I should have taken pics: intake question

[tdonoughue]

Ok, so while under the boat working on the brakes, I happened to look at my intakes.

First, I was impressed that some of the paint was coming off of them. Apparently, my boat is no longer new and shiny. <sigh>

Then I noticed that they had put silicone over the bolts holding the intake grate to the hull. But some of that seems to be coming off. Or was never there? Anyway, the first question is whether that silicone is there to smooth out the bottom of the hull (which doesn't seem like it would make that much of a difference) or is it there to waterproof the bolts?

Then I looked up in the intake shaft. The silicone between the grate and the hull was a mess. About 70% of it was gone or hanging out into the shaft loose. I figured that flapping in the intake was probably very bad, so I removed that part. Question: again, is this here for smoothing or for waterproofing? Do I need to replace it? If so, with silicone or 4200? Need I remove the grate, or will it be enough to just reach in there and fill the void?

I should hasten to add, I did not notice anything wrong the last time I took her out. Had her up to 54 mph and everything...

Thanks in advance, and sorry for the lack of pics.

 

[Speedling]

PICS! lol
silicone over the bolts on intake plate is unnecessary and will come off over time anyways. You can put on 4200 if you like there, but then you can't get to the bolts. I did put a little on mine to smooth it out just in case it helped anything.
As far as the intake, go ahead and pull the pump assembly from the back and just look everything over. You don't want any gaps or flapping silicone. Replace with something better. I would check everything over from both sides of the pump but with the back of the pump out it makes it pretty easy to check everything. Make sure to smooth it out nice as well. No, it won't make a HUGE difference until it wears through the silicone from irregularities and pushes water through and then you have cavitation, which you don't want.

Good thing you caught this stuff now, when it's easier to fix!

 

[ToddW850]

Yes, pics would be great, haha. But is the outside of the grate still sealed with silicone? If so, you should not experience cavitation. And like you said, it seemed to run fine last time you had her out. But like @Speedling said, you don't want any gaps or flapping silicone. So probably a real good idea to go over it just to make sure you have a good seal and no more loose silocone.