Corrosion or Electrolysis / Leaking Clean Out Plug

[rkim808]

Aloha Gang, need some help so I’m planning to cross channel and shoot across to the Island of Ni’hau soon. I’ve been noticing on my last couple trips out, that the bilge been kicking on every 10-15mins or so. And when I’m underway I can hear water sloshing around in the hull. So came to the deduction she’s taking on water somewhere. I read a few leak threads and decided to check thing out and filled up the bilge/transom compartment with some water to check if drain plug or any water was leaking out. Nothing no water leaking out anywhere, so decided to add more water to the top of the clean out plugs and clean out tray/cover hatch area. Of coarse water leaked from the inspection cover into the bilge/transom area. Then crawled under boat and found a few things:
1- Is this corrosion Or electrolysis, and how can I take care of the issue?

2- Found out starboard side clean out plug leaks.

Would this leaking clean out plug cause me to take on water into the bilge/transom area? Do u recommend replacing or rebuilding the plug? Any and all advice and tips would be greatly appreciated. Don’t want to make this longer trip without figuring out this problem first. Mahalo nui loa(Thank u very much).??

 

[Scottintexas]

I don't have a clue to the corrosion/electrolysis question,

most of us get water on top of our cleanout plugs, whether it is being pressured up from below or washing over the back when slowing down,

If you hear it sloshing and the bilge is kicking on every 10-15 minutes, that's enough to worry me,

Is the water coming from
1. through hull fitting, like rear cleat or poor cleanout hatch seal, scupper or exhaust seal, while the boat is at rest (many of us that surf get water in through the rear cleat that slides in/out)
2. from your engines cooling system

1. I would float the boat in the water at the dock for an hour to see if you take on any water,
2. if not I'd idle around and look at your engines to see if any cooling lines are leaking,
3. I'd open the cleanout hatch and carefully press the safety swtiches and have a friend idle around to monitor it (be very careful as you don't want a body part over the cleanout plug and have it blow)
4. I'd remove the cleanout tray and look for loose/broken exhaust clamps and then idle around and monitor for water either leaking from a cooling line or entering,


.

 

[haknslash]

How does your anchor locker drain look? Very common to have those leak from an improper fit for the drain through the hull. I imagine with you being in the Pacific Ocean you see large swells and likely dip the bow a lot.

 

[rkim808]

I don't have a clue to the corrosion/electrolysis question,

most of us get water on top of our cleanout plugs, whether it is being pressured up from below or washing over the back when slowing down,

If you hear it sloshing and the bilge is kicking on every 10-15 minutes, that's enough to worry me,

Is the water coming from
1. through hull fitting, like rear cleat or poor cleanout hatch seal, scupper or exhaust seal, while the boat is at rest (many of us that surf get water in through the rear cleat that slides in/out)
2. from your engines cooling system

1. I would float the boat in the water at the dock for an hour to see if you take on any water,
2. if not I'd idle around and look at your engines to see if any cooling lines are leaking,
3. I'd open the cleanout hatch and carefully press the safety swtiches and have a friend idle around to monitor it (be very careful as you don't want a body part over the cleanout plug and have it blow)
4. I'd remove the cleanout tray and look for loose/broken exhaust clamps and then idle around and monitor for water either leaking from a cooling line or entering,


.

Aloha @Scottintexas the bilge kicks on even with engines off and she just sitting. And yes it worries me too, don’t want to try make this long trip without her being water tight.

 

[rkim808]

Hows your anchor locker drain look? Very common to have those leak from an improper fit for the drain through the hull.

Aloha @haknslash i thought of that too but like I said the bilge still kicks on every so often with her just sitting. Wouldn’t it leak through only when under way and water splashing on the drain?

 

[Scottintexas]

I would try again to isolate when it's happening by dropping it in the water and just floating it off,
it could be if you were out having fun, driving around taking on water, then stopped and then the water pooled at the back to kick on the bilge, then when someone moved around on the boat it was enough to kick it on again,

If it really is taking on water at rest,
I think i'd remove the cleanout tray cover and gently put the boat in the water and dock it, then look down into the bilge (with the tray removed) and you should get a good view of the exhaust baffles a transom drain,

 

[rkim808]

I would try again to isolate when it's happening by dropping it in the water and just floating it off,
it could be if you were out having fun, driving around taking on water, then stopped and then the water pooled at the back to kick on the bilge, then when someone moved around on the boat it was enough to kick it on again,

If it really is taking on water at rest,
I think i'd remove the cleanout tray cover and gently put the boat in the water and dock it, then look down into the bilge (with the tray removed) and you should get a good view of the exhaust baffles a transom drain,

Yeah I think I need to do that, because on our last trip to the river to do some wakesurfing. Had her just sitting for like hour hour or so and we were having lunch, that’s when I noticed th bilge kicking on every 10-15mins or so. It could be a little longer but it did it a few times as we just sat there.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

check the intermediate bearings where the drive shaft comes through to the engine if water is running out the intake grate with the boat on the trailer it is probably leaking out that bearing.

 

[rkim808]

check the intermediate bearings where the drive shaft comes through to the engine if water is running out the intake grate with the boat on the trailer it is probably leaking out that bearing.

Oh ok, I’ll check that too. Thank u??

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

I would honestly check that first, water leaking in with the boat just sitting in the water and running out the front of the intake grate directly under the bearing is a pretty good bet that is the issue and it just gets worse.

 

[rkim808]

I would honestly check that first, water leaking in with the boat just sitting in the water and running out the front of the intake grate directly under the bearing is a pretty good bet that is the issue and it just gets worse.

The water running in the pic is when I filled water above the Clean our plugs. And I can see it leaking from the underneath looking into the grate, from around the plug.

If u look in the pic at the top of the plug near the shaft in pic, u can see the water coming out and running down the edge.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

ok I see what you are saying

 

[rkim808]

ok I see what you are saying

U run a lot in salt water right, is that salt corrosion on my intake grate and ride plate do u know? Didn’t realize things looked ugly underneath. And can I check the exhaust for leaks on the trailer with the water hose and run the motors?

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Running in salt water requires some Zinc anodes be added to the pump and ride plate, as for exhaust leaks the big problem with these boats is rotting clamps that just fall off the hoses so check all of them . Oh and yes that looks like salt water corrosion.

 

[rkim808]

Running in salt water requires some Zinc anodes be added to the pump and ride plate, as for exhaust leaks the big problem with these boats is rotting clamps that just fall off the hoses so check all of them . Oh and yes that looks like salt water corrosion.

U think if i powder coat the ride plate and intake grate would be better for preventing corrosion?

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

I would clean the corrosion and use some of the all in one rustolium paint on the bare metal. I would add some zinc anodes like I said previously.
I always do that and I currently have 760+ hours in salt water with none of the corrosion your boat is displaying but my anodes are corroding just at they were meant to . F Y I pouring water above your clean out plugs will not tell you anything , the water pushes up inside the opening and the seal is made to make more contact under pressure because it is angled down, you can do the rebuild kits for the bottom of the plug as those have new gaskets . The kit will not protect you from learning why those plugs are called BLOW OUT PLUGS .
So add the ez locks to those otherwise you are flirting with disaster. Watch this video to understand how the internal locking mechanism works or fails in these plugs . http://youtu.be/KhsnPrWt7nU .

 

[Cambo]

These boats have a huge number of hull penetrations that can let water in its usually multiple areas I didn't have as much as you describe but any of the items that are letting water in could easily have gotten worse. When trying to add water in the hull to check for leaks while on the trailer will usually get no results. These boats sit very low in the water especially in no wake mode and comming off plane. look at he back of the swim deck the lower tier has a good amount of water sloshing around on it. Then you have areas in that are under pressure form the jet pump creating thrust that could be leaking while under power . Dig around do a few things each week and before you know it it will be bone dry

I posted a lot of info in this thread about sealing up the hull penetrations and rub rail starting at post #33

https://jetboaters.net/threads/need-help-lots-of-water-draining-from-plug-on-17-212x.23345/page-2

 

[rkim808]

These boats have a huge number of hull penetrations that can let water in its usually multiple areas I didn't have as much as you describe but any of the items that are letting water in could easily have gotten worse. When trying to add water in the hull to check for leaks while on the trailer will usually get no results. These boats sit very low in the water especially in no wake mode and comming off plane. look at he back of the swim deck the lower tier has a good amount of water sloshing around on it. Then you have areas in that are under pressure form the jet pump creating thrust that could be leaking while under power . Dig around do a few things each week and before you know it it will be bone dry

I posted a lot of info in this thread about sealing up the hull penetrations and rub rail starting at post #33

https://jetboaters.net/threads/need-help-lots-of-water-draining-from-plug-on-17-212x.23345/page-2

Aloha @Cambo I’ll read ur thread and mahalo(thank u), It just has me worried and I don’t want to make a long distance trip without addressing this issue. So do u think the leaking clean out plug wouldn’t cause any leaking into the hull?

 

[Cambo]

@rkim808 your leak is more than the clean out tray water you need to look into it remove the clean out tray tighten every clamp pull off any loose silicone clean with acetone re apply a new bead.

 

[rkim808]

@rkim808 your leak is more than the clean out tray water you need to look into it remove the clean out tray tighten every clamp pull of any loose silicone clean with acetone re apply a new bead.

I’m off today and will be working on the boat, I’m going to pull off the clean out tray and inspect all clamps and entire bilge/transom area. Then I’m going to the ramp and back her down and inspect again. Should I try and run the motors while on ramp? Tape down engine kill switches, is that safe to do? Might be a bad idea, but how else can I inspect for leaks in exhaust??