water leak somewhere

rasbury

Started a new thread as my subject line kind of changed from where I thought I had an issue for water in the boat. 2005 270 is what I have.  Was out for the Thanksgiving long weekend and had water coming in the boat where it normally has not been as issue other than drain from the A/C as far as I know. I thought I was having a waste tank leak but apparently not so. So, put the boat in the water and ran across the lake to the marina where we were staying for the weekend. Thought I would pump out before I slipped. Apparently nothing in the tank but I did notice some water in the bilge. Boat stays dry as far as I know. So, was not enough to pump out so slipped. Later that day I heard the auto bilge come on and it had never done that before.....had to put water in at the house to make sure it was working. Anyway, starting poking around and thought I had one problem or another.....tried running all the faucets to see if I had a fresh water leak in the pump or lines somewhere but everything seemed to be ok. I thought at one point it was the waste tank as it was wet all around it- next morning it was all dry around it and the tank was about 1/4 full so no idea where that water had come from. Also, next am, nothing much in the bilge either- like the problem never happened! So, left the marina and went to get a bite to eat before we trailered- when I pulled it out and removed the plug had about 5 or so gallons come out, kind of hard to tell......looked at the foot and noticed the clamp for the shift cable was broken- the boot itself looks fine with no tares in it, could it leak that much without that clamp on there? Also, should add, just had the coupler replaced so the foot and motor were obviously removed....I ran the motor at the marina and could see no evidence of a leak..I'm kind of stumped as it did not leak before! Any ideas? The only other area I know of, other than the bellows itself, is the pick up from the foot of the motor but again I ran it and did not see anything...I know that connection and could not get at it when it was running.....

J3ff

I'm starting to think I'm in the same boat.  It seems to me that there's always at least 5 gallons of water in my bilge... can't tell if it's salt or fresh because I'm not about to taste it.. but it's troubling to think about for sure. 

rasbury

@J3ff you had your motor replaced and drive off- did you do your bellows? Also, on the shift cable boot, do you have a clamp of any sort on that? I'm thinking that is my issue and if so, would be a simple fix for both of us! Have not had much feed back here but in conversation with another boater, he says that would be a major source for water to come in without a clamp on it as it is under water all the time. I know yours is put up but when you get it out would take a look. I won't have mine back in the water until after the first and it's killing me to try!

frenchship

Ras
no clamp on the shifter bellows will allow quit a bit of water in, the clamp is really cheap but do use the DIY tools that I send to you so you don't squeeze  the clamps out of shape.or if you want try the ty-wrap system first. This will give you a fast answer if your problem is related to the shifter bellows,
Paul

rasbury

Thanks- will check it out!

Handymans342

Ras, my boat sat in the water for days and was bone dry. Drove it out for a few hours and bilge had water. Go figure

MarkB

J3ff said:

I'm starting to think I'm in the same boat.  It seems to me that there's always at least 5 gallons of water in my bilge... can't tell if it's salt or fresh because I'm not about to taste it.. but it's troubling to think about for sure. 

Use a pool salt water test strip.  That will tell you right away if it's salt water.

J3ff

rasbury said:

@J3ff you had your motor replaced and drive off- did you do your bellows? Also, on the shift cable boot, do you have a clamp of any sort on that? I'm thinking that is my issue and if so, would be a simple fix for both of us! Have not had much feed back here but in conversation with another boater, he says that would be a major source for water to come in without a clamp on it as it is under water all the time. I know yours is put up but when you get it out would take a look. I won't have mine back in the water until after the first and it's killing me to try!

The entire transom mount and all was replaced with new... new bellows, shift cable, boots, etc... came from the factory. Only thing left to replace back there would be the upper and lower unit on the out drive. 

J3ff

MarkB said:

J3ff said:

I'm starting to think I'm in the same boat.  It seems to me that there's always at least 5 gallons of water in my bilge... can't tell if it's salt or fresh because I'm not about to taste it.. but it's troubling to think about for sure. 

Use a pool salt water test strip.  That will tell you right away if it's salt water.

Will do - figured there was something out there I could have done... after all the problems with it and work done to it, I had just had enough and decided to suck it out with a shop vac a few times and then get back to it next spring

rasbury

@Handymans342 if you ran the a/c underway them it may be from that? It's a conundrum! Buffoonery at its best!

rasbury

Ps, enjoying your first FL " winter"? I love your area over there..if I ever hit that lottery!

Handymans342

This is actually my 2nd winter Ras. Wish I had more time to use the boat. 

rasbury

@Handymans342 I thought you retired down here?

Handymans342

Too young to retire Ras. 10 more years

rasbury

me to @Handymans342, 10 more years of work or 80, which ever comes first!

raybo3

Handymans342 said:

Too young to retire Ras. 10 more years

What work did you find in FLA?

rasbury

Fleet sales, 21 years

Rinker250

Check Trim tabs actuators. Screws may not be sealed anymore. It happened on my 250. 

Rinker250

Yes, I can see tips of the screws from inside.  Check the seal around cable too. Those screws and cable are just above the waterline on my boat, so leakage was not constant.  

Black_Diamond

Check the fitting for your bilge drain plug. Mine leaked around it. Pull and reseal. Problem gone. 

MarkB

It doesn't take much of a leak to draw in 5 gallons of water overnight, or even a few hours. 5 gallons an hour is really only 3 drips per second.

If you want to figure out if the water is salt or fresh ... go to a pool shop and get pool water salt test strips.

rinker270nb

I always had water in my bilge and the pump would kick on once in a while, I found this drip with my phone and ears- video link is below.  It's the transom plate. The video is upside down as you see it drip "up". I plan to seal the outdrive this year and try to get a ratchet on the bolts for the transom plate. It looks like it's been leaking for a while as there is a stream of it's flow.  Hope this helps.

https://goo.gl/photos/TugnLaokuhP479ha9

rasbury

I hope it is just a thru hull...start with the was stuff and not go to the worst case!

rasbury

Thx @BellevilleMXZ another place to look...somehow does plumbing from that go over to the motor for heating also? I took my fake lake out tho am and tests all the thru hulls and came up with zip..only possibility was the strainer for the ac, I took it off carelessly and splashed a little water- might have not been tight and dripping. That compartment has been damp in the past. I will keep an eye on that and check those hot water hoses....i am changing jobs after 21 years and will have some bot time...

BellevilleMXZ

Ya if its like mine, its heated from the engine.

rasbury

Ah.....seems to happen while running...i did run on muffs and did not see anything...will have to observe under different operating conditions..what a pita!

BellevilleMXZ

Ya, mine only did running, once revs were up.

rasbury

Huh! as mentioned, the motor came out to do a coupler repair so perhaps something got pulled there in the process but I did not think of that- the upper deck area around the bilge area is dry- I did see some water droplets on a hose but when I wiped it off there was nothing going on with that hose and it may have been fro sloshing around....main thing is I don't want the starter to get wet and soon I will be back in salt water some and I sure don't want that in there brewing......thanks @BellevilleMXZ
Rick

Lake_Bum

Sometimes leaks can be a royal pain when the boat is out of the water.  The sheer weight of the hull sitting on the water, can reveal a leak that sometimes will never show on a trailer. I have tried flooding a bilge before, to see if the water will leak OUT as well.  Never had any luck.... 

rasbury

yes @Lake_Bum- it is aggravating especially when it "just appeared" after the motor came out....I don't want to put into salt water until I have this resolved!

MarkB

This is what I'd check:

- your wake coming over the swim deck if you slow down to quickly (no ways the rain channels will keep up with that amount of water).

- water from washing the boat (same as above).

- airconditioner strainer (very common these aren't on tight)

- airconditioner recirc pump, flange can get warped and leak, only 3 screws holding it together.

- through hulls.

- cold water system.

- hot water system.

- raw water system (engine cooling).

- transom/bellows.

- rainwater ingress.

rasbury

Those screws go through the hull?

raybo3

Transom bracket? Mine had a crack on the inside and leaked when the boat was moving. Seems to be a fairly common problem.

rasbury

Hmm..will take a look! Thanks for input...

rasbury

With the waste tank fixed (sure smells better), still have some water coming in. I never checked trim tab screws but hard to imagine that muck water coming around a screw unless it fell out! My out drive was out for the coupler repair and they said the bellows looked fine and did not suggest replacement. I wish I could leave it in the water to see if is while running or not identifies the problem. I have never had the bilge kick on automatically before this problem started...nothing is leaking with my water system or the pump would be kicking on....its just hard to see anything around the motor, would seem it would have to be a bellows....is it likely it could have been damaged in putting the out drive back on?

Michael T

Muskrats and some other marine critters love bellows. They can chew the heII out of them. Where I used to boat we all trimmed our drives down (which should be done anyway) when we slipped/anchored our boats.

Liberty44140

Any chance that this is rain water coming in from the blower vents and it just doesn't flow to the rear of the bilge right on the trailer but in the water it moves to the rear of the bilge? Also, could it be rain water coming in trough the rear engine hatch? I am convinced that I get rain water in from the transom engine hatch gutter that goes in the engine room. Bad design on that. 

rasbury

@Liberty44140 no, could certainly happen but not un this case. I put in Saturday dry, went down the river a bit and then just sat in the water- and it came on. Wife joined me later in the day, went and got lunch at a marina close and then went to another marina to slip, came on a bit later and ran for about 7/10 seconds. Sat all night and I don't think added any more water. Looked around yesterday am at hoses etc to see if I could see anything wet, nothing....we ran up the river for the day and back to the ramp and the pump ran when I came out of the ramp. I must have a hose that is leaking....which brings me back to the motor came out to fix the coupler, are there connections there that maybe mot done right that are leaking? I have the boat home and will run on muffs which hopefully will confirm where it is coming from but I'm sure rpm/ pressure comes in to play...

rasbury

Also, I have a thru hull and foot water pick up, has to be a connection at or near the transom?

rasbury

@Black_Diamond do you mean the drain plug itself? I don't see how the female side of the fitting would come out?

rasbury

@MarkB I guess that is amazing how it accumulates! I have a new theory to test, I'm thinking it is a thru hull for my fresh water cooling. I ran the boat last night at home and don't see anything leaking....I did have the coupler changed and it started after that....maybe he did not unhook that hose from the thru hull and when he lifted the motor to get access to it, pulled on the hose and the thru hull enough to break the seal and now it is leaking....I need to get it in the water and spread some powder around that one, the genny and the transducer thru hulls and see if I see any leaking. Otherwise, must be the bellows. We have had no rain, like .1 of an inch the whole month as this is our dry season so it's coming from somewhere!