Water under engine

[jwieneck]

I came in from a day sail Sunday and found about 5 sponge full of water (salt) under my engine. While the engine was running I had good out flow and the impeller is new. When I looked at the engine from the back there seemed to be a lot of salt granules like maybe a leak. I cleaned things up and started the engine and look all over the engine but saw nothing leaking. I even put it in gear and looked all over again still nothing. No water collected under the engine. Thoughts?

 

[Bowedtoothdoc]

I came in from a day sail Sunday and found about 5 sponge full of water (salt) under my engine. While the engine was running I had good out flow and the impeller is new. When I looked at the engine from the back there seemed to be a lot of salt granules like maybe a leak. I cleaned things up and started the engine and look all over the engine but saw nothing leaking. I even put it in gear and looked all over again still nothing. No water collected under the engine. Thoughts?

Had a similar problem. Ended up finding a leak on one of my water cooling hoses that I created when I installed an access port to get access to my impeller You must have a leak somewhere. Also check your stuffing box.

 

[David in Sandusky]

Cockpit drain hoses?

Don't know about your model, but on ours, when near hull speed, the hull wave submerges the cockpit drain outlets in the stern. If the drain hoses have failed, or their connections are loose, this will leak sea water under our engine.

 

[jwieneck]

I look again I have a drip less so nothing there I check it

 

[jwieneck]

Don't know about your model, but on ours, when near hull speed, the hull wave submerges the cockpit drain outlets in the stern. If the drain hoses have failed, or their connections are loose, this will leak sea water under our engine.

You mean the exhaust hose? The exhaust hose has a large loop in it I do not think sea water can back up in that.

 

[Doug13104]

It could be your drip less. I had the same problem and could not find the problem. Your dripless will have a vent tube on it so you don't get a air lock in your stern tube. If the top of the vent tube is not as high as possible, during hard reverses, the prop will force water up and out the vent hose and it will end up under the engine.

 

[Rick]

If the water was in your engine pan then most likely you can rule out other causes like your muffler, strut bolts, rudder stock, or cockpit drains since on most hunters that is an isolated area with no drain for restrictions with oil, diesel etc.

You were vague with "back of engine". Since it is salt water, its probably on the seawater side of your cooling system. A new impeller does not mean the housing doesn leak. Rub your finger along your raw water pump and check for salt. Also check hoses from raw water pump to heat exchanger. All of your petcocks closed? These are mostly fresh water cooling but... back at your mixing elbow. Any black residue? You said you were dripless so that should be good. Other possibility is a bigger leak that is spilling over from something toward back of boat and is bringing enough seawater to overwhelm your weepholes and spilling into pan during boat motion.

Need to give us some more info and the specifics of when this happened. Sea state, extended motoring, pic, etc.

Cheers and good luck

 

[Jerry Clark H356 SV Persi]

I had the same problem recently and a mechanic found the cooling water pump bearings were worn and leaking. It is not the impeller, but the pump itself. I was in Mobile at the time and completed my trip to Kentucky Lake. I haven't changed out the pump yet, but will very soon. The bearings get worn and the leak is at the bearings. I have a little over 1000 hours on the engine and pump, so it has lasted a good while (12 years). It is a slow leak and was difficult to find.

 

[jwieneck]

It could be your drip less. I had the same problem and could not find the problem. Your dripless will have a vent tube on it so you don't get a air lock in your stern tube. If the top of the vent tube is not as high as possible, during hard reverses, the prop will force water up and out the vent hose and it will end up under the engine.

My drip less dosen,t have the tube because the of the location. I just have a white cap there. The instruction say to burp the drip less if I get a air lock. I tried it a couple of time but I really don't have an issue there.

 

[jwieneck]

If the water was in your engine pan then most likely you can rule out other causes like your muffler, strut bolts, rudder stock, or cockpit drains since on most hunters that is an isolated area with no drain for restrictions with oil, diesel etc.

You were vague with "back of engine". Since it is salt water, its probably on the seawater side of your cooling system. A new impeller does not mean the housing doesn leak. Rub your finger along your raw water pump and check for salt. Also check hoses from raw water pump to heat exchanger. All of your petcocks closed? These are mostly fresh water cooling but... back at your mixing elbow. Any black residue? You said you were dripless so that should be good. Other possibility is a bigger leak that is spilling over from something toward back of boat and is bringing enough seawater to overwhelm your weepholes and spilling into pan during boat motion.



Need to give us some more info and the specifics of when this happened. Sea state, extended motoring, pic, etc.

Cheers and good luck

The sea state was flat. My engine area is well forward of the rudder shaft and aft part of boat. I did check all compartments aft but they are all dry. The engine (pan) is the area of fiber glass just under the engine. I do have a big drain hole but this area would have to be flooding to over flow there it is high. I need to check the points you indicated and look for salt. I think what I will do is clean the engine off with fresh water then clean that up. Then run the engine and see what I get over a long period of time. It would be great to no the engine temp but I do not have that instrument on my panel (I think I look into getting that and oil pressure). Thanks for all the thoughts I see what I can find out.

 

[Rick]

Good luck and a thought on your engine temp. I dont have a guage either but I did purchase one of the thermo guns from Harbor Freight Tools for a few bucks. Has a little laser pointer and works very well. You can shoot most any surface with it.

 

[jwieneck]

Good luck and a thought on your engine temp. I dont have a guage either but I did purchase one of the thermo guns from Harbor Freight Tools for a few bucks. Has a little laser pointer and works very well. You can shoot most any surface with it.

Thats an interesting idea. Where did you get it and how much was it?

 

[Rick]

I got it at Harbor Freight Tools. Think it was 15 bucks. Here are several examples. I find it to be a real help with adjustment of stuffing box.

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...vptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_7icwdd2e0h_b

 

[2discover]

I had salt water under the gear box. The cause was a chafed muffler. The muffler is held in place by screws and foam, but apparetly could still move enough to chafe through the bonding from the mufflers hull and the front plate (all GRP). I had to remove the muffler to find the leak and I'm aware that I'm not the only Hunter owner with a chafed leaking muffler!

 

[2discover]

I had salt water under the gear box. The cause was a chafed muffler. The muffler is held in place by screws and foam, but apparetly could still move enough to chafe through the bonding from the mufflers hull and the front plate (all GRP). I had to remove the muffler to find the leak and I'm aware that I'm not the only Hunter owner with a chafed leaking muffler!

Here are the pictures:

 

[Rob38]

I had a similar problem with small amounts of water and tracked it down to the vent tube allowing my PSA dripless bearing to breath. I ended up plumbing the vent tube to a biker's water bottle I mounted next to the engine light on the wooden header above the engine. This gives me very easy access to check the water bottle every time I check the engine oil. The bottle is usually partially full whenever I've run the boat in reverse.

 

[jwieneck]

I had a similar problem with small amounts of water and tracked it down to the vent tube allowing my PSA dripless bearing to breath. I ended up plumbing the vent tube to a biker's water bottle I mounted next to the engine light on the wooden header above the engine. This gives me very easy access to check the water bottle every time I check the engine oil. The bottle is usually partially full whenever I've run the boat in reverse.

Good new I think I have found the problem with water under my engine. A loose hose and a old mixing elbow. The hose will be replaced and a new mixing elbow will be installed.