Continued Cleanout Plug Blowout

[Zeus2013]

So the wife and I went out yesterday we had the plug blow three times in 20 minutes. Thank God I had noodles on top of the plug. I have the Tru-lock installed and checked the plug before we went out and both times after the came loose, yes 3-4 good yanks. We anchored in a cove to wait for the bilge pump to empty the hull and for me to inspect the plug.

I noticed that one of the locking tabs (dog ears) was worn down to the point that I could feel a slight ridge. I am wondering if this worn area was enough to let the plug slip out. After installing the plug for the fourth time, it held tight. I have a spare plug and will be switching them out.

I have not been able to tell if the edge on the tube has worn out as of yet. Will need check further.

Anyone have this issue before?

 

[Scottintexas]

I can't remember hearing anyone say their dogs were worn down and yours being a 2013 is really unusual,

can you post pictures of the worn down edge?

 

[Bruce]

Have you called your dealer?

I am assuming that you are under warranty and they would repair it for free.

I also have not heard of any wear problems with the locking mechanism. I will be very interested to hear what is needed for the repair.

 

[Zeus2013]

So here are two pictures. In the profile picture of the tab, you can barely see the ridge. The contact surface is so small that I am wondering if it is enough to let the plug blow.

 

[Bruce]

@Cobra Jet Steering LLC, @JetBoatPilot I am wondering if you have seen anything like this during your development process?

 

[Zeus2013]

Have you called your dealer?

I am assuming that you are under warranty and they would repair it for free.

I also have not heard of any wear problems with the locking mechanism. I will be very interested to hear what is needed for the repair.

I am calling the dealer tomorrow. I reached in the clean out tube and felt around the slots for the tabs. I did not feel and wear there.

 

[davel501]

Looks like you are missing a bit of that ear. I would see if the dealer can get a new one out of Yamaha. I imagine they would be interested in getting their hands on that plug.

 

[JetBoatPilot]

I have never heard of multiple blow outs with any sort of blow out preventer installed. I did hear of a customer who had a blow out with the tru-lock installed but when he picked up the plug from the platform to reinstall in the tunnel he found that the plugs were still locked. I assume that it is possible to get a partial lock in certain situations and for the plug to blow even if the plug itself is locked. I wish I could offer more on this.

I would also check your boat's clean out plug area and see if there is any build up or residue in the location where the locking dogs are supposed to go. If that area is full of debris or buildup then it could be that the plug cannot lock because of an obstruction.

Good luck and if you find that any of your Tru-Lock parts are in need of replacement we will be glad to help you with that under our warranty.

 

[Zeus2013]

I have never heard of multiple blow outs with any sort of blow out preventer installed. I did hear of a customer who had a blow out with the tru-lock installed but when he picked up the plug from the platform to reinstall in the tunnel he found that the plugs were still locked. I assume that it is possible to get a partial lock in certain situations and for the plug to blow even if the plug itself is locked. I wish I could offer more on this.

I would also check your boat's clean out plug area and see if there is any build up or residue in the location where the locking dogs are supposed to go. If that area is full of debris or buildup then it could be that the plug cannot lock because of an obstruction.

Good luck and if you find that any of your Tru-Lock parts are in need of replacement we will be glad to help you with that under our warranty.

Thanks Will, I will let you know. I checked the location where the tabs contact and it was clean. my concern is more of why the dog was worn down. To me that would mean there was movement, but on only one side? The whole experience was strange.

 

[Scottintexas]

@Zeus2013 do you know that dog was ever fully there, maybe it was a mfg issue that nobody ever caught instead of a wear issue?

 

[txav8r]

Also, be aware that you can't really "see" buildup or scum. So just a thorough cleaning of the surfaces isn't enough with the recesses that the dogs lock into. You need to get a brush and clean them out very good. It is possible to lock the plug without it being fully seated as Will mentioned. But like Will, I have only heard of one or two people that felt that is what had happened. The main thing is a good fit. If the plug is getting a little tight, your more likely to not get it seated good, with or without locks of some kind. So that means a cleaning first, and if that doesn't do it, then you need to rebuild the plug to reduce the swelling of the gasket/seal and/or, the lower plug shell. Both of those components can prevent the plug from seating completely. If you have a "new" second plug, I would change it out. When you install the plug, it should be easy to just jiggle over the seat until it drops in, arrow facing forward. And the T handle should lock it easily. I may be speaking out of school here, as the TruLocks may change the way it locks, but @JetBoatPilot can address that.

 

[jetboater4life]

I'm one of those that had a plug blow with true lock 2's Fortunately it was not a bad blowout. It happened during takeoff and right after I had cleared a rope off the impeller shaft so that may have had something to do with it too. I have nerf footballs over my plugs and I think that helped prevent damage to my cleanout hatch. The plug was a little shifted in the tube but not enough to break anything and was easy to readjust. In my case I'm certain it was user error. I always do the three strong tugs but for some reason skipped that step on that particular outing. When doing a root cause analysis of the situation after the plug had blown I remembered something strange about how that plug seated. It should have been a red flag when installing but I had only used the tru-locks a few times prior and was still learning their operation.

This is my installation approach. @JetBoatPilot please correct anything I am doing wrong here as occasionally I'll struggle a bit to get the button pushed and the T-handle down with one hand all in the same motion.
For plug installation:
1) I put the plug down the hole with the arrow pointing towards the boat allowing the notch on the front of the plug to slide into the groove of the plug hole.
2) With one hand, I push down on the button with my thumb while pushing down on the plug handle until I feel/hear the pop of the dogs locking in place. This is all done without looking as it is difficult to look down the hole and do this with one hand at the same time. Sometimes it takes a little more downward force on the T-handle to get the dogs to lock.
3) I give 3 or 4 really good tugs to make sure it is secure along with a quick visual inspection.

Do I need to hold the button down at the same time that I press down on the T-handle or can I push the button down before I insert the plug?

 

[Zeus2013]

@Zeus2013 do you know that dog was ever fully there, maybe it was a mfg issue that nobody ever caught instead of a wear issue?

YEah, it was not like that before. It stood out as sson as I inspected it...

 

[Zeus2013]

I'm one of those that had a plug blow with true lock 2's Fortunately it was not a bad blowout. It happened during takeoff and right after I had cleared a rope off the impeller shaft so that may have had something to do with it too. I have nerf footballs over my plugs and I think that helped prevent damage to my cleanout hatch. The plug was a little shifted in the tube but not enough to break anything and was easy to readjust. In my case I'm certain it was user error. I always do the three strong tugs but for some reason skipped that step on that particular outing. When doing a root cause analysis of the situation after the plug had blown I remembered something strange about how that plug seated. It should have been a red flag when installing but I had only used the tru-locks a few times prior and was still learning their operation.

This is my installation approach. @JetBoatPilot please correct anything I am doing wrong here as occasionally I'll struggle a bit to get the button pushed and the T-handle down with one hand all in the same motion.
For plug installation:
1) I put the plug down the hole with the arrow pointing towards the boat allowing the notch on the front of the plug to slide into the groove of the plug hole.
2) With one hand, I push down on the button with my thumb while pushing down on the plug handle until I feel/hear the pop of the dogs locking in place. This is all done without looking as it is difficult to look down the hole and do this with one hand at the same time. Sometimes it takes a little more downward force on the T-handle to get the dogs to lock.
3) I give 3 or 4 really good tugs to make sure it is secure along with a quick visual inspection.

Do I need to hold the button down at the same time that I press down on the T-handle or can I push the button down before I insert the plug?

I was lucky also since I had a noodle above the plug. In regards to the locking. I have to push down on the button and then push the handle down.

 

[jetboater4life]

I was lucky also since I had a noodle above the plug. In regards to the locking. I have to push down on the button and then push the handle down.

Thanks. I thought I was doing it right, but sometimes it just seems a little tricky to do it all in one hand motion down in the hole.

 

[Wayloncle]

I'm one of those that had a plug blow with true lock 2's Fortunately it was not a bad blowout. It happened during takeoff and right after I had cleared a rope off the impeller shaft so that may have had something to do with it too. I have nerf footballs over my plugs and I think that helped prevent damage to my cleanout hatch. The plug was a little shifted in the tube but not enough to break anything and was easy to readjust. In my case I'm certain it was user error. I always do the three strong tugs but for some reason skipped that step on that particular outing. When doing a root cause analysis of the situation after the plug had blown I remembered something strange about how that plug seated. It should have been a red flag when installing but I had only used the tru-locks a few times prior and was still learning their operation.

This is my installation approach. @JetBoatPilot please correct anything I am doing wrong here as occasionally I'll struggle a bit to get the button pushed and the T-handle down with one hand all in the same motion.
For plug installation:
1) I put the plug down the hole with the arrow pointing towards the boat allowing the notch on the front of the plug to slide into the groove of the plug hole.
2) With one hand, I push down on the button with my thumb while pushing down on the plug handle until I feel/hear the pop of the dogs locking in place. This is all done without looking as it is difficult to look down the hole and do this with one hand at the same time. Sometimes it takes a little more downward force on the T-handle to get the dogs to lock.
3) I give 3 or 4 really good tugs to make sure it is secure along with a quick visual inspection.

Do I need to hold the button down at the same time that I press down on the T-handle or can I push the button down before I insert the plug?

Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't have to push the button down to push the T handle down. I push down on the plug real good then push the handle down to lock, then yank on it to ensure lockage.

 

[txav8r]

Don't confuse plugs that have true locks with standard plugs, the true locks lock differently.

 

[jetboater4life]

Don't confuse plugs that have true locks with standard plugs, the true locks lock differently.

What he said.

The tru locks replace internal parts of the plug so that it functions differently than a standard plug.

 

[bucks448]

@Zeus2013 I have some pretty significant wear compared to your plugs/ears, and so far no issues in 240hrs.

Right ear:


Left ear:

 

[Zeus2013]

@Zeus2013 I have some pretty significant wear compared to your plugs/ears, and so far no issues in 240hrs.

Right ear:
View attachment 10091

Left ear:
View attachment 10092

WOW...Definitely a lot more wear that mine. Will have to look in to my issue a bit further...