I found the leak by removing the clean out tray, then stuffing a rag into the scupper and filling the live well to the top with water so that the drain and overflow lines would be totally full with as much head pressure as possible, and started feeling around and looking. Once I found the leak by feel then I could watch the drips. This is how I found the live well fill fitting leak. Those fittings are secured on the back side, and you need your Hobo Kelley arms to get to it-big props if you remember Hobo Kelley from your childhood!
Also it’s much easier to work on the T fitting if you remove the starboard exhaust hose from the resonator to the outlet, that was another job in itself, I used a small flat blade screw driver and very carefully slid it under the hose on the resonator and worked it all the way around to free up the hose from the resonator. If you find the fittings are loose on the back of the live well itself it will be easier to work on if you remove the exhaust hose from the water lock to the resonator. I did not remove that exhaust hose and It was everything I could do with my long arms and a pair of channel locks with tape on the adjustable size slide to keep the jaws from opening up, and just my finger tips on the jaws to get enough on that fill fitting nut to stop it from leaking.
After doing this work I tested again and found just the slightest weep now coming from the overflow side of the T. In the picture that’s the line headed straight away. I used a 1/4” drive ratchet with a 5/16” socket to put just a bit more tension on the hose clamps. So we shall see what happens with a real world test and how much water comes out at the end of the day.
Next winter I may change out all the spiral drain hose from the oem deck drain to the stern scupper as that type of line is easier to get a seal on the fittings with. I have a similar slow drip on the 1.5” to 3/4” T in the engine bay, the 3/4” T comes from five gallon bucket locker hatch drain channel, seems like no matter what I do I can’t get that 1.5” spiral hose to seal on that oem T fitting. All of us 210 FSH owners know that bucket locker hatch drain in the bow is problematic at best, and if you’ve washed the deck down and open the hatch it’s Niagara Falls into that locker. Up coming mid season mod to that will be to put in a shower sump with its own pump so that hatch drain channel will actually work and the pump will force the water out through the oem deck drain scupper. That sump will fit next to the port most trolling motor battery, and directly below the bucket locker hatch drain.
I’d use hose that’s similar to the hose
SHIELDS RUBBER Series 148 Multi-Purpose Vinyl Hose, Sold Per Foot | West Marine I used for the bilge pump I added, it’s smooth sided and far far more flexible and easier to work with than the black oem 3/4” line. From the live well drain to the T and from the T to the scupper wouldn‘t be too awful hard, but, from what I can tell getting to the live well overflow hose would be difficult to say the least. It would require removing bulkheads in the engine compartment to get it out, not to mention pulling off all the fittings for the fill and aeration lines. If, and that’s a big if at this point I do that you can bet I’ll be securing the fill and aeration fittings on the live well with 5200. But, if the fix I just did works well enough then I’ll probably just let that sleeping dog lay!
Note: I mentioned this before, use a heat gun on any of the drain hose on your boat it makes it WAYYYY easier to deal with. When you install the hose and have warmed it with a heat gun, have your hose clamp and nut driver ready and secure the hose right after you get the hose on the fitting for the best possible seal.
