2007 SX230 Excessive Water in Bilge

[YamahaziPilot]

So yesterday I took my boat out and ran it a little over 100 miles. First time I have done this in one shot. I notice that after I ran it 52 miles and stopped in at Gilligan's off the Potomac that the bilge had water almost up to the oil filters. I also noticed the water was hot (this could be from the water touching the bottom of the engines). As I let the boat sit the bilge pump eventually emptied the area out and it was fine. When my boat sits in the water it doesn't seem to accumulate water at all, however when I am under way it seems to build up and it doesn't seem the bilge pump keeps up with it. My question is, could it be possible that I have water leaking from a hose when its under pressure? I have replaced the scupper in the boat and I leave the bilge switch on anytime its in the water. It has a 500gpm Rule pump in the bilge. I also ran a hose and filled the bilge with water while it was on the trailer to check for leak and the only drip I had was from the threads of the plug. I have read a couple of posts on here about water in the bilge but nothing had quite the same problem I was experiencing. I was thinking I may need to open it up and run it on the hose to check it.

 

[mrcleanr6]

First run it with eni gbhatch ipen and have someone back there to look for spray from a hose, etc. if the checks out you need to pull your hatch open in tue back where the cleanout plugs are and look to see if everything is soaked back there. Check exhaust and all clamps. If everything appears to be tight but you see water everywhere then your transom plate is leaking underway. Yamaha just ises silicone on their transom plates and the pump tunnel pressure blows is out and works between the glass and metal under way and sprays through one of the holes drilled in the hull. Usually it comes through where the engine coolant hose comes through. I have a 08 232 limited and my 2016 fzs. Both would leak at the transom plate at higher speeds. Common issue. Pull the plate, clean off the silicons and remount the plate with 5200 and youll never have another issue

 

[Scottintexas]

Do you feel lucky ?? You are very lucky!

another real life example for an extra bilge pump and a high water alarm,

probably you have a cooling line leaking, as Mr. Clean stated run it with the engine hatch open to look for spray and then undo the manhole covers to look for hoses with broken clamps, If you don't see anything you may even run the boat while looking through the manhole covers (be very careful of putting body parts over the cleanout tubes and you'll have to hold the safety switches down)

Keep us updated on what you find,


.

 

[YamahaziPilot]

I feel very fortunate. I have a secondary pump that I can drop in in the event of an emergency but I am going to permanently mount a second pump. I am also going to install a high water alarm. I will go through and look at the hoses again, I have replaced a lot of the clamps even though they weren't bad and verified they were tight. I need to look at the transom plate. Thanks again for the responses guys. I will post when I know more.

 

[mrcleanr6]

the transom plate is not hard to do. it just takes some time. i think i did both of mine in 3hrs.

 

[YamahaziPilot]

the transom plate is not hard to do. it just takes some time. i think i did both of mine in 3hrs.

You have any words of wisdom, do's or dont's for this procedure? LOL

 

[mrcleanr6]

if you have pulled the pumps apart on a yamaha and yours have been serviced and bolts greased etc, then each pump can be pulled off the boat down to the transom plate in 5 min each side. its not a big deal. once the pump is off then just remove the ride plate and intake grate from underneath. pull the cover off in the clean out plug hatch to get access to the rear bilge area, disconnect you coolant hose and i believe there is a nut holding the steering cable in place. then its simple. just 4 bolts hold the plate to the boat

 

[YamahaziPilot]

if you have pulled the pumps apart on a yamaha and yours have been serviced and bolts greased etc, then each pump can be pulled off the boat down to the transom plate in 5 min each side. its not a big deal. once the pump is off then just remove the ride plate and intake grate from underneath. pull the cover off in the clean out plug hatch to get access to the rear bilge area, disconnect you coolant hose and i believe there is a nut holding the steering cable in place. then its simple. just 4 bolts hold the plate to the boat

I have kept everything pretty well maintained on the boat. I really appreciate the feedback. I will throw some pictures up when I go through the process. Thanks again!

 

[Julian]

This member has the same problem.....wonder who will post the source first?

https://jetboaters.net/threads/warm-water-from-bilge-on-the-water-need-some-help.23625/

 

[YamahaziPilot]

This member has the same problem.....wonder who will post the source first?

https://jetboaters.net/threads/warm-water-from-bilge-on-the-water-need-some-help.23625/

Good look on this one. It seems to be very similar to my issue where they get a ton of water in the bilge under way buy nothing when its sitting. Mine also takes time to build up so it seems it could be a slower leak under pressure. I am gonna bring the boat home from Pohick Bay today and start looking.

 

[2kwik4u]

Thanks for the cross post @Julian !

@YamahaziPilot the race is on hope one of us figures it out soon!

 

[YamahaziPilot]

Thanks for the cross post @Julian !

@YamahaziPilot the race is on hope one of us figures it out soon!

Was looking to put it back in the water last weekend but we have been having alot of rain here in Northern, VA. Hope to put in in this week after work. I will keep you updated.

 

[Ljapilot]

This was causing water to build up in my engine compartment. Would only leak under pressure (above 6k RPM). Sounds like your getting a lot more water but wanted to throw it out. Easy to check. Just run on the water with engine hatch open and covers off.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/2008-sx230-water-in-spark-plug.28384/#post-468523

 

[YamahaziPilot]

This was causing water to build up in my engine compartment. Would only leak under pressure (above 6k RPM). Sounds like your getting a lot more water but wanted to throw it out. Easy to check. Just run on the water with engine hatch open and covers off.

https://jetboaters.net/threads/2008-sx230-water-in-spark-plug.28384/#post-468523

I appreciate the info. All my plugs are ok and are running engines are good. I suspect its either a jet line leaking under pressure or what @mrcleanr6
was saying about the transom plates. Still raining up here today, hoping for a break so I can get it out after work.

 

[Ljapilot]

It wasn’t my plugs either. It was the cooling pipe coming out of the top of the engine. An o-ring had gone bad and was pumping water into the engine compartment.

 

[YamahaziPilot]

It wasn’t my plugs either. It was the cooling pipe coming out of the top of the engine. An o-ring had gone bad and was pumping water into the engine compartment.

MY bad I don't know why I thought plugs. I plan on doing a run with my motor compartment open and the back cover open to see what's spraying. I will definitely check this as well.

 

[Lookingforajetboat]

My 05 ar230 that I just bought and put in the marina has the bilge put go on about once an hour to squirt maybe 6 once of water. Going to pull it out in a few weeks and replace the drain plug and the deck drain with the stainless one discussed herein.

My question is whether my battery will run down with that hourly squirt. Been going down every two 3 days to check on it and run the engines to charge the battery, but I read that is not real effective. We have power at the dock so maybe I need to hook a charger up to it and leave it? Not a mechanic so just learning as I go. Steve

 

[Beachbummer]

If you have shore power available and the bilge pump is working frequently, You for sure would benefit from hooking it up to a charger. Do you know if your pump has a float? or does it come on every few minutes to "test" the water level? The second kind is more wasteful of battery power, and gives you more reason to connect that charger.

 

[tdonoughue]

In a 2006 I think they had the pump sensing kind (as mine is).

So, @Lookingforajetboat , if you don't see a float down there in the bilge (looks like a little wedge thing, but some have them built into the pump), what you pump is likely doing is coming on every 5 min or so. If it just spins and has no resistance (e.g. is not pumping anything), then it shuts off for the next 5 min. If it detects resistance (e.g. is pumping something), then it keeps going until there is no resistance again. For a day on the water, you would never notice the little draw. But if you are talking about leaving your boat for 2-3 weeks, those little checks the pump does add up and drain your battery. (@Beachbummer is exactly correct--just providing more detail as you said you're not a mechanic).

So I agree with the charger recommendation. You don't need a big or fancy one. Even a little $20 battery maintainer will do just fine and at least let your battery keep up with the draw of the pump.

As you do that, might want to read up a little bit about GFCI and current leakage. Just so you know what to be aware of and ask about at your slip--not that you should try to fix anything. More aware is more safe.

 

[Lookingforajetboat]

If you have shore power available and the bilge pump is working frequently, You for sure would benefit from hooking it up to a charger. Do you know if your pump has a float? or does it come on every few minutes to "test" the water level? The second kind is more wasteful of battery power, and gives you more reason to connect that charger.

Thanks, ordered a trickle charger.