Water in engine compartment while running

[Mike Gilmore]

Hi All. I've done a quick (is 2 hours quick?) search on other threads and found some possible ideas to check, but I'd like to describe the problem I had yesterday to see if there are any I've overlooked. We were on the water 5 days ago, with no issues. Returned home, raised our 2008 232 HO Ltd on our boat lift and there it stayed until yesterday's mis-adventure.

In prepping the boat, I noticed 2-3 inches of standing water in the engine compartment. Unusual, but not unheard of as the stern faces to weather and rain has gotten into the compartment in the past--usually not this much tho. We left the dock, bilge pump gurgling, and made way at low throttle for approx 100 yds before accelerating. The port engine sounded odd immediately and wouldn't hold its revs (eg, it immediately dropped 1000-2000 revs when I let go of the throttle). I also noticed the port engine pee holes were not flowing. Killed the engines, and the bilge pump reactivated. Opened the engine compartment to see another 2-3 inches of water. Wife checked and saw the port engine clean out plug had blown. We re-inserted the plug and started the port engine at idle with the engine hatch open. Noticed a steady flow of water & bubbly froth emanating from a spot aft of the engine near the hull (I couldn't actually see it cause the space is tight). We moved the throttle to the first forward indent and the water increased, at which point we closed everything and returned to dock on the starboard engine alone.

I didn't think to check the water temp of the water in the engine compartment, but I'll do that when I work on the boat this coming weekend. Didn't see any oily residue either, and the water was clear. Based on what I've read in other threads, the most likely culprit seems to be a leak in the cooling hose, or the hose (or clamp) came loose? But the blown clean out plug puzzles me. Could the two issues be related? Or, does the blown clean out plug imply a different problem than a cooling hose leak? Any thoughts/suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Edit: while watching the MR-1 cooling system video by 1960buckbuck, I realize I made a mistake above. The two aft pee holes were functioning, while the two forward pee holes were not.

 

[sunbyrned]

I would check to see if water is coming in through the intermediate bearing housing, which is behind each motor where you are describing. Also, sometimes when plugs blow and dislodge, they can knock the clean out port tubing out of place, creating a gap between the tube and the clean out hole lip that fits inside the tube. If it's not seated correctly, you can simply lift the lid at the clean out hatch, loosen the hose clamp and adjust. There's also a clamp at the bottom part of the tubing as well. Might as well check that one also.

 

[Mike Gilmore]

I would check to see if water is coming in through the intermediate bearing housing, which is behind each motor where you are describing. Also, sometimes when plugs blow and dislodge, they can knock the clean out port tubing out of place, creating a gap between the tube and the clean out hole lip that fits inside the tube. If it's not seated correctly, you can simply lift the lid at the clean out hatch, loosen the hose clamp and adjust. There's also a clamp at the bottom part of the tubing as well. Might as well check that one also.

Thx, good suggestions, sunbyrned!

 

[sunbyrned]

Thx, good suggestions, sunbyrned!

The dislodge thing I learned by experience. First time out a few years ago, the plug blew and I didn't realize it, didn't have the bilge on, water filled the engine compartment and I lost an engine. 15K! YIKES! EZLocks took care of the blown plugs. I highly recommend them.

 

[Canuckjetboater]

I would check to see if water is coming in through the intermediate bearing housing, which is behind each motor where you are describing. Also, sometimes when plugs blow and dislodge, they can knock the clean out port tubing out of place, creating a gap between the tube and the clean out hole lip that fits inside the tube. If it's not seated correctly, you can simply lift the lid at the clean out hatch, loosen the hose clamp and adjust. There's also a clamp at the bottom part of the tubing as well. Might as well check that one also.

@sunbyrned ....educate me - wasn't your bilge pump wired in automatic mode directly to a battery with manual switch activation if desired? Shouldn't it have come on automatically when its float detected water in your bilge?

 

[Scottintexas]

Time to get to know your boat,
Remove the cleanout access manhole and look down at you transom to make sure it's dry,

Float boat for 2 hours and check for water,
Then idle with engine hatch open for 10 minutes and check everything

Then slow cruise for 10 minutes with engine hatch open and monitoring

Then high speed run with hatch open

At some point you'll find water and be better able to diagnose

 

[Scottintexas]

A blown plug is totally seperate from a cooling hose leak,

A blown plug "could" dislodge the rubber cleanout tube fro.m the cleanout hatch, then when you apply thrust you'd be pumping water into the boat, but you'd also notice some lack of thrust

Buy some cobra locks and never worry about a plug blow out again, cheap insurance

 

[Scottintexas]

Could also be your scupper, to many possibilities to narrow until you diagnose it

 

[sunbyrned]

@sunbyrned ....educate me - wasn't your bilge pump wired in automatic mode directly to a battery with manual switch activation if desired? Shouldn't it have come on automatically when its float detected water in your bilge?

I have a switch on my console for the bilge. It has to be on for the bilge to work, even if the batteries are on. I have a buddy who has the same situation. Except he never turns his on and gallons come out of the plug when he takes the boat out. I was with him and told in he should keep his bilge on, so he turned it on and water started flowing. He doesn’t like to keep it on though, so he turned it off. To each his own I guess.

 

[Scottintexas]

i'm sorry I was on my phone when I first read (skipped over) this post,

the fact that you had a blown plug and water increased as throttle rpms increased would lead me to first check the manhole access cover to see if the cleanout tube has in dislodged either at the base (doubtful because it's glued on) or at the cleanout hatch, it's suprising though because if it dislodged at the cleanout hatch I would have thought you'd notice it when you reset the plug,

I might even just removed the cleanout tray to get a better look at everything, if you haven't replaced the scupper yet now would be a good time,

.

 

[Beachbummer]

You also need a bilge float and bilge alarm. By finding the problem early you buy yourself some time to resolve. The float is awesome, and buys the boat time, but if the leak is large enough it will eventually run out the battery,and if you did not notice the pump running, you are still toast. You need to find out as early as possible that there is too much water, and the alarm buys you that.

With any given hole/leak size, all else being equal, the smaller boat sinks first, so the smaller the boat, the more important the float and alarm are.

 

[Mike Gilmore]

i'm sorry I was on my phone when I first read (skipped over) this post,

the fact that you had a blown plug and water increased as throttle rpms increased would lead me to first check the manhole access cover to see if the cleanout tube has in dislodged either at the base (doubtful because it's glued on) or at the cleanout hatch, it's suprising though because if it dislodged at the cleanout hatch I would have thought you'd notice it when you reset the plug,

I might even just removed the cleanout tray to get a better look at everything, if you haven't replaced the scupper yet now would be a good time,

.

Thx, Scott, I'll double-check this.

 

[zipper]

There are three bays in the engine compartment. The forward two have drain plugs that drain into the bilge below and the bilge pump, with a hole in the sole around it, in the 3rd most aft bay which lets the water reach the pump.. Were they open? Normally on the water, trailer and lift, the area below the ski locker drain will hold the most water. You need to change the angle of the hull, raise the bow to get the water aft to the pump. A few ways to do it...1. Add 350# of water ballast on the swim platform. My solution while in a wet slip. https://jetboaters.net/threads/rain...w-floor-while-on-the-water.14264/#post-246353 2. Take the boat out and just before you reach plane when the bow is highest, look over to see if it pumps. 3. Jack it up high on the trailer.

 

[Canuckjetboater]

I have a switch on my console for the bilge. It has to be on for the bilge to work, even if the batteries are on. I have a buddy who has the same situation. Except he never turns his on and gallons come out of the plug when he takes the boat out. I was with him and told in he should keep his bilge on, so he turned it on and water started flowing. He doesn’t like to keep it on though, so he turned it off. To each his own I guess.

@sunbyrned.....I don't know in which year Yamaha did it but my 2020 Yamaha's bilge pump is always on "stand-by" - even if the battery selector switch is set to "off". Therefore, if water rises in the bilge for any reason the bilge pump will activate - whether the boat is occupied or not. This is a very good feature as it does not wear the battery down as would leaving the pump switched on all the time. I can also turn it on manually from the helm. This has been the case with every conventional boat (I/O) I have owned since 1990. The Yamaha salesman was not aware of this feature so I showed it to him in the manual.

 

[sunbyrned]

@sunbyrned.....I don't know in which year Yamaha did it but my 2020 Yamaha's bilge pump is always on "stand-by" - even if the battery selector switch is set to "off". Therefore, if water rises in the bilge for any reason the bilge pump will activate - whether the boat is occupied or not. This is a very good feature as it does not wear the battery down as would leaving the pump switched on all the time. I can also turn it on manually from the helm. This has been the case with every conventional boat (I/O) I have owned since 1990. The Yamaha salesman was not aware of this feature so I showed it to him in the manual.

Makes sense to me. It would have saved me a lot of grief if mine worked on its own. I like the newer set up better.

 

[Canuckjetboater]

Makes sense to me. It would have saved me a lot of grief if mine worked on its own. I like the newer set up better.

@sunbyrned agreed. I haven't had the need to convert myself but friends have done so and say it's an easy job....as in about 30 minutes? Of course if you have a massive rain and a low battery even the auto bilge might not save the day.

 

[Lending Money]

Makes sense to me. It would have saved me a lot of grief if mine worked on its own. I like the newer set up better.

I also have a 2020 242 e series. This past weekend was the first time i ever. I noticed my bilge pump come on twice for about 5minutes or less. I was going a lot faster in higher seas than i do normally. However no water came over the bow. There was no rain or water coming on the boat. When i got back and put my boat on the lift. I open the bottom plug and water drained for almost 5 minutes normally it drains less than a minute. So the boat was obviously holding water but where.

 

[212s]

I also have a 2020 242 e series. This past weekend was the first time i ever. I noticed my bilge pump come on twice for about 5minutes or less. I was going a lot faster in higher seas than i do normally. However no water came over the bow. There was no rain or water coming on the boat. When i got back and put my boat on the lift. I open the bottom plug and water drained for almost 5 minutes normally it drains less than a minute. So the boat was obviously holding water but where.

The stock bilge pump is in the bottom of the engine compartment, but there is another half a foot of hull below the engines and back into the transom area where water can collect and not be pumped out. I had the same problem with several gallons of water in the hull until I did what another member here did - seal up the clean-out plug tray. Now my boat is bone dry after every single day of boating.

 

[Lending Money]

Thanks for the reply,Pardon my ignorant s. what is the plug tray?

 

[Acard7]

Thanks for the reply,Pardon my ignorant s. what is the plug tray?

Below I outlined the clean out tray (plug tray, whatever you wanna call it). It’s got a ton of screws you take out to get to the actual bilge area.