Brittle rubber on clean out plugs

[shibumi]

Hi Folks - just picked up a new-to-me 2019 242 LSE that had been sitting in the shop for 14 weeks (waiting on a backordered transducer - a whole other story lol) and when I got it home I found that the clean out plugs were in - and the area was full of water. I was kind of annoyed that the plugs were in because I feel the dealer/shop should know better - and I know the previous owner always pulled the plugs! He's even replied to posts on here about always pulling them! lol

They were pretty tough to get out (I'm not sure how hard or easy it typically is, as this was my first time pulling them out), but the more concerning thing is that the rubber seal seems awful brittle. If you lightly rub across it, little pieces of rubber break off. They almost feel like a foam seal rather than a solid rubber seal.

Is this normal?? Or is it time to rebuild / replace these plugs? I'm planning to coat them with some silicone for now, but never having seen these things new, I'm not sure what they're really made of (foamy type of rubber or a solid rubber). Thanks!

 

[Acard7]

Definitely look like they need rebuilt already, even though the boat isn’t that old? Interesting.

 

[Julian]

Definitely NOT normal. Rebuild them. $85 each.

 

[tdonoughue]

If I didn't know better (and I don't), I would say they got stuck and someone poured acid or something down there to get them loose. Those seals are toast.

 

[Robconn]

Wondering the fact that they are not that old / used could it be a solvent was used to clean? It looks like premature integrity failure of material. Break fluid? Grease composed of mineral oil? Or something of that strength? Just a thought.

 

[Tyguy]

Definitely looks like chemical attack. Easy to fix.

 

[OurCrew]

Besides removing the clean out plugs each time, is there any recommended maintenance for the plugs ie. coating them with silicone ?

 

[shibumi]

Definitely looks like chemical attack. Easy to fix.

When you say "easy" are you talking about the rebuild kit - or is there something else just for replacing the seal/gasket piece?

Not sure - original owner told me that he sprayed them with silicone - so not sure if it was something he used - or if something happened to them during the past 14 weeks while it sat at the dealer for service.

 

[fnkycld]

I just rebuilt mine. Worked perfect. $54 for both.

2Pcs Manhole Cover Repair for 2000-2016 Yamaha Jet Boat F0R-67609-09-00
by Okay Motor Product

Amazon.com: OKAY MOTOR 2Pcs Manhole Cover Repair for 2000-2016 Yamaha Jet Boat F0R-67609-09-00 : Automotive

Buy OKAY MOTOR 2Pcs Manhole Cover Repair for 2000-2016 Yamaha Jet Boat F0R-67609-09-00: Tire Chains - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

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[drewkaree]

Hi Folks - just picked up a new-to-me 2019 242 LSE that had been sitting in the shop for 14 weeks (waiting on a backordered transducer - a whole other story lol) and when I got it home I found that the clean out plugs were in - and the area was full of water. I was kind of annoyed that the plugs were in because I feel the dealer/shop should know better - and I know the previous owner always pulled the plugs! He's even replied to posts on here about always pulling them! lol

They were pretty tough to get out (I'm not sure how hard or easy it typically is, as this was my first time pulling them out), but the more concerning thing is that the rubber seal seems awful brittle. If you lightly rub across it, little pieces of rubber break off. They almost feel like a foam seal rather than a solid rubber seal.

Is this normal?? Or is it time to rebuild / replace these plugs? I'm planning to coat them with some silicone for now, but never having seen these things new, I'm not sure what they're really made of (foamy type of rubber or a solid rubber). Thanks!

For the rubber gasket/ring around your plug, yes, it should feel like rubber, and not foam. You will notice a definite difference when you replace them, as many have suggested. No, that's not normal. I have no idea why, and would just be guessing like everyone else.

I cannot tell for certain, since your pic is a bit too blurry, but it appears that the ears on your cleanout plug are corroded or corroding. If this is the case, that may or may not be a clue for you. It also appears as if there are no wear marks on those ears whatsoever, as if the plugs fit way too sloppy in there, or else they're not contacting the upper part that the plugs screw/thread into. I have a 2019, and while I cannot show you at this moment, if I have pics of my plugs around here, you would see the wear marks from removing them, as the metal shows wear as you remove them.

Not sure, but to my eye, it looks like they were stuck at one point, which would make sense that some chemical of some sort was used in an effort to dislodge the plug.

Nobody seems to sell just the rubber part that you definitely need to replace. Doesn't seem to me like there's any reason to have the added plastic piece, but everyone who sells replacement parts for this include the plastic, so maybe it's considered a wear item that should be replaced at the same time.

 

[drewkaree]

From elsewhere, someone just happened to pop up a thread that had pics of my plug - notice the wear marks on the metal ears of my plug compared to your pic of your plug. Again, unsure if it's just a blurry pic or the angle, but yours seems to have zero wear as compared to mine, and we both have the same year:

Looking again at your pic, it seems there's a lot of discoloration around that metal tab, so I'm not sure what could have happened. Others have commented on some sort of chemical, maybe used to lube the rubber, and it wasn't something that was compatible with that, causing that damage over time. Many on the board have commented that a water-based pool gasket lube is what they use. Personally, I don't see rubber seals getting stuck to the sides as the problem. It would seem that you would get SOME movement when trying to remove them if the rubber, in fact, was the problem with "stuck" plugs designed like ours, to give some indication that was the issue. In looking at these plugs and the issues people are having with them, I'm thinking more and more that the problem might be with those metal tabs wearing, and some sort of galvanic corrosion causing the plugs to stick. At the very least, it's another issue to consider. Seems like some sort of softer metal is used for the cleanout plugs (hopefully!), and the piece that they fit into is a dissimilar metal of some sort.

I've never had issues with my cleanout plugs other than bad installation, so this baffles me, and I keep looking at these for a heads-up as to what I might be expecting to deal with in the future. Looking forward to details from your experiences.

 

[shibumi]

@drewkaree I think the discolouration was just the gunk water that it sat in for 14 weeks - it was brown and nasty. Fortunately, it cleaned right up. I got a better picture before and after. I think I do see a bit of the wear or marking on the tabs that you mentioned.

 

[shibumi]

I just rebuilt mine. Worked perfect. $54 for both.

2Pcs Manhole Cover Repair for 2000-2016 Yamaha Jet Boat F0R-67609-09-00
by Okay Motor Product

Amazon.com: OKAY MOTOR 2Pcs Manhole Cover Repair for 2000-2016 Yamaha Jet Boat F0R-67609-09-00 : Automotive

Buy OKAY MOTOR 2Pcs Manhole Cover Repair for 2000-2016 Yamaha Jet Boat F0R-67609-09-00: Tire Chains - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases

www.amazon.com

Thanks! I ended up needing the "2017 - current" kit which is Part# F3F-67609-09-00 for anyone else looking for this, but you got me got pointed in the right direction. There weren't any Prime sellers on Amazon with the newer kit, but my dealer had two on hand. It was a bit more at $70 per kit (at the dealer and on eBay).

Similar, but slightly different install from the 2016 and early versions - but still very easy - just a few more screws. It took maybe 10 mins.

Thanks everyone for all of the info!

 

[212s]

Thanks! I ended up needing the "2017 - current" kit which is Part# F3F-67609-09-00 for anyone else looking for this, but you got me got pointed in the right direction.

Now that you have fresh rubber in there, buy a can of silicone spray from any auto parts store (I prefer 3in1 brand) and give them a shot every week or two around the seal. It'll keep the seals smooth and flexible. I also spray all the plastic parts and rubbers around the jetpumps with silicone spray to protect and displace water after every weekend. Cheap insurance.