Water leak near transom??

[Baylinercapri1987]

Ok, I have posted before about this problem, And I am trying to tackle it again and need some info/help. When the boat is in the water, It leaks starboard side transom area. I cant really see in there good enough to locate it. It dribbles down above the lower shift cable and exhaust. Could it be the water inlet? Or the lower shift boot? Or something else? I am going to try and locate it in water with a camera but its pretty tight in there. It leaks about a gallon per hour and has not changed in flow, I have just been bilging it out. So where should I start? The water inlet looks a little corroded, I think I will start there, but it doesn't leak out of water when running the engine. Please help with a plan to find this problem. I have tried tightening the transom bolts, and the transom feels solid and not soft, and also 5200'ed the outer transom with no luck.

1987 OMC Cobra 2.3L

Thanks!

 

[Don S]

Re: Water leak near transom??

You can't fix something if you can't find it. Many times I have pulled the engine, put the drive back on and put the boat in the water to find the leak.
Slathering 5200 on everyting is NOT a fix, it's a temporary patch at best.

 

[Baylinercapri1987]

Re: Water leak near transom??

Yea, I will start investigating the leak more. Anything I can remove other then the whole engine that will help me see the leak areas? I was thinking all the exhaust for now. The 5200 was sort of me testing the transom seeing if it was that.

 

[Haut Medoc]

Re: Water leak near transom??

Either you will have to get inthere with a mirror & aflashlight or do What Don S says.....
How about pulling off the exhaust manifold while in the water for better access?.....​

 

[Baylinercapri1987]

Re: Water leak near transom??

Yea, I will take the upper exhaust manifold off and the lower section of the exhaust to see in and will report back with my findings..............

 

[CharlieB]

Re: Water leak near transom??

I'm afraid you are going to find that the lower portion of the transom wood IS soft, the leak is between the outer transom plate seal and the transom just above the lowest pair of the inner/outer transom studs.

Just had the same leak on a customers 86 OMC. Spendy repair at the 'glass shop, replacing all the softness. But.....without the repair she would have had a very nice looking reef.

 

[Baylinercapri1987]

Re: Water leak near transom??

Looks like its coming from higher up then that. There is also 5200 along the whole outer seal, how could it still be leaking from the transom? Here is a pic of a transom assembly.. Is there any way it could leak through the exhaust outlet even if the boats not running?

 

[Don S]

Re: Water leak near transom??

Is there any way it could leak through the exhaust outlet even if the boats not running?

Sure, anytime the boat is in the water, that exhaust Y is full of water up to the water level outside the boat.
That is why I said pull the engine, put the drive back on, put the boat in the water, then look for the leak, now you are stuck with guessing where it came from.

 

[Baylinercapri1987]

Re: Water leak near transom??

Pulling the cherry is my last option, I can personally do it (taken out many car/truck engines) but really hoping not to.... Is it difficult to pull out the 2.3L?

 

[Uraijit]

Re: Water leak near transom??

Pulling the cherry is my last option, I can personally do it (taken out many car/truck engines) but really hoping not to.... Is it difficult to pull out the 2.3L?

If you have a usable hoist system, it's easier to pull a boat engine, than a car.

 

[Don S]

Re: Water leak near transom??

You mean you pulled the transom shield with the engine still in it??????? How the heck did you do that?

 

[Baylinercapri1987]

Re: Water leak near transom??

No, Thats a pic of a transom from ebay. Just using it for reference to point out the leak points.

 

[BAYLINER185]

Re: Water leak near transom??

Yea thats exactly what I thought, How did he pull that sheild with the motor in?



I have a feeling its a transom seal as thats whats whats was wrong with mine. You may never be able to see the leak with the motor in unfortunatly!

You Transom may not be soft or rotted, mine wasnt if you catch this leak in time!

Now my thought is how do you pull the motor, put drive back on and put the boat in the water without creating a flood?

What do you use to plug the exhaust outlet Don?

Vic

 

[Bondo]

Re: Water leak near transom??

What do you use to plug the exhaust outlet Don?

Ayuh,....... Duct Tape.......

 

[bomar76]

Re: Water leak near transom??

Or a wadded up Clymers or Seloc manual...

 

[wallydc2]

Re: Water leak near transom??

Do you think that it should be out of the water?

 

[Coors]

Re: Water leak near transom??

Nah, I think the Clymer and Seloc paper is like toilet tissue; they would just dissolve.

 

[Don S]

Re: Water leak near transom??

IF you put the exhaust hoses and the elbows (that attach to the risers) on the exhaust Y, they will be above the water line, that or water would always get into the engine.

 

[Baylinercapri1987]

Re: Water leak near transom?? New Pics!!

Re: Water leak near transom?? New Pics!!

Ok I had the boat in the water today and I snapped some pics, looks like the lower shift hose that threads into the transom assembly or it could be the transom seal. Can the exhaust be taken off with the engine in? This is the 4 cyl 2.3L ford engine. What do you think?

 

[Don S]

Re: Water leak near transom?? New Pics!!

Re: Water leak near transom?? New Pics!!

Can the exhaust be taken off with the engine in?

In most cases no, But you have to look at it and see if you can remove it. We can't.
But if the shift cable hose is leaking, replace it, why remove the exhaust tube?