Help Help Help I Don't want to blow up......

[newboatowner89]

I just purchased a 1989 Ebbtide with a Mercruiser Inboard Outboard engine and the blowers are not working. I do not see them in the the engine compartment. I was as wondering how to install them. Where do you place them inside the engine compartment/bilge area? Do you know of an online diagram that would show me how? I have searched everywhere and have come up with nothing. I saw the blowers and the blower hose on Overton's.com. Please tell me that I do not have to go to the boat mechanic to get them working. Somebody please help.

 

[redone4x4]

Re: Help Help Help I Don't want to blow up......

the motor is usually way down under the engine, close to the bilge and back near the transom. That way it can pick up the vapors that fall to the bilge from what i understand. If you can, follow the big white (usually white) flexible tubing up to the vents, then trace it back. Honestly, if i had any problems with mine i dont think i could reach it. I would have to send one of the kids down there or something lol.

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: Help Help Help I Don't want to blow up......

Its not that hard to do. Like Red one said, you fallow the hose that attaches to the blower itself, that is the direction that the fan blows OUT of the engine compartment, the other hose is for fresh air into the engine compartment (Don't attach to the blower motor) instead fasten it down as close to the bilge as possable(It's just your fresh air to the engine compartment. Don't worry so much that is what we are all here for, Your not going to blow up! Just do as we tell ya! I did mine with dryer vent, Its the same diameter hose. It's alot easier than you think.

 

[superpop]

Re: Help Help Help I Don't want to blow up......

A picture of your bilge would help, but this should get you started. Look for any air vents or holes near the rear of the boat. Look inside and if there are no black or white hoses about 3 or 4 inches in diameter then the previous owner or someone at some point yanked the vent system out. Blower motors can be mounted anywhere in the motor area and if you are starting from scratch I would mount the blower motor on the stern or on the side of the motor enclosure. Then run a hose down to the lowest point in the bilge. Connect another hose to the other side of the blower and direct that hose to one of the vent holes you found. Snug everything up with zip ties and then wire it up to a switch on your dash. You probably already have the switch and wiring in place, you just need to trace it down. Most blowers have an arrow that indicates air direction. You want the air to be sucking out of the bilge and out of the boat. Then get some more of the ducting and find another big hole in the boat, (Most have 2) and run a hose from the bottom of the bilge to this hole, when you are underway air will blow in through the hose and dissipate any fumes. DO NOT run your boat anymore until you have this system functioning.

 

[SeanT]

Re: Help Help Help I Don't want to blow up......

My blower is really easy to access and change out if necessary and then the hose just runs down into the bilge. When it's running, you can feel with your hand the air blowing out of the starboard side vent hole - I was actually surprised at how much air it moves.

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: Help Help Help I Don't want to blow up......

I will take pics tomarrow of mine if you need me too and show you what we mean if you need them.

 

[newboatowner89]

Re: Help Help Help I Don't want to blow up......

Thank you guys, I do not intend on running it until it is fixed. I would really appreciate the pictures WAVENBYE2. It will help me see how it is done.

 

[newboatowner89]

Re: Help Help Help I Don't want to blow up......

It comes in a 3 inch and a 4 inch diameter. Does it matter which diameter I use?

 

[newboatowner89]

Re: Help Help Help I Don't want to blow up......

How do you attach the end of the blower hose to the inside of the vent? Sorry for all the questions.

 

[SeanT]

Re: Help Help Help I Don't want to blow up......

Mine has this little adapter that sort of clips to the inside of the vent - I haven't been brave enough to try and remove it (I have to get nearly upside down to see up there), so I can't be more helpful than that. Maybe if someone knows the name for that part, you'll be able to hunt one down.

As long as you have _some_ reliable way of attaching it to the inside of the vent, and you can feel the air flow out, that would do the trick.

 

[SeanT]

Re: Help Help Help I Don't want to blow up......

I would go with 4" if you can, mainly because I imagine a 4" blower would move/suck more air in general, but it all comes down to the CFM rating on the blower.

 

[sbbamafan]

Re: Help Help Help I Don't want to blow up......

Though not a substitute for having a blower, you can open your hatch to your engine compartment for a few minutes prior to starting. I have done this in the past before replacing a blower motor - anything to let me use my boat. Not that 'things' can't happen, but I think you are making more out of this than it is.

 

[SeanT]

Re: Help Help Help I Don't want to blow up......

The problem with that is that the engine fumes actually sink into the bilge, which is why the blower hose needs to run to the bottom.

Maybe a leaf blower if you really need to make progress while waiting for the blower to arrive or something.

I've started my own I/O lots of times without the blower - and I consider myself lucky (I didn't do it intentionally, I just forget). I won't be forgetting anymore after reading some stories on this forum.

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: Help Help Help I Don't want to blow up......

OK here is the pics, Pic #1 is were it attaches to the out vent, #2 is the blower motor mounted to floor of the engine comartment(NOT IN THE BILGE),#3 just another view, #4 is the 4" dryer vent hose that comes from the air intake vent, #5 is just the inside veiw of the vent. I hope these will at least give you an idea of what we are talking about. If you have any more questions just ask us, we'll help the best we can here on the Iboat forums.

 

[newboatowner89]

Re: Help Help Help I Don't want to blow up......

I would like to send a BIG THANK YOU to WAVENBYE2! That was awesome for you to take your time to take pictures of your boat to help someone you don't even know. This website/forum is the best thing for a new boat owner. Thank you again for everyone's input. With everyone's help, I will be on the water "safely" tommorrow.

 

[WAVENBYE2]

Re: Help Help Help I Don't want to blow up......

Your weelcome Newboatowner98 and Welcome to Iboats, we're ALL here to help you with your needs, or do the best we can to help!...................Pat

PS: They have all helped me, It's my way of returning whats been done for me!!

 

[Utahboatnut]

Re: Help Help Help I Don't want to blow up......

The beauty of the inline blowers is that they can be mounted in a easily accessable place and ducted to where they need to be. Is there NO blower, hose or switch, I would check the switch from under the dash and see if you could trace the wires back to the bilge. If they are still there it would save you that much of the project at least. My crownline blows out a vent that is on the transom probably 4X12 with louvers, the fresh air intakes are crowns on the sides that are open in the middle and are ducted back to the bilge. As mentioned have the intake to the blower down as low as possible. If the hose has the wire in it pull a bit of it out of the hose and turn it into a loop to put a small screw with washer to hold the inlet in place down in the bilge. This is a repair you can for sure do, don't let it keep you off the water.