Checking the exhaust bend....at last.

I really try to take care of my 2 engines, honest. The oil is changed every year, dieselfilters quite often too, cooling fluid as well. The intake and exhaust valves have been adjusted a couple of times, cooling heat exchangers cleaned, transmission oil checked to be OK now and then. The two MD 2030's do not work a lot, they are mainly used in and out of harbours and anchorages. And they have not let us down, the only trouble being an occasional loose contact on the starter relay. Which can cause a bit of panic in the wrong moment, but it has not been critical.

But now I understand I have missed something important. Reading in social media about cooling problems, attention was directed towards the exhaust bends. Our engines have not overheated, and cooling seawater always came through. But I have never previously  checked the exhaust bends for clogging. It appeared to me that because the engines run mainly on low speed for maneuvering, exhaust deposits might form more easily in our engines.

So this autumn it was time to check this. And the suspicion was confirmed. The exhaust bends were quite badly clogged. Even though water came through, further clogging would have caused overheat. And I believe the power will be restricted when the engines can not breathe well.
So the exhaust bends were cleaned. But maybe some other issue is lurking around the corner, me happily ignorant about it....?