Bildge Water FIXED (I think)

[Bryan Tuvell 33ZX]

OKAY, so I am on a posting roll today.
The 26 gets a BUNCH of water in the bildge on a day out, we always leave with a spotless dry bildge (trust me), anyway, my guess is 2 to 3 gallons after 6 to 8 hours in the bay or a day at anchor swimming.
My side air intakes are large. maybe 3"x8" open hole to the engine compartment.
My plug hole fitting was loose and would not tighten (3 screws), so I removed it, broken screw in the hull! :mad:
No biggie, redrilled that hole, went a size larger in SS screw length and lots of 5200.

From all my reading it could be the boot or bellow, problem is I only know they seal the drive... not sure what I am looking for.
I plan to idle out on a spotless DRY bildge and watch for water.

Any other ideas? 150 hours on her now this year.
Hell maybe it is all coming from the thousands of kids jumping off the sunpad and the big side vent holes?
DID YOU KNOW MOST POWERBOATS DON'T HAVE SWIM LADDERS???? Well I have one and it is popular!
THOUGHTS????
Bryan

[AVickers]

I had a tear in the bellows. About 1/2" long on one of the outside pleats. I didn't find it until I had the drive off and ran my fingers around each fold from the inside. I knew there was a leak back there somewhere because there were puddles of water inside the bellows and it ruined the gimbel bearing. But I couldn't tell whether it was a gasket, or the o-ring around the water intake, or the bellows. I never did see water running down the inside of the transom.

I also had a rotted out 1/4" bolt on the back side of the water pump. It would drip, but only when the engine was running. It was barely noticeable because it didn't drip straight down. It would drip onto the harmonic balancer/pulley and then sling over the stringer onto the outside of the hull. I finally noticed it when I had a timing light on it and it froze the droplets in mid-air...

From both leaks I'd get about 2-to-3 inches of water in the back of bilge on a typical day out. About a minute of flow from the drain when sitting on the ramp.

[Formula Jr]

You swim in The Bay? A braver man than I. wink There is also the trim remote sensor leads, both the trim position sender and the trim cut off that can leak thru the transom. Two to three gal. is too much for people swimming, most of that will stay in the carpet and evaporate. You have said, that you get water while the boat is at rest, ie, it isn't the fresh water cooling system. So we're looking for some entry thru the drive somewhere. Its a half gal and hour, so the leak should be easy to see. Do you leave the drive at trailer position when not in use?

[mattyboy]

Bryan ,
I had a similar problem, found it to be a cracked speedo tube, found out after a long run a wot, no water when sitting for along time, only when running, I would think if the boot were shot it would take on water only when sitting not under way, I know you trailer the boat, maybe put her in then go have lunch wait an hour or so and see if there's water in the bilge just my 2 cents

good luck

matt

[Rootsy]

I also get water in my bilge... and i found the problem when i had the motor out in the spring... waterpump seal leaks, so water runs out of the weep hole. cant see it unless you can see from the bottom up since the weep hole is on the underside of the waterpump. after a good long day of running it'll put about a gallon in the bilge... just an annoyance and i was under the gun to get it done for AOTH so that turned into next years project... cussball

[Bryan Tuvell 33ZX]

Formula JR: Yep, we swim in the bay (jackets on of course). But at anchor is when the swim pad is used most, we raft 10 or 12 powerboats together in a cove or on the James River.
CARPET? My engine compartment is all matching diamond plate, no fabric.
No water in the cock pit area at all.
NOT SURE at rest, never a drop on the hose but we never raise the hatch while out.
So next time out I will be watching.

MATTY, thanks, a thought, speedo mates out side the drive externally, I did check it and it does work fine, 2 mph off of GPS.
JAMIE: The weep hole is a thought, but that would drip on the hose, correct? Although it never runs long on the hose, only to flush in the salt away at 1000RPM's for 2 or 3 minutes.

Oh, occassionally the drive is in trailer over night like now, worked on boat and forgot to lower it, it will go back down to nuetral tomorrow.
Thanks guys, Bryan

[MOP]

Your own idea is the best way to find the leak, borrow or bring one of those tube type 12volt floresent trouble lights they are bright and do not blind you if you have to get real close to it in a tight spot. I would get it out there and bring it to a high idle first watch down low, it could be many things, hose clamp, pump, bellows, oil cooler, freeze plug ETC. The bellow will leak at rest and most of the time it is easrier to spot the ripples in the bilge water aft.

[Air 22]

B...

i had a similar problem a few weeks ago and turns out the SHIFTER BELLOWS had a small hole in it. I found it while my 22' Classic was on its trailer. The damn thing leaked...I could hear the drips but couldn't see them. what a pain in the ass as I clean my compartment as well. All fixed now $70.00 later after pulling the out-drive to change the SHIFTER BELLOWS. Simple but time consuming as the shifter cable has to come off and out of the boat (if a MERC BRAVO 1 ). If you find this to be the problem find a threaded cable fish-line to use as a guide to pull the cable back into your boat. It screws onto the end of your shifter cable and makes life much easier when putting it all back together. Most shops have these little devices or can do it for you. Good Luck..hope you dry-out!!

[Tidbart]

This make be a little extreme, but you could fill the boat up with a garden hose to just below the carb and look for looks from the outside. :D :D

You wouldn't even have to leave the driveway.

Seriously, if everyone's suggestion doesn't find it, I remember a post, a couple of years ago, that talked about the caulking along the bottom of rub rail where the two parts of the boat come together. Someone had problem getting that sealed and water would get in while running from the spray. Just a thought.

Good Luck, Bob

[BigGrizzly]

Bryan, in the stern under the swim pad there may vents Lil Grizz gets water when slowing down in his boat. I don't have any in my boat and don' get this. If you don't have vents under the pad my guess on a new boat would be the speedo tube. Tomahwak had this problem once.

[Bryan Tuvell 33ZX]

I mentioned I removed and reinstalled and sealed the plug holder, splash across the bay and back and had 2 droplets of water, I think that was the problem, it was very loose and the reinstall did the trick.
Thanks guys.
Bryan