- Messages
- 7,629
- Reaction score
- 20,667
- Points
- 797
- Location
- Northern Vermont Lake Champlain
- Boat Make
- Boston Whaler
- Year
- 1995
- Boat Model
- Other
- Boat Length
- 18
I started my springtime mods/maintenance today, too nice out not to, and we want to go out tomorrow, for first run this year. I used the @CrankyGypsy method to change my oil, in FAQ section, complete oil change. I think everybody who changes their own oil/filter should do this method, at least once. I became very familiar with the bilge area, reaching for that last drain plug on the lower backside of the engine/oil cooler. I had kinda one of those aha moments and the bilge drains all made sense. I noticed the larger hole or recessed bilge pump, which I never looked closely enough as its view was mostly blocked by the scupper hose and cable conduit. Other members had mentioned that hole but I never put hands on it. The drain configuration made sense finally. The three chambers in the engine bay were designed mainly to mount engines, there are "spillways" under each engine to allow large amounts of accumulated water to make it way back to the pump. The drain plugs are meant to be left in and only opened on the occasion that a small amount of water, below the "spillways", enters a chamber and must be drained to the bilge pump. The scupper drain is meant to handle water from rain or that water that comes over the bow. If your ski locker gasket and fuel hatch seal are good no water should reach either of those two areas. Ski locker drains directly to bilge and fuel compartment drains to engine bay. If the ski locker seal leaks, as mine does, water from the bow area will enter there and make its way to the pump if the angle of the hull(keel/ stem) bow area is higher than the bilge pump. Sitting at rest, this will not happen. You either jack your boat up on the trailer or while on the water, at a point just before the boat gets on plane. Last year while at the dock I would turn on the pump and no water would come out, so I assumed no water there, so I would turn off. Lesson learned, leave the pump on while you are underway and watch for water from the bilge pump as you are about to reach plane. ( The bows highest angle above the water.)
The spark plugs were changed with no problems at #3 on either engine and the color was good. I know other members have said this, but some things make better sense when you do it yourself, could the pump be bigger or lower? Sure, but I think I will run with the bow cover on when windy/choppy , and fix my ski locker gasket. I have owned this Yamaha for almost a year now and consider myself new to it. But I learn the ins and outs as I go. Thank You all for all the good info on this forum. I no longer consider the drains an issue.
The spark plugs were changed with no problems at #3 on either engine and the color was good. I know other members have said this, but some things make better sense when you do it yourself, could the pump be bigger or lower? Sure, but I think I will run with the bow cover on when windy/choppy , and fix my ski locker gasket. I have owned this Yamaha for almost a year now and consider myself new to it. But I learn the ins and outs as I go. Thank You all for all the good info on this forum. I no longer consider the drains an issue.
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