I have fluid under engine that's not draining. I've reach from front and felt no drain. I sprayed water from the back side with no luck. Any help.
Drain hole
- Thread starter Grumpy
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'T' is right, the engine pan should not drain into the bilge. Somewhere in your engine compartment you should have a big decal(required) explaining the penalties for pumping diesel fuel or engine oil overboard.
Understand, but there is not supposed to be anything in the engine pan. You have to fix whatever is filling it up.
My boat had no drain hole connecting the engine sump to the bilge. Since my boat was from the US, it also had the mandatory "No Discharge" plaque (I left the plaque even though its not legislated in Canada). However, I drilled a 1/2" hole at the front of the sump and then put a plug in it. Now when I clean the raw water strainer or adjust the stuffing box, I can choose to direct any water to the main bilge. The hole is normally plugged to prevent "oopsies" with engine oil and diesel. I don't know if this arrangement would be legal in the US.
I didn't want to confuse the issue but I also have that hole Jim. It is about 1/4" and near the top of the front lip and not visible. It is also not plugged. I have never had that much of any liquid in that pan so I have never worried about it. I suppose I should plug it though.
There is no drain in that pan, but the aft portion of it will spill over into the bilge under the shaft once it gets more than about 3 inches in it. If you have no little manual pump I find the best way to get the remaining fluid out of it is to use a bath towel sized rag, dip, soak and wring into a bucket. Repeat as necessary.
The 33 pan must be different. On the 37C it would spill over the front before it would back up to the hole under the stuffing box. . . .maybe. For those of you with leaks you can keep something there to soak up the oil/diesel. The pads made for that are kind of expensive. Someone offered up a cheaper solution but I forget what. I like to keep my engine pan looking like the picture.
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Hidden compartment
In the bottom of the starboard cockpit locker is an access panel with the pressure water pump, under the non-removable floor it is mounted on is a "Blind Compartment" with no drain to the bilge.
On my boat there was a gap in the tabbing at the aft end of the pump compartment floor which would let any water accumulate in the blind compartment until it was full enough and when you went sailing the heel angle would put the open spot in the tabbing down far enough to let the water run out. it would then slosh around in the pump compartment until it went into the head through the holes that the head plumbing passes through.
Then you would find a cup or two of water on the head floor.
The "Fix" was to open the tabbing at the aft end of the pump floor and use an electricians extension drill bit to drill a hole at the forward inboard corner of the blind compartment to let the water reach the bilge.
You run the drill bit along the inside of the hull and drill below the aft inside corner of the head below the head floor.
The mystery took two years to solve and the fix took an hour and a half including a trip to Home Depot for the drill bit.
Grumpy, I chased the "Mystery Water In the Head When I Heel" for a couple of years.
In the bottom of the starboard cockpit locker is an access panel with the pressure water pump, under the non-removable floor it is mounted on is a "Blind Compartment" with no drain to the bilge.
On my boat there was a gap in the tabbing at the aft end of the pump compartment floor which would let any water accumulate in the blind compartment until it was full enough and when you went sailing the heel angle would put the open spot in the tabbing down far enough to let the water run out. it would then slosh around in the pump compartment until it went into the head through the holes that the head plumbing passes through.
Then you would find a cup or two of water on the head floor.
The "Fix" was to open the tabbing at the aft end of the pump floor and use an electricians extension drill bit to drill a hole at the forward inboard corner of the blind compartment to let the water reach the bilge.
You run the drill bit along the inside of the hull and drill below the aft inside corner of the head below the head floor.
The mystery took two years to solve and the fix took an hour and a half including a trip to Home Depot for the drill bit.
Thanks for the help. The fluid is from work being done on the boat at boatyard. I will use a hand pump to remove fluid.
The engine pan on both the 33 and 37c will, if full enough, drain at the aft end. There shouldn't be fluids in that pan but of course, being a boat, it does happen. On the 37c there have been posts indicating water on the galley floor. After anticipating it would be an icebox drain pipe, I discovered a small leak in the engine exhaust. Water only I think. Leak stopped and water on sole stopped. Or just sail on starboard tack!
n624ma,
I followed with much interest this thread, and yours especially pointed out to what problem I also have: water on the head floor
A picture where you drilled would help: I may just drill in the wrong place and sink my boat!
Thanks
Am still trying to understand the part where you drilled at the end of the pump floor, and where you ran your drill along the hull
I followed with much interest this thread, and yours especially pointed out to what problem I also have: water on the head floor
A picture where you drilled would help: I may just drill in the wrong place and sink my boat!
Thanks
Am still trying to understand the part where you drilled at the end of the pump floor, and where you ran your drill along the hull
Jorge, I believe that your head is where our 37C galleys are located, starboard and aft next to the companionway. Any water laying on the shelf behind the engine will flow forward, into my galley floor or your head floor. I had a muffler leak that did that. My water heater is also back there. Any leaks there will also find its way forward.
Wow, is all I can say. There is a lot going on in the old 33 in the engine head/shower area. Please bear with me on a run through of what is found back there. This will echo a lot of what has already been said and add something too. First the drain for the stuffing box goes under the engine sump. This drain can and does plug up with dirt. About twice a year it has to be cleaned out with a long rod or similar tool. Next, the sump under the engine is a dead end except that it is open in the back. This is to catch oil from the engine and should be cleaned manually. Never drill a hole to let this sump open. third, there is a shower sump ahead of the engine sump. This sump is drained with a bilge pump a switch for it is on the wall of the head. The hole in the head floor leads to the shower sump. And fourth, there is a compartment in back of the head accessed through the lazzarette that holds the water pump and water hoses. This compartment will drain through the head if it contains water.
Here is the Federal rules on oil. They should be posted on the boat
Here is the Federal rules on oil. They should be posted on the boat
DISCHARGE OF OIL PROHIBITED
THE FEDERAL WATER POUUTION CONTROL ACT
PROHIBITS THE DISCHARGE OF OIL OR OILY WASTE
INTO OR UPON THE NAVIGABLE WATERS AND
CONTIGUOUS ZONE OF THE UNITED STATES IF
SUCH DISCHARGE CAUSES A FILM OR SHEEN
UPON, OR DISCOLORATION OF. THE SURFACE OF
THE WATER OR CAUSES A SLUDGE OR EMULSION
BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE WATER
VIOLATORS ARE SUBJECT TO A PENALTY OF $5,000
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