Find my leak and win a free dinner

[truckman]

Hello all you 310 owners out there.
I am looking for a little help finding out where I have Saltwater coming into my bilge. It has been driving my nuts for some time now.

Here are a few clues to help.


#1 I have a dripless seal shaft that does not drip a drop under way or not
#2 Over the last two weeks idle at the dock the boat bilges were bone dry
#3 No water leaks from anywhere on the engine or raw water strainer
#4 No leaks from raw water through hull or through hulls for galley and head sink drains, or intakes for head and as well as holding tank sea cock under way I only have the engine water seacock open all others are closed.


#5 After a 1 hour cruise motoring only in calm waters the bilges are now full with salty water.
#6 Directly under the primary filter in the aft bilge there is a small accumultation of water less than a 1/2 cup in the corner
#7 There is no water coming in from around my rudder post and shaft alley is bone dry.

The aft shallow bilge forward of the engine fills up first then fills the forward bilges one after the other. So I know its not coming from keel joint.

Any help will be greatly apprciated.

Dave

 

[Albanach]

I would check all the chafe spots of the raw water hoses, especially between HX and engine mount. Mine actually burst at this spot last year. Have since moved the HX slightly.

 

[Witzend]

The rear port engine mount center bolt interferes with the hose that comes into the HX. I put a shield over it.

 

[truckman]

Guys thanks for the reply. I have checked all the hoses from the raw water stainer to the engine and there are no points of chafe and no leaks whatsoever.

dave

 

[Lee Coller]

Guys thanks for the reply. I have checked all the hoses from the raw water stainer to the engine and there are no points of chafe and no leaks whatsoever.

dave

What about the other side, from the exhaust elbow to the exhaust?

I assume this only happens when under motor?

 

[gpd955]

Gaskets on any of the parts in the coolant circuit? Thermostat, heat exchanger, pump? Any of the inline filters cracked or bad gaskets??

 

[valcour]

Another possible chafe point is down in the starboard aft locker. The exhaust hose turns a high loop, and on my '06 the pipe chafed against the corner of the fuel tank. You have to climb into the locker (or lure a friendly boat kid) to check this one.

 

[truckman]

Another possible chafe point is down in the starboard aft locker. The exhaust hose turns a high loop, and on my '06 the pipe chafed against the corner of the fuel tank. You have to climb into the locker (or lure a friendly boat kid) to check this one.

That one sounds like a good one to check. Thanks for the tips everyone I'm going down to the boat and look at the lines from the engine exhaust to the muffler.

dave

 

[rpwillia]

Time for PaulJ's $0.02

I am no PaulJ so I don't have one, but don't the dripless shaft seals have to put that water some where? As I understand it the tube drops the water directly into the main bilge.

The water definitely sounds like it is engine related. You did not mention getting water while sailing, so I am assuming you are not getting water while sailing.

 

[paulj]

truckman


Well I would put a few red food coloring tabs in this strainer and then look for red stains while out crusing, using the engine for forward motion......or I could come down and we would take the boat out, I would steer and you could run around looking for leaks.....or


paulj :troll:

 

[rpwillia]

This is why PaulJ is the Man!!!

truckman
Well I would put a few red food coloring tabs in this strainer and then look for red stains while out crusing, using the engine for forward motion......or I could come down and we would take the boat out, I would steer and you could run around looking for leaks.....or
paulj :troll:

Good idea.

 

[valcour]

Re: This is why PaulJ is the Man!!!

Paul,
What is in the ziploc bag?

 

[rpwillia]

I second Valcours Question ...

Paul, What is in the ziploc bag?

Paul, We are curious as to what you are up to with the ziploc bac. Please make it sound interesting, things are slow here on the East/Right Coast.

 

[paulj]

valcour

All the spare parts to repair the PSS if this system fails.




paulj :troll:

 

[valcour]

Paul,
Now I'm really confused...seems like a replacement bellows would also be a spare part for the PSS (but how would you change it?)...all I need for my old school stuffing box is a piece of flax (or a rag in a pinch). In the picture it looks all you have is a 90 degree thimagee?? What are considered in the water spares for the PSS, and what is the plan in the event of a bellows failure?

 

[paulj]

valcour


Well if you and I were out sailing on the water, a nice summer day, here in Anacortes area with me at the helm and you discovered a salt water leak below, I woud tell you to fix the leak.

And of course you being a reasonable sailor would say" where is your repair leak kit".....my reply "everything you need to fix any kind of leak on this boat is in a red bag in the port lazarette ."......

Then you said and then I said.....still confused?

I'm sure if you had a leak in the hose to your stuffing box you would do the right thing based on sailing conditions, etc, etc, etc

My bottom line is crew and passengers come first....everybody in the dinghy.


http://www.shaftseal.com/en/about/shaftseal_maintenance_kit


paulj :troll:

 

[Witzend]

I would never consider installing a PSS, due to the fragile nature of the bellows. There is no way to repair this in the water.

 

[paulj]

truckman

Have you found the leak?



paulj :troll:

 

[paulj]

I would never consider installing a PSS, due to the fragile nature of the bellows. There is no way to repair this in the water.

Your boat your choice..............But I'm happy that you took the time to share that with me.


paulj :troll:

 

[valcour]

Truckman, there is always duct tape (I bet Paul keeps a roll in the red bag in the port lazerette)

Seriously Paul, the ziploc bag looks like it only has the single black&white 90 degree Caterpillar looking thingamagigee. What type of spare is it and how is it used?