Ford Lehman 120 Stainless Steel Exhaust Elbow

[av8r]

For those of you Ford owners tired of replacing the cast-iron exhaust elbow, a small company in Vancouver, WA, is manufacturing the elbows in stainless steel. Someone else posted about it last year but I don’t remember who.
The company is HDI Marine, the website URL is the name @ .net, and the phone is 360-824-0800.
I ordered one, not realizing the company is in Vancouver, and the manager called me and offered to drop it off at my house instead of shipping it since we are close to the shop.
It appears to be a very nice piece of casting and machining work and I assume it fits just fine. The internal bore is smoother than the cast-iron elbows, and the flashings have been ground off, unlike the last one I got. Presumably this will be the last one I replace since the stainless should outlast me.
No relation to the company, just satisfied with the product and impressed with the customer service.

 

[SteveK]

I just hope I remember this when one is needed.
How is the cost comparison?

 

[Cigatoo]

FWI. They also manufacture elbows for many other marine engines. I used HDI for a stainless manifold for our Northern Light Generator. Very satisfied.

 

[Cigatoo]

The post above should read “elbow” not manifold. Sorry for the mixup. The elbow was replaced with stainless as a preventative measure. Glad that I did as the original was at least 50% rust clogged. The water flow still appeared to be good before installing.

 

[syjos]

How much?

 

[Cigatoo]

How much?

Not sure who the question is directed at however the elbow for the Northern Light was only a couple of hundred bucks.

https://hdimarine.net/product-category/northern-lights/

 

[socalrider]

Cool! Would love to know how much it costs vs the standard FL120 elbow.

Just replaced mine though, so I'm good for a bit. Would have probably used these if reasonable.

 

[PennBruce]

American Diesel Corp - 1A371 - Exhaust Elbow 3 1/2" Hose $140
HDI Marine FL35 Stainless Steel Mixing Elbow $210

Bruce

Cool! Would love to know how much it costs vs the standard FL120 elbow.

Just replaced mine though, so I'm good for a bit. Would have probably used these if reasonable.

 

[socalrider]

American Diesel Corp - 1A371 - Exhaust Elbow 3 1/2" Hose $140
HDI Marine FL35 Stainless Steel Mixing Elbow $210

Bruce

Damnit... no brainer to go with the SS.

 

[BruceK]

From memory, the ADC elbow comes in 3.5 and 4". Or is it 3 and 3.5? Anyway, it`s 2 parts, 1/2" different. What size is the s/s version?

 

[PennBruce]

The ADC elbow I referenced above is for the 2715E engine.

Bruce

From memory, the ADC elbow comes in 3.5 and 4". Or is it 3 and 3.5? Anyway, it`s 2 parts, 1/2" different. What size is the s/s version?

 

[rgano]

The ADC elbow I referenced above is for the 2715E engine.

Bruce

And you can get 3.5 or 4.o inch versions for the 2715E. Been there.

 

[av8r]

HDI lists both 3 and 3.5” on their website. I use the 3.5” size on my 2715e. Best to check website for prices, ADC and Fred Warner used to charge $59 for the elbows.

 

[BruceK]

And you can get 3.5 or 4.o inch versions for the 2715E. Been there.

Yup,Fred Warner told me. Just as well, mine were 4". Be sure to get the gasket too.

 

[kdebelser]

Manifold 2715E

Any chance they make a manifold for the 2715E?

 

[oak_box]

So, how long do these normally last?

I just replaced the port elbow. Engines have a bit over 4000 hours. Brian at American Diesel told me that they couldn't possibly be original, as they're supposed to be replaced every 1700 hours - but they sure looked original to me... I bought two elbows, and will do the starboard elbow when I get a chance, just to keep the two engines matched (and assuming the starboard is probably rusting too...).

But I'm curious - do they really give out after 1700 hours, or "does it depend..."? At the rate I'm going, it will take a long time to rack up the next 1500 hours...

 

[stevensibs]

I have a new in box stainless steel elbow for a John Deere Lugger 6414 6 cylinder if anybody is interested

 

[grumpyfnq]

Not wanting to spoil good news, BUT.
found HDI some time ago for an elbow on a NL set at a fraction of NL one and it is a good product.
The BUT is that stainless mixer elbows, in my experience are prone to pin hole corrosion and can end up with many dripping holes, but not a catastrophic failure. Liquid steel works as a temporary fix for some months but they are very hard to do much with other than for short term use with TIG welding.
But for the price and service, I carry a spare and just replace it when one starts dripping. Easy with good people to deal with.

 

[SoWhat]

I replaced mine at 2700 hrs when I redid the exhaust system. The elbows had little internal wear and could have been reinstalled. I believe they were original to the 1985 boat. I replaced them with iron. Just didn't see the need for SS.

 

[syjos]

So, how long do these normally last?

I just replaced the port elbow. Engines have a bit over 4000 hours. Brian at American Diesel told me that they couldn't possibly be original, as they're supposed to be replaced every 1700 hours - but they sure looked original to me... I bought two elbows, and will do the starboard elbow when I get a chance, just to keep the two engines matched (and assuming the starboard is probably rusting too...).

But I'm curious - do they really give out after 1700 hours, or "does it depend..."? At the rate I'm going, it will take a long time to rack up the next 1500 hours...

I get my 3 1/2" elbows from AD and I've replaced 3 in 22 years. The elbows were replaced when rust starts weeping out of the exterior. The replacement did not match any recommended replacement intervals.

I don't think engine hours has anthing to do with how long an elbow last. The number of years the cast iron is exposed to salt water is the determining factor. Fresh water moorage, flushing with FW before winter storage, how long stored out of water annually and flushing with FW after every use can extend elbow life.

I started flushing the engine with FW when I don't expect using the boat for a few months last year and will see how long the elbow lasts.

 

[Satch]

Arrrggghh!!!

Cool! Would love to know how much it costs vs the standard FL120 elbow.

Just replaced mine though, so I'm good for a bit. Would have probably used these if reasonable.

Me, too! Wish I had known. Completely baffled me how an engine design engineer could choose cast iron to have high temperature gases and salt water run through it. Mine was swiss cheese. I thought I had a fire in the engine room.

 

[BruceK]

Me, too! Wish I had known. Completely baffled me how an engine design engineer could choose cast iron to have high temperature gases and salt water run through it. Mine was swiss cheese. I thought I had a fire in the engine room.

The Ford Lehman goes back to the 1970s, maybe further. Mine lasted 30 years/1700 hours before needing replacing. You are too hard on the Lehman marinizers. Even now Lehman sells cast iron replacements. But, if it`s available in ss, of course choose ss. What about adding ceramic coating as well, like on the replacements for my Cummins 210s last year?

 

[JP2]

SS will develop pinholes as a result of saltwater, heating and/or pressure, when occurring simultaneously. (The Navy found this problem in some of their newer filtration systems.) But no "chunky" failures like that of CI from corrosion.

 

[Nepidae]

SS Elbows for Ford Lehman

I didn't see any mention of dis-similar metals for any galvanic activity?

Anybody offer any input?

 

[Larry M]

For what it’s worth, we installed a SS exhaust elbow in 2007 on our FL SP135. We rebuilt the engine in 2017 with 3k plus hours on the exhaust elbow. The rebuilder bead blasted, inspected and said “There’s no reason to replace it”. We also installed a SS exhaust elbow on our Northern Lights 8kW generator at the same time with similar results.

I’m a SS elbow advocate. We had a NL 5kW generator before the 8kW and went through factory cast elbows every 3-4 years before we switched to SS.

 

[Mike GB32]

After reading this thread, I ordered a SS exhaust elbow from HDI. The existing cast iron elbow was leaking from a crack so it had to go. Of course, nothing is easy, and one of the bolts snapped. Luckily, Im left with some exposed threads so- with a little luck, patience and gentle persuasion I may be able to remove what's left.
I'm wondering what to replace the bolts with. Stainless? Grade 8 bolts?
Anyone have a suggestion?

 

[socalrider]

After reading this thread, I ordered a SS exhaust elbow from HDI. The existing cast iron elbow was leaking from a crack so it had to go. Of course, nothing is easy, and one of the bolts snapped. Luckily, Im left with some exposed threads so- with a little luck, patience and gentle persuasion I may be able to remove what's left.
I'm wondering what to replace the bolts with. Stainless? Grade 8 bolts?
Anyone have a suggestion?

The advice I've received is to avoid stainless bolts on an engine. I don't think Grade 8 is necessary either. I used Black-Oxide Grade 5 bolts with marine grade anti-seize when I replaced mine, but I suspect that might be overkill - I was ordering from McMaster-Carr anyway so decided to pay a few bucks for some extra corrosion resistance.

 

[rgano]

One of the few times I ever had to have help aboard my twin Lehman GB42 was when I snapped one of those exhaust elbow bolts. A guy with a small oxy torch soon had it out of there. After that, I never had problems removing the bolts every five years or so to replace the rotted carbon steel elbows because I used anti-seize. Get the bolts you need from American Diesel so you know they are the right ones.

 

[Nepidae]

Why not ask HDI?

 

[catalinajack]

One of the few times I ever had to have help aboard my twin Lehman GB42 was when I snapped one of those exhaust elbow bolts. A guy with a small oxy torch soon had it out of there. After that, I never had problems removing the bolts every five years or so to replace the rotted carbon steel elbows because I used anti-seize. Get the bolts you need from American Diesel so you know they are the right ones.

Once a year, I back the bolts out a bit and re-tighten them, anti-seize to begin. The bolts come out easily each time.