Stuck cleanout plugs

[xoomer]

Seems easier to carry aboard your boat than a 2x4 and a hydraulic jack. I was simply sharing the video as I didn't see it mentioned in this thread. Never hurts to have more options.

I'm not sure why you would need to carry anything on board to get a stuck plug out. Before you leave the dock you should make sure the plugs can be easily removed. Once you are cruising the main concern becomes keeping the plugs in and preventing a plug blow-out; that's why a lot of people install the plug locks.

 

[john yezek]

I have not tried it but my understanding is that after you remove the expensive top portion of the plug you destroy the lower portion to get it out.

spent months trying to remove mine they were in 10 yrs finally took the screws out of the top removed top and took a pipe and hammered the bottoms out the bottom, they disassembled the jet to get the bottoms out, total time for job one full morning not too hard to do and i was lucky and did not destroy the bottoms got new rebuild kit for $50.00 on ebay and just like new good luck.

 

[txav8r]

spent months trying to remove mine they were in 10 yrs finally took the screws out of the top removed top and took a pipe and hammered the bottoms out the bottom, they disassembled the jet to get the bottoms out, total time for job one full morning not too hard to do and i was lucky and did not destroy the bottoms got new rebuild kit for $50.00 on ebay and just like new good luck.

Good job! Now, when your not using the boat, keep the cleanout plugs outside the manhole and they won't corrode and stick. If they start to become hard to remove, get another kit and rebuild them again. The whole point is to have easy access to the manhole in case you need to clean out debris in the pump! Glad your back in business!

 

[Donny Hudson]

I bought the repair kit on EBay $109 for two new bottoms and smaller gaskets. Works awesome, Part says FOR - 6709-09. Like new for my 2005 SX230 twin engines for one engine its 1/2 the price. Worth every penny

I also bought the jet port plug popper and will keep that on my boat.

 

[Bernd]

I used a 3/8 inch dock line and hooked it around the Plug handle. I then used a floor jack supported by two by fours across the clean out hatch and used the jack to apply upward pressure on the rope which broke them both free.

Thats what I did. I was surprised how much power it took. I used a 3" tow strap because the docking line broke

 

[Zeusmotorworks]

My 2019 210 FSH was giving me a fit. However, I put Marine grease on the locking lugs, and edge of the rubber seal. They operate smooth as butter now. Don’t know l if the Marine grease is going to deteriorate the rubber overtime, but they come out so easy it will make worth swapping them out should the grease shorten their lives.

 

[MidnightRider]

I'll leave another plug (pun intended) for Lube Tube for swimming pool/hot tub O-rings and gaskets. I use this on my clean out plugs and my drain plug o-rings before every outing - I just keep a tube in the clean out tray so it always ready.

Amazon.com : Spaworks Lube Tube Single 1oz, White : Swimming Pool Pump Parts : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Amazon.com : Spaworks Lube Tube Single 1oz, White : Swimming Pool Pump Parts : Patio, Lawn & Garden

www.amazon.com

 

[ZippyBoater]

I use plumbers grease. It works on most everything that needs to be lubed and stays wet all the time. Haven't had a stuck plug since.

 

[Bernd]

I use the silicon lube for brakes it does not wash off and keeps the rubber soft. Used silicon spray before but had to respray them after every outing.

 

[Jgonzalez114]

Any suggestion for plugs that seem to have been glued in by a previous owner? I can see the white glue around the edges. These things won’t budge. Help!!!

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Well that has been known to happen where people were so tired of their push button clean out plugs blowing out that they used 5200 to glue them in place very difficult to get those out if they used 5200

 

[Scottintexas]

As jeff said some times we have found people who have glued them in, maybe a picture for us to review ? what does it look like from the bottom?

It could also be crud build up, we've seen sediment lock plugs in and form a grout/cement like hold on them,

I'd want my plugs to function as designed, I'd be trying to remove them, but new plugs are like $200. at least,

If you were to remove them either a sawzall or maybe pull your cleanout tray to allow you access to the rubber tubes and either try to remove the tubes or sacrifice them also? If the dogs are released you may just be able to dremel/sawzall/floss around the edges to break it free,

be sure to watch Cobra jeff's video of who the cleanout plugs operate in the FAQ or his webpage to get a good idea what your dealing with inside them,

And update your profile with your location so we know where your at, there may be a member by that could give you assistance,


.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

So if you remove the small screws holding the top of the plug to the lower section and you are able to pull out the top of the plug you can destroy the bottom half and the seal because those are replaceable, not saying to do that just telling you it is replaceable if that happens, part number is FOR-67609-09-00 roughly 45 dollars per plug for the new lower half with seal. you may also need to replace the tube the plug sits in but hopefully not. The plugs from 2000 to 2016 were affectionately called blow out plugs because that was a common problem, I made the EZ lock to prevent this from happening but some people try other methods like you are experiencing .
If you do not remove them perhaps you can familiarize your self with the reverse move, It works fine for weeds not so much for ropes and small animals sucked into the impellor.

 

[Jgonzalez114]

Thanks guys, you are all great for the quick responses. The bead looks quite large to be sediment and looks pretty uniform. I'll try to take a picture this weekend. I do have the rebuild kits as I knew I would have to do those anyway. So I may go with your suggestion of trying to get to tops off and chip away at the bottoms.

Thanks again.

 

[Funtacular]

I am in the same seat as you @Jgonzalez114 . Previous owned appears to have glued them in. I have tried all the methods I can find on here to remove to no avail (Ice, pbblaster, jack straight up, etc). I did remove the screws on to to try and break them out but was even unsuccessful at that. So frustrating that this is the biggest problem with my boat.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

From the pictures it looks like they glued those in seriously and probably used 5200 all they needed was a set of my EZ locks to stop the blowouts.
The locking dogs are in line with the ends of the T handle and they are about 1 inch wide , if you can get a thin knife and work around the sealant taking care in the dog location you may get enough cut that a hoist attached to the t handle could remove the top half, then the bottom half could be cut etc because that part is available fairly inexpensively .

 

[Funtacular]

Thanks Jeff. Will give er a try again in the Spring when I unwrap her. I have banged, lubed, frozen, wrenched, and jacked as much as I could but am not afraid to keep at it. Part of me wants to just give up and leave it be but I am bound to run over something eventually!

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

if you can find a real thin and narrow knife , possibly make one you may be able to slide it around the top half and get it loose even if you have to form it with a matching curve and tap it down from the top using a hammer or mallet to cut it downward rather than sideways.

 

[drewkaree]

if you can find a real thin and narrow knife , possibly make one you may be able to slide it around the top half and get it loose even if you have to form it with a matching curve and tap it down from the top using a hammer or mallet to cut it downward rather than sideways.

Perhaps repurpose a set of feeler gauges for this, seems like you'd get several options for thickness

 

[Brian B]

just took possession of my first boat. 2016 242x. was going through it today (first day). found the plugs are stuck. tried prying and tapping. decided to stop and do some research. I want to run the boat this week and weekend so I didn't want to destroy anything. thanks for all the posts. I can be sure dogs are releasing and once we pull it from the water can start trying to yank the plugs.