Ugh Tom!!! I'll pray for you. The muffler is in the most inaccessible place on the boat. It's absolutely awful to get to. I had problems with my exhaust riser (water injection elbow) last year and the result was my rubber exhaust hose was not being cooled properly. As part of my fix I wanted to visually inspect the muffler to make sure there were no carbon deposits visible and that the muffler looked OK.
If your 32-200 is the same as mine, and it probably is, you need to remove the hot water tank and the shelf it sits on. Then crawl into the locker and at the very front on the port side of the locker there is a cut out square in the locker floor. The 2 flexible air hoses, the exhaust hose and a zillion other hoses and wires go through this square opening. My 2 flexible air hoses were in need of replacement so I pulled them out of this opening and into the locker area. Then, with great difficulty, I could see the muffler. I think the only way to get the air hoses back through that opening is to remove the floor to the locker which means removing everything I've already mentioned and the holding tank, CNG tank and the shelf the CNG tank sits on. You may have to do all of this to be able to remove the muffler.
I can't think of a more difficult job on this boat than replacing that muffler. I got to the point that I could see the muffler, but no way did I remove enough stuff to be able to replace the muffler.
Feel free to give me a call if you want to talk about this a little further. You can reach me during the day at 315.460.7171. Good luck Tom.
If your 32-200 is the same as mine, and it probably is, you need to remove the hot water tank and the shelf it sits on. Then crawl into the locker and at the very front on the port side of the locker there is a cut out square in the locker floor. The 2 flexible air hoses, the exhaust hose and a zillion other hoses and wires go through this square opening. My 2 flexible air hoses were in need of replacement so I pulled them out of this opening and into the locker area. Then, with great difficulty, I could see the muffler. I think the only way to get the air hoses back through that opening is to remove the floor to the locker which means removing everything I've already mentioned and the holding tank, CNG tank and the shelf the CNG tank sits on. You may have to do all of this to be able to remove the muffler.
I can't think of a more difficult job on this boat than replacing that muffler. I got to the point that I could see the muffler, but no way did I remove enough stuff to be able to replace the muffler.
Feel free to give me a call if you want to talk about this a little further. You can reach me during the day at 315.460.7171. Good luck Tom.
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Access can often be created
Tom,
I have no direct experience with your boat model, but have added some access plates to parts of our boat that greatly helped with maintenance projects like the one you face.
Maybe a section of an inner panel needs to be made removable.
Usually the perimeter of some piece of paneling that's tabbed in is "structural" but the center of it can be made into an access plate.
Be sure to measure several times and then be extra sure that the reverse side of the area is clear before using a bladed saw.
Actually this is an excellent excuse to buy vibration cutter like a Fein Multimaster. This type of tool makes safe and controlled cuts easy.
(Poor folk make do, for small projects, with a cheap knock-off from Harbor Freight. It's 90% cheaper and about 40% as powerful... )
I speak from personal experience -- I did get what I paid for...
Regards,
LB
Tom,
I have no direct experience with your boat model, but have added some access plates to parts of our boat that greatly helped with maintenance projects like the one you face.
Maybe a section of an inner panel needs to be made removable.
Usually the perimeter of some piece of paneling that's tabbed in is "structural" but the center of it can be made into an access plate.
Be sure to measure several times and then be extra sure that the reverse side of the area is clear before using a bladed saw.
Actually this is an excellent excuse to buy vibration cutter like a Fein Multimaster. This type of tool makes safe and controlled cuts easy.
(Poor folk make do, for small projects, with a cheap knock-off from Harbor Freight. It's 90% cheaper and about 40% as powerful... )
I speak from personal experience -- I did get what I paid for...Regards,
LB
Great idea Loren. Yes, it is possible that cutting a hole and installing an access plate may make this job a lot easier. The plate would end up being behind the head so it might require removal of the head (not at all the same as beheading!). These projects would be so much easier if you were working on a big Mack truck.
I'll have to check out the Fein Multimaster - that looks like something I really need.
I'll have to check out the Fein Multimaster - that looks like something I really need.
Tom Metzger
Sustaining Partner
Interesting. On my son's PS/E-333, which is the Pacific Seacraft version of the E-32-200, the muffler is on the hull next to the shaft log. Access is easy through the aft berth.
PS did make some improvements.
PS did make some improvements.
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They don't like to be called munchkins
They prefer double jointed greased little people.
Guy
They prefer double jointed greased little people.
Guy
Thanks for some great ideas.
I've managed to achieve the slimmest peek at my muffler through the quarter berth access to the coupling/transmission. I was very concerned that I'd have to remove pretty much the whole stbd assembly under the seat locker including possibly even the water tank. Removal of the hot water heater and shelf is relatively easy, and enlarging the hole in the corner (that I've also gotten a peek of) is a great idea. We've previously added a couple of additional access plates for other uses.
I've managed to achieve the slimmest peek at my muffler through the quarter berth access to the coupling/transmission. I was very concerned that I'd have to remove pretty much the whole stbd assembly under the seat locker including possibly even the water tank. Removal of the hot water heater and shelf is relatively easy, and enlarging the hole in the corner (that I've also gotten a peek of) is a great idea. We've previously added a couple of additional access plates for other uses.