Cooling

rasbury

So have not explored my cooling system much other than the raw water pump...episode this weekend flooding the bielge with fresh water has me looking at the cooling flow chart with closed cooling which is pretty straight forward...one part I don't get is the water distribution housing located at the lower right front of the motor- it looks like one hose in and one hose out- what does it really do? 

reneechris14

ras  it's mostly there as a low point on the port side to drain the water out. Pic is not right this is a 1/2 cooled system, the exit to the bottom of the manifold.... i find better pic.

reneechris14

thats better. Why do they call it a distribution if water just passes though??

reneechris14

I count 10 hose clamps from the pump to the heat exchanger.

davidbrooks

On some models they have airlines attached to allow it to drain without removing the blue plug. Others dont. Other than a low point for a drain it also is another part that costs $300 to replace and self torture to reach it.

rasbury

Yes, there are lots of places to go wrong..I have everything double clamped so will be interesting to find what failed...I'm particularly interested in the power steering cooler...i will out there tomorrow if I can bend over without throwing up!

rasbury

So my serial number is ow038097...not that it matters but I never see any illustration for the fact that I have a pick up at the foot as well as a through hull...since I did start to over heat...it has to be a hose in between the raw water coming in and the heat exchanger so should not be to hard to track that down. I did a quick look while in the boat and I could not see anything...top of the motor had droplets but could have been from water hitting the belt....sure glad I was in fresh water....starter would have been underwater though that sure makes me worry...

rasbury

So, was able to squeeze some time out to inspect. Everything looked fine, everything connected. So I hooked up on the hose thinking I find a hose split, fired it up no leak, ran correct temp after warm up and let it run for a while. So I'm really puzzled. I was running the generator the whole time as I was running the a/c for the first mates...and I was running the ac I think until I shut down the Genny so I don't think the water was from there...I'm stumped as this point. I'm going to go down to the ramp leaving it on the trailer and run everything and see....when I saw the water and shut down and pumped it out, I had no other water coming in so this is turning into a real mystery that I thought would be real simple!

Handymans342

It never is Ras

rasbury

Thanks @Alswagg. That is what I was thinking also but now get no results! Runs fine, no leaking anywhere from the motor. I'm wondering if this could have been from the a/c? Can I run the a/c on a fake lake? I was at not much more than idle speed coming out of the marina so would have thought running out front of our house  would have found a big leak... Engine was warming up coming out of the marina...maybe I mis read the gauge.. 

Cableguy Greg

Yes, you can run the A/C on a fake a lake.

rasbury

I read varying opinions...think I'll just put it in the water to make sure...

rasbury

That one valve before the cool fuel...guess that is a one way valve...if that got stuck, would it have a safe guard that would allow it to put water into the bielge and not over pressure the system or anything else like that in the system? The raw water is so simple on the closed cooling...not much there to look at....will take it to the ramp next Saturday and float it and see if I get any results...odd isn't it?

Dream_Inn

Very odd Ras.  I'm really curious what you find when you dunk her in.

PickleRick

Dude, im stumped. Out of curiosity, was your bilge full before you left the docks?  A possible simple slow leak from maybe a bellow that didnt get adhesive?  

Possible heavy rain and your drains clogged thus filling your bilge?

I cannot remember the details leading up to time you noticed it being flooded.

If it's a part in the pressurized system id think it would be an instant pouring as soon as you crank the motor in water or even once she reached a normal running temp.

rasbury

@Alswagg i will have to look further but there is a valve after the power steering cooler and before the cool fuel and I thought I read check valve and assumed it was a one way valve..located low on that hose.

@PickleRick we spent the night at the marina..I ran the bielge pump and there was a little water that pumped out. It was pretty hot and the a/c system can really generate some water and was not concerned. We were pulling out of the marina, we were a little out of the channel and think I hit the out drive(still at idle speed) as I heard a bit of a thump. Did not really feel anything...I thought the temp was going up a little so I shut down the motor...I opened the hatch and water was up to the motor mounts. My auto bielge had not kicked in...so I started pumping while getting out to seatow and getting everyone jackets so it got to be a scramble. Water started going down so thought the pump was doing better than the water coming in- it pumped it all at and there was no more coming in. I thought a hose must have come off but did not want to mess with it on the water...then checked as I laid out above and zip...so will put it in the water...I can put a little more pressure on the system and still be on the trailer, run the Gen and ac...sure had to come from somewhere! It will be back in the 80's (42 here this am!) So will follow up then.

PickleRick

Head scratcher.  Time to grab a cooler, snacks, jump on the boat and ride around with the hatch open until you see water.  

aero3113

@rasbury , did you happen to check your bilge before you left the dock? Is it possible it was rain water and your float switch failed?

rasbury

Yes, i did pump some ac water out before we left the dock...will be back at the ramp Saturday. Have put about 12 hours on the motor since I put it back in but really other than the water pump hoses there was nothing disconnected...I dunno...will no more Saturday I guess? 
Will update.

Dream_Inn

You may also want to see why that bilge pump float switch didn't work for you.  That would be my first item to look at.  Having a good bilge pump with automatic float switch is piece of mind.  Next, I'd follow what PickleRick says.

rasbury

For sure dream...i i had one of those pop out breakers for the mid ship bielge popped open which I have never seen before...but pretty much the plan.

Handymans342

Or you can replace pump that does not need a float switch. 

PickleRick

I have 3 total bilge pumps in my 23 footer.  Every time i part out a boat or find one on sale i jump on them. There is one forward of the fuel tank in case the cabin ever takes on water. It would need to be over 6 inches deep to go over a stinger to get to the rear bilge pumps. The forward one is tied in with my sink drain line.  Sports stores like Academy are a good place to find them marked down ar 15 to 20 bucks.

In my engine bay i have 2. One under the front and then rear of the motor.  All 3 will come on auto or manual, the rear two are on the same manual circuit but independent auto circuit. 

I also have a manual. Hand pump stowed.

Im ocd with leaks from sailing i guess, with a displacement hull waves on a lake/windy day are fun. No other boats but sailboats.  

I consider those as important as life jackets and fire extinguishers.    

Only one of my pumps has an external pump switch and that's the easy access one under the front of the engine.  In fresh water these guys live for decades if kept dry.  

If i was near the salt id replace like a smoke alarm but id also be hitting 5 to 10 mile out reefs on good weather days.

rasbury

wow, I need to be a bilge pump salesman. So I have the one in front of the motor which means a lot of water in the boat before it would ever come on. The other is located next to my shower sump- if that one comes on I'd know i was in trouble. Assume that is there in case something fails with the sump as that is basically on the same level as the mid ship beth area. Sounds like I should do some up grading on bilge pumps and have always wanted to have a manual one as well. Most of where I boat if it sinks, I could stand on the forward part of the hull and not get my toes wet - channels are deeper but generally the lakes here are very shallow...and the intercostal you can walk across except for the chanels in my area...

212rowboat

Double clamp every hose.  Also, a little trick: use dishwashing soap where they connect to nipples... Allows easier assembly and after it cures it may as well be glue but if it does leak? Soap bubbles tattle on it. 

PickleRick

When I have an issue with leaky hoses i use a little rtv, the blue i think is for coolant.  Just a light coat around the inside of the hose.  It acts as a lubricant installing and then once dried seals any imperfections might be on the mating surfaces.  



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rasbury

I'm anxious to get to the water...driving me nuts...plus the weather is great!

rasbury

So will be heading to the ramp shortly but want to check a couple of things before I go...particularly on the a/c...l know where the thru hulls are for the engine and the Ginny...in the midship I have the thru Hull for the a/c and the filter for it...where is the thru Hull for the head? And the exit for the water from the a/c, how do I get a look at that hose and connection?

Willhound

The thru hull and valve for the head on your 270 should be just right of centre just as you stick your head into the aft cabin. There's a little access hatch under the mattress.

rasbury

Yes, got that...what about the discharge hose for the a/c?
So was going to launch..my little town is having a seafood festival (aka food trucks) and a fishing tournament...107 boats were launching....

rasbury

Ok! Update, well sorta..

So, hoping that since I was running on the muffs once I got it in the water and opened up the thru Hull I would get some leaking...nope...so put a little throttle to it, certainly as much when coming out of the marina...nope...started the generator and let that run...nope....turned on the a/c, it seemed to be cooling as the snowflake on the panel was on...and the only thing I did not get was water discharge from the air to the outside of the boat. The ramp was backing up so had to abort. I did find the discharge water hose , I'm pretty sure but left more questions than answers. I did pull the a/c filter bowl and it was full of water and dumped it in the bielge. Should not have done that as it seems there is more water in that area than from that bowl. I need to track down  the water flow for the system but it looks like the intake pump is right there at the thru Hull after the filter, but the discharge hose is connected right there too? 
By the time I'm done, I'm going to go work for Al's son working on boats...