bung/plug left out

[mark_fitzy]

I am having some problems with water in my oil as per the other post (bogging down).

I left the bung out.
My question is this, If I left the bung out (which I did) and I only noticed it when the water was around my feet, realisticly how did the water get into the motor, I know the water wasnt higher then the dipstick, otherwise the boat would have sunk. The motor is only eight months old, is this a warranty problem or is it natural for the water to seap into the motor if you leave the bung out long enough to at least rise to 1/3 of the motor.
If it is normal, is leaving the bung out by accident an insurance claim?

( I am positive the water came from leaving the bung out because the oil was always good and after that outing I checked the oil and it was way high and milky, so I changed the oil and filter and oil level has been fine although the milkyness is still there, but now I have power problems and noise problems and I think it all relates to leaving the bung out.)

 

[renny1]

Re: bung/plug left out

i cant answer your question as well as others here will but im sure we all here know how you feel and will admit to leaving the bung out at some point in our boating history

 

[Don S]

Re: bung/plug left out

The water may have been around your feet when setting still, but did you have the boat at an angle putting it on the trailer or something like that?
Just look at how high the water was on the engine. On many boats, wate level flush with the deck is over halfway up the engine.

 

[mark_fitzy]

Re: bung/plug left out

Thats very true Don, and when I was travelling the boat would have been at an angle, so this could be an insurance claim?

 

[Alpheus]

Re: bung/plug left out

I think you would be hard pressed to find an insurance company to cover user/operator error. Same with warranty company...

 

[bruceb58]

Re: bung/plug left out

Why don't you just change the oil?

You will also need to change the starter.

 

[Sean-Nos]

Re: bung/plug left out

Hi, the chap who help me launch my boat a few weeks back had the same prob he left his bung out and filled up, he had a 500lt an hour bilge pump not worth a dam if the bung is left out! He thinks that water been thiner than oil can get in through the bearings were the shaft enters,also because he had his engine running with the water in her the gimbal bearing had all the greece washed out of it and this week the bearing failed so keep an eye on that.

 

[mark_fitzy]

Re: bung/plug left out

MM That dont sound good as I just had a new gimbal bearing installed about 2 months ago,I will have to check the grease in the bearing.

As for the starter and Oil Yes I changed the oil and filter and I had to changed the starter motor as it failed also, but I think that was to do with the starter motor wire shorting out on the block.

You see now I have this problem after I changed the oil and filter and starter motor, I have a tapping noise in the engine(not at idle just when under load) and it also isnt getting up to speed.

I changed the oil about three times with diesel its still milky

Anyway its in the hands of the insurance company now.

 

[Rudder]

Re: bung/plug left out

Mark,

Sorry about the mishap...hope it all works out...

I used to worry about forgetting this critical device...and came up with a simple solution that works for me....took a 1/2" npt PVC pipe coupler, drilled a small hole in the side & attached to my boat key chain...plug goes there when not in the boat...ugly, but effective!

Plug is only 3 places...in my hand, in my boat, or on the keychain....

Good Luck!

Jeff

 

[havasuboatman]

Re: bung/plug left out

That's why every boat should have an automatic bilge pump switch and a 750 gph bilge pump. A 750 gph pump will literally pump the water out faster than it can come in a missing drain plug. (a standard 3/4 in plug)
I have tested this with my own boat.
This kind of thing happens. What is important is when you realise this has happened to you, DON'T PANIC.
TURN ON YOUR BILGE PUMP AND GET YOUR BOAT UP ON A PLANE. As soon as your boat is planing, guess what? no more water is coming in. once your bilge pump has the water out stop, shut off the motor and put the plug in. Disaster is averted and everyone on your boat thinks you are a pretty smart guy.

 

[mark_fitzy]

Re: bung/plug left out

Cool I will remember that next time,

 

[ziggy]

Re: bung/plug left out

As soon as your boat is planing, guess what? no more water is coming in.

not only is the water not coming in anymore but as a added benefit. the water will also drain out the plug hole too. don't even need to be above plane. just faster fwd than the water can run back in the open hole... don't even need the bilge pump after that other than to speed up the process... the question is, can ya get enough fwd motion w/o sinking for the draining to occur...

i've used this process once when i was a kid. i tried to sink dads second speed boat (that didn't have a bilge pump.. ). no success because of this siphoning action.. this action would also be the only good argument i can think of for having the plug on the inside of the boat too. that day i purposely pulled the plug that was easy to access from inside...

 

[havasuboatman]

Re: bung/plug left out

Where do you put your plug when the boat is on the trailer? I keep a spare just so I don't get to the water only to find myself asking "now where the hell did it go?"

 

[mark_fitzy]

Re: bung/plug left out

I keep my plug in the cup holder in the boat, and I ALWAYS (except once lol) put the plug in before leaving home. So what your saying is, the worse thing I could have done was stop the boat and wondered why the boat wasnt running so well. So then I took it back to shore and thats when I noticed water at my feet.

Insurance has now made me write a statement on what had occured. Its funny after I pumped the water out of the boat, she ran fine for about 4 days and then the problems started to happen. Boat wouldnt get up to speed quickly, noises started to come from the motor.

Lesson to be learned, if you ever leave plug out, once you have pumped the water out, put the plug back in, CHECK THE OIL!!! for contamination

 

[jetmart]

Re: bung/plug left out

drill a hole in the plug and hang it on the tongue of the trailer so you cannot hook to hitch with it in the way. As you hook the trailer to the hitch it is the perfect time to put the plug in the boat.

 

[mark_fitzy]

Re: bung/plug left out

Great Idea!!

 

[mark_fitzy]

Re: bung/plug left out

Well the boat has been in the mechanics for sometime now and they have finally got the insuance assessor to look at it this Tuesday coming. I spoke to the mechanic and he is confused where the water has come from, I keep telling him that the boat while travelling, The bow would have been high in the water and the motor low in the water making it easy for the water to enter the dipstick, thus water entering the engine

He tells me the motor starts and sounds good and I agreed but its not until you take her for a run in the water that she starts to make the tapping noise and boggs down. So its got me on how they are going tomake a decession on whats wrong with it and if its an insurance claim or not.

Seem clear cut to me, I left the bung out, water got in, it was an accident, pull the motor down find out whats wrong with it, fix it and insurance to pay for it.

Makes me so angry!!!

 

[Chris2]

Re: bung/plug left out

I hope you have better insurance than me because leaving the plug out and not winterizing seem to be in the same category and mine told me a cracked block is not covered. Best of luck to you I hope yours is cheaper than mine.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: bung/plug left out

Seem clear cut to me, I left the bung out, water got in, it was an accident, pull the motor down find out whats wrong with it, fix it and insurance to pay for it.

Makes me so angry!!!

I don't get it How is leaving the plug out an accident?

 

[ENSIGN]

Re: bung/plug left out

Sooner or later everyones going to have a OOP'S! Change the oil and filter and give it a try