Water in the Bilge

[fishndad]

I have a 1989 Volvo AQ131 with a 275 outdrive. The boat is a 20' fiberglass cuddy that is trailered and only is in the water when in use. It is in a garage other than that, well protected. I have been chasing a problem where I get up to several gallons of water in the bilge over about 4 hours of fishing. I can't find a leak on land with muffs. We have pulled the engine cover and tried to track it down when running (a bit dangerous, so we don't put our faces in too far). We are on the Great Lakes, so I have resisted getting my face down there running full out and risk getting hurt. It seems there may be a few drops of water from the raw water pump, it almost looks like condensation, not a leak. It doesn't seem to be enough to cause the amount of water I am pumping. It is sea water, no anti-freeze is in it.

I have a set of seals all around and in the pump coming in the mail this week, but I am wondering if there is somewhere not obvious I should also look? How likely is a failure of the o-ring seal for the exhaust connection and/or the transom mount bolts at the transom? Could it be that I am only checking at idle, and if I did look at full throttle I would see a deluge?

I now have a boat slip and hope to keep it on the water for the season, but am afraid to do so without solving the problem. Even with a backup pump, float and even battery, it seems to me that a leak could cause the transom to rot over time, especially if the leak is somewhere at the transom mount.

Any ideas how to isolate and solve this type of leak without replacing every seal on the boat?!

 

[Dakota47]

Re: Water in the Bilge

check the power steering cooler. its on the back/side of the engine.. follow the lines. mine was leaking at the bottom of it and always had water in the bildge.. you will be able to feel the water leaking when the engine is at idle(if it was not winterized right) ask me how i know.

 

[Coors]

Re: Water in the Bilge

Pull the doghouse off, and get down with a flashlight, and mirrors, if needed.

 

[BAYLINER185]

Re: Water in the Bilge

I was chasing a problem exactly like yours back in November.

I SWORE it was the Y pipe and it turned out to be a bigger headach.

We needed to actually pull the drive and pull the motor then put the drive back on and put the boat back in the water.

Turned out the leak was the upper swival pin.

This required the transom plates to be removed and pin and seals re done. A BIG job to say the least. This with the 3rd attempt to fix my problem and that did it. I was too stubborn saying the Y pipe was leaking after the 1st transom seal was replaced and cause this to have to have the motor pulled 3 X.

It could be as simple ( still expensive ) as the transom seal
Upper swival pin
Or EVEN the damn blidlge drain plug. I have had 2 boat with bad drain plugs and water ( a few gallons ) to leak in after a few hour out.

It could be your water pump as that line i sfull of water and if you see the leak that could explain it all. If you could simply put a small container under the leak you see and catch all the water then you can determine if there is more water in the bildge. If there is no other water in the bildge then you problably have found your leak.

 

[Don S]

Re: Water in the Bilge

Pull the doghouse off, and get down with a flashlight, and mirrors, if needed.

Unless you plan on fixing every possible place it could leak (BIG Bucks), finding the leak is imperative. You can't fix a leak from the back of the boat, if it's actually leaking in the front of the boat.

 

[fishndad]

Re: Water in the Bilge

Thanks for the great ideas so far, keep them coming. I can't get back to the boat until the weekend, so as many ideas as you can come up with are appreciated.

Don't have power steering. I think I tried a second bilge plug (have to ask my son if we really did). Having the boat on the trailer, in a darkened garage, have done a quick check with the flashlight, will try higher power light and mirrors for sure. Also read another thread about the u-joint boot, did an outside inspection but perhaps I should pull one side of the boot and stick a light in that, too.

I'm quite convinced it is not a hull leak toward the front of the boat, thank goodness.

I like the idea of putting a catch basin under the pump, never thought of that!

I have a bad feeling about a transom seal. This particular motor hangs on the transom - there is no motor mount. I always worried that could cause an issue over time. That could be a big deal to me, not sure I have the capability to rig an engine lift. Plus, the boat is 200 miles away from home, so I can't mess with it every night.

Don - I know what you are saying. But if I have to pull the sterndrive, meaning I also have to pull the engine, you can bet I will put new seals, bellows, anywhere I have to touch it. My experience on plumbing, cars and other repairs of older things probably translates to boats - once you start messing with rubber or gaskets, you are better off replacing them the first time. Otherwise you can almost guarantee there will be a next time!

Keep those ideas rolling, and that prop underwater!