Exhaust Riser leak

[SGY]

I notices some water spots/rust on the port side of my riser. Looks like my gasket is going bad. Is this something that I should have fixed right away? I was planning on skiing today but don't want to cause any harm.

Thanks for your help.

Steve

[skinautique]

How bad is it leaking? Here is an easy test for it. When you are running the boat, put your hand on each manifold. see if they are different temps. In the gasket, they have a section on them that direct the water a certain way through there and that could have gone bad too. Also, you can try tightening the bolts that hold the riser on to the top of the manifold. If you have to replace the gasket, it is pretty easy.

[M3Fan]

In my understanding, this is something that needs to be fixed immediately to prevent water from flowing back down into the cylinders from the exhaust valves. I'd get right on it if it is leaking.

[tom]

Fix it immediately and I suggest you buy new bolts if any have rust on the old ones as well as using thread lubricant on the new bolts when you replace them. Torque them to 25-30 lbs max and tighten them in a cross pattern in multiple stages.

Also, scrap the old gasket very clean so the new one seals well.

Be prepared for the possibility that a bolt may have rusted at the thread and may break as you take it out. If so, you may then have to remove the manifold and take it to a shop to get the bolt thread removed.

If all goes well it should take about 1-2 hours to do depending on your skill.