings..<br /><br />no idea on cleaning, sorry...

 

[Bondo]

Re: Cat 3208 T - Exhaust Blanket

You Should have stuck your Finger into a shot, for Sizing............ <br /><br />For the Hooks,<br />Could you use a rivit-on Boot Lace Hook ?????<br />Most of what I've seen were Brass.....<br /><br />Cleaning ??<br />Just Dust it Off,+ Put it back on.... <br />Spray Paint ??

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Cat 3208 T - Exhaust Blanket

Agree with Bondo. Soap and water is ok for the outside. You can't clean the other side, depending on it's age it's either fiberglass or long grain asbestos fibers (The non-toxic kind). Neither of these need cleaning.

 

[snapperbait]

Re: Cat 3208 T - Exhaust Blanket

Maybe do away with the hooks & wire and go with big hose clamps?

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Cat 3208 T - Exhaust Blanket

Thanks for the tips on cleaning. Soap/water on the front, vacuuming the back it is.<br /><br />Sorry. The metal discs on the hooks (front and back) are about the size of a quarter. One of the hooks was replaced with an 8d nail. I was hoping for something that doesn’t rust. <br /><br />Hose clamps are a good idea. Could do that for several feet of 8-in exhaust pipe but it will probably get expensive. The muffler is about 20-in diameter, 4-ft long. That one’s going to be a bunch of really big, expensive hose clamps. <br /><br />I’m sure those hooks are common somewhere for something else…I just don’t know what?<br /><br />

 

[Bondo]

Re: Cat 3208 T - Exhaust Blanket

I was involved with building a fancy staircase a couple of years ago.......<br />We dressed the area between the hand rail,+ steps with a Stainless Steel,.., Well,.. Chicken Wire....<br />I don't know what else to call it, that's what it looked like....<br />made out of .035/.040 wire...<br /><br />OR, <br />Some paper mills use a fine SSteel Screen on the paper dryers....<br />It's like Window Screen, Only Stainless......<br /><br />Either of these could be "Sewn" up with the SSteel fishing line/wire, as mentioned above......

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: Cat 3208 T - Exhaust Blanket

I like the big hose clamp idea. Are they stainless I wonder?? Might be a pain in the a-- if you need to get under them very often. I would just go to the Home Depot and wander around, you'll find something.

 

[Walt T]

Re: Cat 3208 T - Exhaust Blanket

Dont clean it, it'll fall apart. Have a new blanket made. Sorry, boats aren't cheap.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Cat 3208 T - Exhaust Blanket

Thanks, Walt. My first thought was to replace it so I priced a replacement blanket. $2500 and up!!! There is a rip in a seam but I think some of that metal exhaust tape should hold??? The blanket just sits there, nothing touches it…<br /><br />At $2500 I will try to fix it. Hard to believe an exhaust blanket is worth as much as a brand new 25hp outboard.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Cat 3208 T - Exhaust Blanket

My eyeballs are falling out form looking at fasteners online. For anyone that cares… they are called metal 'lacing anchors' and have some kind of use for metal stud installation in construction. Available from welding supply sources. Now, I have to find a qty less than 100-lbs. <br /><br />Thanks everyone for your help!!!

 

[DJ]

Re: Cat 3208 T - Exhaust Blanket

18rabbit,<br /><br />I;m not going to tell you to remove the blankets, or anythinng of the sort.<br /><br />However, it sounds like you want to clean up the engine compartment-true?<br /><br />I think you can find SS fasteners to replace what is there. There are also many high temp. paints available.<br /><br />Just a thought.<br /><br />Dry exhaust-I love it!