Anyone see this before? Spray from cleanout plug...

[WickedPorter]

I couldn't take a photo, but will next time it happens.

While pulling the plugs on the last two outings, I've noticed that water must be getting past the port plug and spraying the underside of the cleanout tray. There is never water sitting on top of the plug (like normal, and like the starboard side). The underside and all around the hole is covered with a film of water that is tinted black, and small pieces of black residue are in the water that appears to be blowing by the plug.

The plug and seal look fine, as does the metal ring where the plug rests when inserted properly. Engine and pump appear to be running fine, and the pump is clear.

Boat is still pretty new (25 hours or so) but just want to make sure this isn't a sign of something bad. Each plug drops in to it's spot perfectly fine each time and both lock easily. I use Tru-Lock 2's as well...

Anyone experience this before? Anything to be concerned about?

 

[Craig]

Haven't seen any discolored water on our boat in that area. If I'm understanding, you're referring to the underside of the clean out tray cover? I often find moisture in this area on our boat, I'm assuming from the wake coming over the swim deck. I often find small amounts of water standing on top of the plug but I've never seen any black residue.

 

[Scottintexas]

I had a lot of black tinted water in my cleanout tray but it was my hydro turf disintegrating.

The first thing I thought of was water mix with exhaust like we see sometimes next to the jets but no exhaust can mix in before the cleanout ports,

have you ran in any shallow water? what color is the lake bottom?

maybe next time out put a dray towel over both cleanout ports with a 2x4 on top and go around at no wake and then check it to see if anything is there, then at faster rpms,
just something to try to figure out when it is happening,

 

[WickedPorter]

Good idea on the towel... I'll give that a shot next time. Definitely not hydroturf (yet) ... I'll snap some photos too, couldn't tonight as it was too dark.

 

[Bruce]

Where is the black residue coming from? The plug and the tubing it is in are the only black materials that I am aware of in that area.

I am hopeful that the water is coming from somewhere else but please be careful with this. If a plug blows it can cause damage to the lid, loss of plug and possibly flood the boat.

 

[WickedPorter]

No idea where the black residue is coming from... hope to find out! Plug is/has always been secure and locked with a Tru-Lock 2... always with some healthy "tugs" as well, I know it's secure and it has always gone in easily (both of them).

Thanks all, will report back with photos if/when it happens again... and if anyone else has seen this, please chime in.

 

[Craig]

Any of the black residue and moisture in your bilge area underneath the clean out tray? Could the black residue just be stained water from your lake? I agree with Bruce, you should be careful with this. Have you spoken to your dealer about it?

 

[WickedPorter]

Bilge area is clean... dealer is four hours away.

It's almost as if some soft black plastic got stuck in the intake tunnel, chewed up and pushed up through a small gap in the plug. Not sure how else to describe it. I'm going to inspect the clean out plug a little more intensely this afternoon and will also check everything in the pump area.

 

[spaz1868]

I always see black dust from the hydro turf under cleanout tray and I am constantly cleaning it out.

 

[Craig]

I would hope he isn't already having black dust from the turf rubbing off on a '13?

 

[WickedPorter]

I went out again this afternoon. Before departing, I inspected the jet pumps thoroughly by sticking my iPhone down and taking photos. I'd post them here, but there really is nothing to see. I inspected the plugs closely, and noticed there was a small section of seal on the port plug that was "crushed", or pushed/stuck to the side of the plug. I wetted down the seal and worked it back out, making sure the seal was perfectly uniform all the way around. I then inserted it and pushed the plug down as hard as I could in order to make sure it was secure. As an added measure, I poured some water on top of the plug and tried as hard as I could to move the plug around while seated ... water was NOT receding. I had no problems on the water and was able to open 'er up with just myself on board ... 51mph with 1/3 tank of gas and minimal gear with low humidity

So, I think this was mostly just a fluke ... a portion of the seal may not have been making proper contact and allowing water to blow up through. There is a ton of crap in our lake right now, so it's possible that chopped up "crap" that gets past the plug is black in color. Once I ensured the plug was sealed well, there was no spray at all and actually water sitting on top of the plug after my outing, as I would hope/expect.

While doing my thorough inspection, I noticed some things in the bilge, most alarmingly, a part of a hose clamp ... I will post that to the other related thread.

In the meantime... a peaceful afternoon/evening on the lake, though I could have used a bit more sun ... a buddy of mine on his beloved Spark took this:



Additionally, probably should have found a little better place to anchor ... this was a little disconcerting:



Lake is still 30 plus feet above normal pool, so lots of washed out shoreline/tree roots are starting to appear ...