Bilge Pump

[KAREN DALLIS]

Came home from vacation to find water 1/2 way up in engine compartment. How do I change the bilge pump?

 

[Eric Ballard]

If you buy the same brand you should just be able to pop the pump out like you where cleaning the filter and pop a new one in. If you change the pump model or size you will see 2 screws when you pop the pump off. just loosen the screws and change away....

 

[Gym]

@KAREN DALLIS. Welcome to the forum. I see you have an 05 SX230, essentially the same as my 06 SX230. Was your bilge pump seitched on when this happened? Was the battery dead? Just trying to ensure your pump is actually dead.

Assuming the pump is no good you can either upgrade the pump to something with a float switch and a greater pumping capacity or, an easier option is to buy the same pump. That way you can take the pump motor off of the strainer, disconnect the wire, plug the new pump into the old strainer and reconnect the wire. The stock pump that came with your boat is a Rule 500 gph pump. You can pick one up from West Marine or most marine supply stores.

One big issue you need to address is where is this water coming from? With this year boat it may be the plastic scupper valve. The easiest way to figure this out is, with the boat on the trailer, put about 5 gallons of water into the engine compartment with a hose. Go to the back of the boat to see where the water is leaking from. I suspect, given the amount of water you had, you have a failed scupper valve. Let us know what you find.

 

[Gym]

@KAREN DALLIS. If you update your profile with your city & state it will put your general location on our member map. That's useful in that members are sometimes able to help out other local members living nearby.

 

[KAREN DALLIS]

If you buy the same brand you should just be able to pop the pump out like you where cleaning the filter and pop a new one in. If you change the pump model or size you will see 2 screws when you pop the pump off. just loosen the screws and change away....

Thanks

 

[KAREN DALLIS]

@KAREN DALLIS. Welcome to the forum. I see you have an 05 SX230, essentially the same as my 06 SX230. Was your bilge pump seitched on when this happened? Was the battery dead? Just trying to ensure your pump is actually dead.

Assuming the pump is no good you can either upgrade the pump to something with a float switch and a greater pumping capacity or, an easier option is to buy the same pump. That way you can take the pump motor off of the strainer, disconnect the wire, plug the new pump into the old strainer and reconnect the wire. The stock pump that came with your boat is a Rule 500 gph pump. You can pick one up from West Marine or most marine supply stores.

One big issue you need to address is where is this water coming from? With this year boat it may be the plastic scupper valve. The easiest way to figure this out is, with the boat on the trailer, put about 5 gallons of water into the engine compartment with a hose. Go to the back of the boat to see where the water is leaking from. I suspect, given the amount of water you had, you have a failed scupper valve. Let us know what you find.

Thanks for your help. The boat was on a lift and we had above normal amounts of rain while I was gone. The battery was good at the time. The pump is definitely bad and needs replaced.

 

[Gym]

Thanks for your help. The boat was on a lift and we had above normal amounts of rain while I was gone. The battery was good at the time. The pump is definitely bad and needs replaced.

Sounds like there is an additional issue also. Your boat has a deck drain at the floor just below the center of the rear seats that leads to a scupper valve at the rear of the boat. That is just a gravity system. It's hard to imagine almost any amount of rain overwhelming that system. While on the lift there is no need to leave the bilge pump on. It will only run your battery down. Is it possible your lift is configured to hold your boat in a slightly bow down position? It should be slightly bow up so rainwater will flow towards the deck drain.