shopping advice needed

[lobsta1]

Historically I have always used marinepartssource.com for exhaust elbows. Now they are almost the most expensive site. I've found the Osco elbows for 129 bucks & the Barr at a much higher price. Does anyone know if the Barrs are still made here while the Oscos are made in China.
Any suggestions on where to buy?
Thanks
Al

[retman]

Al, I'll be doing some elbows this spring and will be shopping early. I usually use Merc. parts which I believe are from Mexico and the quality is good. I have used Marine Engine Parts, (lighthouse marine on LI) May try Monahan's in Weymouth because the freight can be big.

[h2ojst]

I know the Mercruiser ceramic coated risers and manifolds are much more expensive no matter where you purchase them, but since 2006, I've only replaced the 2 outboard sides on each engine and really only because of an exhaust leak where they corroded by a bolt hole. I couldn't believe how good they looked. I didn't even think about not using the same thing again. I used NuWave Marine.

[lobsta1]

Bill, I had forgotten about Lighthouse. They look like a decent option. What I am finding though is a lot of sites are out of stock on elbows.

Joe, I'm amazed you had such good luck with the ceramics. The knock against them is the different expansion rates between the cast iron & ceramic coating causes cracks in the ceramic. After the cracks, salt then penetrates & gets lodged between the coating & the casting causing accelerated corrosion. However if you have been lucky with them, then that is great.
Al

[retman]

I did the starboard risers this fall when I started to get some steam. They were junk. Perfect on the outside, gone on the inside with holes. I just never got to them. I believe they were ceramic coated, and I think they were replaced in 08 or 09. In 17 I did the full Monty on the port side when I redid the exhaust from the bulkhead forward due to the cast elbows and y's letting go. All merc. parts.

[mouldrp]

I did mine again last summer after 7 years. Used ceramic coated again as I did the last time.

The inboard elbows looked like they could have gone a couple more years, the outboard ones looked like I should have changed them a year sooner.

I think the outboard ones rust faster due to the straight run of the exhaust from the transom, whereas the salt laden air has to make 45 and 90 degree turns to reach the inboard ones.

I also replaced all the cast iron exhaust fittings and rubber hoses with fiberglass and silicone hose, expensive but worth it. I had a cast iron fitting rust out and if the bilge pumps didn’t keep up, I could have sunk the boat.

[lobsta1]

I did my port engine in 2015 with the standard Barr elbows so I think I'm on borrowed time. I'll probably use Barr again except they are out of stock until at least April.
Al