Clean out plug - my turn, grrrr

[Chickenfoot]

I have the twist/lock style on my 2019 212 limited S. This has been the single most headache laden issue with this boat, really the only the issue as I truly love this boat and everything about it. So I had to pull it out and get a small piece of plastic out of the impeller and when I put it back in the water I had forgot that last time I wasn't able to get the port side clean out plug back in and so I throttled down and similar to what you must experience with the older plugs, water came rushing up through and flipped the cleanout door open up and engines cut-off immediately. Took me a minute to realize that engines won't start with that open so after thinking I was dead in the water at 6:00 pm yesterday, I settled back down. So back to the original issue. I've seen this discussed quite a bit, but I just want to be clear as I'm a new boat owner going into my 2nd season.

So the rubber on the plug has a bit of a ripple in it which I believe is preventing me from being able to quarter-turn to the right to lock it in. It will set down, but I just cannot turn it at all. I see the discussion about lubing it with various types - silicon spray, white lithium grease, etc. When I took it to the dealership last summer to get oil change, a technician came out and sprayed it with something and he was able to get it back in rather easily after spraying it. I don't believe much could have changed since then and he pointed out that ripple in the rubber part of the plug. I'm now afraid of taking them out as this is just painful.

So my question is, should I just do that same thing and do my damndest to get it back in there? Anyone with this same exact issue with them? Any tricks, helpful hints? I did order the Bully Tool mentioned in an older thread to help with the twisting.

Thanks!

 

[Dave burke]

I have a 2017 and have not had to pull the plugs very often but I have noticed that sometimes they’re tricky to reinsert. What I do is keep turning counterclockwise until I feel a slight click and then try and tighten at that point. It always works although sometimes I need to do it 3-4 times before the latch grabs. I never have to turn very hard so if you do, it’s possible that the ripple is stopping it somehow. If this the case, I’d buy the rebuild kit. Not sure where to get it but I’ve seen it mentioned in several posts. I’m sure someone will let you know where to get one.

 

[H2OBoy]

Are you pushing down on the plug as you are turning it? I was having a fit with mine a couple of weeks ago and it did not want to turn. Once I actually pushed down on it prior to turning it locked in with no issues. I only assume that was my problem as I did not want to test my theory on the water.

 

[fatboyroy]

Dont forget to push down before turning. It happened to me when I first remove it (2021 boat) I couldnt put it back in it wouldnt turn I figured I need to push down to twist it to lock position.

 

[AZMark]

The rubber seal doesn’t actually turn in the hole

 

[1WetBoat]

I wouldn't leave it in there all the time when out of the water. I take mine out after every trip, rinse it with fresh water and a bit of salt-away and then lube both . I only plug them back in when im going to go out.

Take yours out, make sure the plugs are clean with no debris and the same with the tunnel. Lube them both up with any spray silicone you can get your hands on. Work them in and out a few times to make sure they work.

 

[212s]

Go to your local auto parts store and get a can of silicone spray. It will keep the rubber supple and slick with no stick. I take mine out at the staging area end of day to get out any water and put them back in. At the end of the weekend, I pull them at home and give them a quick spray around the entire rubber seal and put them back in so I don't forget at the ramp. As long as you do this at least montly, they should stay soft and slick. But once a week will guarantee they stay soft and slick. Yamaha recommends waterproof marine grease but silicone spray works just as well and is easier to apply

Also the mentions of pushing down while turning is the proper technique - it's in the user manual. And there's a small lip you need to get under to lock them in. The lip is there to prevent them from turning and unlocking themselves.

 

[212s]

I wouldn't leave it in there all the time when out of the water.

I don't think it's an issue leaving them in if the seals are lubed when put back in. Yamaha ships the boat with the plugs locked in and it could be months before anyone pulls them out (my boat was made in Feb and we brought it home in June = about 4.5 months). They use marine grease to lube them at the factory so they don't stick, and mine slipped out perfectly and had grease on them still the day we brought her home. After several uses and removals, the grease started to wear away and I started using silicone spray.

 

[Zizzou 192]

I am lazy. I have used Lubegard Zer0 successfully to both unstick a stuck plug o ring on the water as well as to shrink a swollen plug o ring that prevented the plug from getting back into place.

 

[HangOutdoors]

I wouldn't leave it in there all the time when out of the water. I take mine out after every trip, rinse it with fresh water and a bit of salt-away and then lube both . I only plug them back in when im going to go out.

Take yours out, make sure the plugs are clean with no debris and the same with the tunnel. Lube them both up with any spray silicone you can get your hands on. Work them in and out a few times to make sure they work.

Excellent Advice! I am in freshwater and I remove mine after every time out and leave them out when I leave the water. They go back in on next outing as part of staging at ramp. I also spray them down and rinse out the tubes with water from the hose. Sand and other things get in there as it washes over platform. I use pool gasket lubricant or hit it with Yamalube Spray.

 

[Troy JK]

After finding the groove, I’ve never had a problem with them turning and locking in.
I take them out after every use then spray them with XPS before putting them back. Guess that might be helping.

Sea-Doo XPS Lube

14 oz. (400 g) Multipurpose lubricant. Prevents rust, corrosion and moisture intrusion. Contains active extreme-pressure additives which provide excellent lubrification and antiwear properties. Comes in a spray that works upside down.

jetboatpilot.com

 

[212s]

Forgot to mention that the silicone spray is great for any joints, hinges, and the transom plug O-rings too. I spray down the articulating keel rudder pin and tie-rods, etc. weekly. It's clean looking and lubes the plastic bushings nicely.

 

[Chickenfoot]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I tried again yesterday in the water in the slip. Pulled the other one out to see if I could have any better luck with that one and unfortunately I am not. I'm putting the plug down in in the proper set position and I'm pushing down with everything I have and it will just not turn clockwise. It is like I can't get the plug down just far enough for the metal notch to get into the groove. I sprayed with silicone, greased with vasilene, pulled boat out of the water to try and I cannot for the life of me get them to turn that quarter turn and lock back into place. My hand is damn near swollen from trying. Me and 2 others taking turns. I can feel the "cushion" of what I assume is that rubber part getting to the lip and its like I just can't get quite low enough down into the hole to get the notch lined up with the groove. I guess I'm going to have to take it in and have someone show me what I'm doing wrong. It's a simple process but man it is humbling my intelligence becuase I feel like it is something trivial i'm not doing right, but then again, there isn't much to lining it up and quarter turning. so frustrated.

 

[HangOutdoors]

You sure you don't have a pebble or built up sand in the groove in the tube?

 

[Chickenfoot]

here are some pics, nothing looks too out of whack and it sets down in the hole in the set position, just can't turn;

 

[Chickenfoot]

@HangOutdoors I'm sure, I can feel down in there. It is like i'm trying to turn it against wall, no matter how strong I am it's not turning. Perhaps that T tool will give me more leverage in pushing down to its farthest point so that notch will line up with groove? I've struggled with them before but was able to get it in, but this time I'm not so lucky

 

[AZMark]

here are some pics, nothing looks too out of whack and it sets down in the hole in the set position, just can't turn;

My seal definitely doesn’t flare out on the bottom like yours.
You shouldn’t be feeling any “cushion” when you press down, it should be metal on metal at that point. Your seal must be getting caught in between.

 

[HangOutdoors]

Sorry you are having the trouble. The mark is lined up between the plug and the tube?

 

[1WetBoat]

So both are giving you issues?
Did you confirm you are lining up the tabs correctly prior to pushing it down? It could be misaligned and you are pushing down on the top of the tab so it doesn't let you turn. I would try turning it without pushing down until it sounds as if you are lined up and then try pushing down, if you haven't tried this already.
I dont have my boat here with me, but that second pic kinda looks as is the bottom "skirt" of the seal is flaring out too much, that might be causing it.

 

[Julian]

here are some pics, nothing looks too out of whack and it sets down in the hole in the set position, just can't turn;

Your rubber skirts look deformed. If you look at this video, you might be able to see how a new skirt looks