STEAM ???

[Scott]

O.K. I know this is not a new topic, but what is the real cause of the steam coming out of the exhaust sometimes and is there a way to eliminate it ? It must be the way the Single Exhaust is set-up as the Dual Exhaust boats do not do it...
The water going back into the engine while underway at skiing speeds cannot be the real cause. So what can it be? I am sure Art Cozier or someone at Nautique has a good answer but cannot get a hold of anyone there....

[tryan]

steam is NORMAL. there is moisture in the air going thru the motor and your cooling water is introduced into the hot exhaust.

[Scott]

That makes perfect sense, but why is the single exhaust Nautique so much more steam than the dual exhaust boats ? Why does Nautique use a single exhaust outlet anyway?

[SGY]

Maybe the exhaust is more concentrated in the single outlet as opposed to dual outlets.

I think CC uses the single exhaust because of the inverta flow muffler they use. (I think this is what it's called, someone correct me if I'm wrong.) There are some Bu loyalists that would like Malibu to use this muffler to quiet down their boats. But, until Malibu dumps that HDS system, they can't. (At least this is my understanding.)

[nms1991]

they use the single outlet to quiet down the exhaust, the reason for the excess steam is because of the concentrated heat going thru 1 outlet as opposed to 2.

[R-mallis]

my 90 sport does the same thing. i always thought it was running rich but my plugs were always clean when i inspected them. i felt kinda stupid when somebody told me it was just steam. it made sense though because it only does it after the boat warms up. i still have yet to see another ski boat that puts out any steam though except for mine. i do wish there was a way to get rid of it, mine is the worst on the hole shot when im pulling up a skier, after that you can barelly even notice it unless your really looking. do alot of older nautique owners have the same problem?

[M3Fan]

The reason is actually because the vernay invertaflo exhaust system has a large expansion chamber for the exhaust behind the engine. IMO this acts as a big steam tank esp. at idle. When you hit it, all that steam is forced out. That chamber basically pools hot water and steam results. I think it's worth it for the quiter exhaust. Outside temps will greatly affect the steam. On a 55-60 degree day you will see TONS. on a 90 degree day you won't notice it too much.

[R-mallis]

that makes alot of sense m3fan. so guess the smaller the "steamtank" the louder the exhaust which would result in less steam. right now the temp here in florida is around 95 degrees everyday and the river is at least 75- 80 (bathwater) and i still see plenty of steam.

[FUN-9C1]

I noticed my '86 (dual exhaust) shoots out quite a bit of steam when I being pulled up out of the water. At first it worried me but then I thought about it for a minute and figured it's probably normal. Glad to hear it is.

Why would you want a quiet exhaust anyway? .... sort of kidding but not really... Who needs a radio with the beauiful music of an old dual exhaust Nautique? You couldn't PAY me to put quieter mufflers in my boat!

[nautiquesonly]

I have had inboards all my life and every one has steam coming out the exhaust including my 1963 Century Resorter Woody. To answer Rmallis question yes older Nautiques have this as well. I have a 1980 Nautique in mint shape and it steams, I use it about 5 days a week for skiing shortline.


Nautiquesonly

[502Python]

I have a '99 Sport with dual exhaust.It steams a little in the summer and a lot more early or late in the season. You are putting out hot water and I guess if the conditions are right it will make steam in the exhuast pipes.It has been normal on all of my inboards single or dual exhaust.

[pj]

Whew!! I thought I had the secret agent version or something. I went out last night and it was like skiing through a smoke screen. Hope the humidity was just abnormally high or something to cause all that steam.

[97sport]

Call me crazy but if you dump hot exhaust with hot water into cooler water i.e. lake water I beleive you will get steam?????

[surroundsound64]

I noticed my '86 (dual exhaust) shoots out quite a bit of steam when I being pulled up out of the water. At first it worried me but then I thought about it for a minute and figured it's probably normal. Glad to hear it is.

Why would you want a quiet exhaust anyway? .... sort of kidding but not really... Who needs a radio with the beauiful music of an old dual exhaust Nautique? You couldn't PAY me to put quieter mufflers in my boat!

So true!!! My origional mufflers started leaking this year... so as opposed to paying over $500 for new mufflers I just ran straight pipes. Amazingly enough it's not THAT much louder unless I'm running it on the fake-a-lake. Even when you're riding behind it and the exhaust isn't in the water. It definately is louder, but not a ton.

And mine with dual exhaust steams a lot.

[pachanga]

the expansion chamber/muffler allows the exhaust to cool slightly, exxpand, and the water vapor turns to water and drop out of the exhaust stream then runs out the back of the boat as water. under hard acceleration or load the velocity of the exhaust gas is alot faster and carries the water vapor right on out the back (steam) is visible.