asbestos insulation on exhaust

[kenny]

Last fall I purchased a 1980 Pearson 35 Hull 477.
The engine is Universal diesel and we are getting more fumes in the cabin than we would like. When I went searching for an exhaust leak I found insulating material around the exhaust pipe out of the manifold that could possibly be asbestos. Does anyone know what kind of insulation Pearson used. Asbestos was banned I am just not sure what year or if Pearson ever did use it.
If anyone has any ideas on the excessive diesel fumes I would be interested in knowing that too.
Thank you,
Ken

[roverhi]

Asbestos was taken off the market sometime after 1975. It was used as filler to thicken resin and available packaged in common brown paper bags in bulk from fiberglass specialists in '75. Asbestos isn't a problem unless it's broken down into powder that can be inhaled. May be more dangerous to remove it than leave it in place if it is not doing that. Some evidence that it needs smoking as a catalyst to be very carcinogenic.

In my younger days. used to scoop the powder form out of a paper barrel with my hands into resin. Fortunately didn't do it very often as I've survived 40 years since doing that. Some evidence that it cigarette smoking is a catalyst to be very carcinogenic.

If you are getting a diesel fuel smell, check your tank for leaks and all the plumbing to the engine.

[kenny]

Thank you.
The diesel smell is more of an exhaust smell than a fuel smell. I don't see any real obvious leaks but the cabin really smells after the engine has been run for any period of time. I wanted to have a real close look at the exhaust system and that's when I found the suspicious looking insulation blanket. We run the blower while the engine is on and 15 minutes or so after but there is a real lingering odor.