engine cooling outlets

[bronze_10]

My starboard engine only discharges water out of one of the cooling ports on the side of the boat. The one that works throws out a strong and larger volume of water than the port engine which has water coming out of both ports. I figure there is some trash or dirt in the line somewhere.. What is the easiest way to clear the line?

 

[Andy S]

I have used weeder string with success.

 

[txav8r]

@bronze_10 , the pee holes are often misunderstood. You have two groups of holes, one for each engine. One set is the starboard and the other is the port. You can trace them pretty easy and I have read a few that were backwards, so giving you the standard really doesn't do it. Just climb in and pull on one, while the deckhand looks at the hose that moves. You can label if you want. Bottom line, one line in each group is from the thermostat, and the other from the exhaust loop. These are strictly indicators of flow, and if they are plugged, it isn't necessarily meaning you don't have correct cooling...but it is an indicator your warning system isn't functioning properly. Hope this helps!

 

[txav8r]

I also use weed eater line to help, but if you have a solid bug plug, you may have to work at it to remove it, that orange mud just doesn't melt with the addition of water and a string. I have blown them clear but I also haven't.

 

[bronze_10]

@bronze_10 , the pee holes are often misunderstood. You have two groups of holes, one for each engine. One set is the starboard and the other is the port. You can trace them pretty easy and I have read a few that were backwards, so giving you the standard really doesn't do it. Just climb in and pull on one, while the deckhand looks at the hose that moves. You can label if you want. Bottom line, one line in each group is from the thermostat, and the other from the exhaust loop. These are strictly indicators of flow, and if they are plugged, it isn't necessarily meaning you don't have correct cooling...but it is an indicator your warning system isn't functioning properly. Hope this helps!

yes that does help.... the water from the one is hot.. (dont ask how i know).. the other weeps a little so thats what makes me think it is clogged.. ..

I have used weeder string with success.

I like this idea!! this will be my first stop!!
txs

 

[Andy S]

The front two holes are off the exhaust, one port one starboard, and the aft two holes are off the thermostat, again one port one starboard.

 

[txav8r]

And the thermostat, after you have the engines to operating temp...are HOT water! The exhaust is warm but not the same temp as the thermostats when engines are up to temp. Some guys use golf tees in the pee holes to keep dirt dobbers from building in them. At any case, if you have to blow them out, remove the lines from the engine side and blow outward, not from the pee hole inward! If they are insect dammed, it may take weed eater line, water, air pressure, and more to clear them...just work at it and see what you have before you damage them. If you can't get air to pass from the engine side to the pee hole...they are plugged. If it does, you may have a restriction in the engine exhaust or a stuck thermostat.

 

[Gym]

I just had that problem last week where the port engine low & high speed pee holes were plugged. I had my wife drive the boat while I hung over the side with some weed eater line pushing it in and out of the pee hole. People going by in other boats must have thought I was sea sick. Got them both freed up. Got a lot of algae out of the low speed hole. Keep the string trimmer in your on board tool box as this is not uncommon.

 

[txav8r]

Algae??? Wow @Gym , I don't think I have ever read that someone got algae out of them. I am guessing you have a loop that holds water during the off season, and it is breeding in there! This fall, when you winterize, you might look to see about that. Also, brings up the question...do you add antifreeze to the engine? I know some do and some don't, it isn't required or necessary, but I am wondering about how that might either cause or discourage growth. I know some that do have a tendency to want to leave it in the engine vs blowing it out. Blowing it out is very important. Anyway, just wondering what your process is and how it might relate to algae development in there.

 

[Gym]

Algae??? Wow @Gym , I don't think I have ever read that someone got algae out of them. I am guessing you have a loop that holds water during the off season, and it is breeding in there! This fall, when you winterize, you might look to see about that. Also, brings up the question...do you add antifreeze to the engine? I know some do and some don't, it isn't required or necessary, but I am wondering about how that might either cause or discourage growth. I know some that do have a tendency to want to leave it in the engine vs blowing it out. Blowing it out is very important. Anyway, just wondering what your process is and how it might relate to algae development in there.

I do use antifreeze but I don't think that played a role in this blockage as it was the 4th time I used the boat this season. I also don't see how it could be seaweed as it would not get past the inlet screen. I only know I got a lot of fine green stuff that looked like algae out of the port low speed pee hole.

When I first got the blockage I figured it was mud dobbers as I hadn't reinstalled the golf tees the last couple of times. I expected to get a brown colored water out while fishing with the string trimmer line. I was very surprised when it was a green slime that came out over the course of about 15 minutes of pushing the trimmer line in there.

 

[tdonoughue]

Were I you, I would put a little bleach in the pee holes next time you are done. I don't know how what is growing in there, but bleach should fix it and will be blown out next time you start.

 

[Englewoodcowboy]

I dont think it is algae that is growing in there. Remember it needs sun to turn green and grow. I think it may have been something disced and pushed through but with a blockage it just gatered there till you cleared it.

 

[0627Devildog]

On a side note here, I was warming the engines (one at a time) to change the oil yesterday. I started the engine THEN turned the water on and notice that the water was BARELY trickling out of the pisser on the Starboard side. While the water was gushing out of the bottom of the boat. I am assuming it chose the path of least resistance. . . . . . and that everything is fine. Can anyone confirm?

 

[bronze_10]

I did the weedeatter string thing and I could feel a blockage if some kind... I w a s able to get the string past the blockage but it never cleared... I guess I am gonna have to take that line off and see what the deal is....

 

[Dhow]

Had one plugged on my first ride this season. I tried trimmer string felt like I was backing an old gun barrel. Used vacuum to suck it out after soaking it with hand sprayer form outside. Mud wasp!!!

 

[txav8r]

Yep, @0627Devildog ,water barely flows through the pee holes if at all when flushing on the hose.

 

[tdonoughue]

Used vacuum to suck it out after soaking it with hand sprayer form outside.

Now, that is a good idea. Shop vac? How did you seal around the vacuum to the hole/boat? Rubber washer or something?

 

[Gym]

I did the weedeatter string thing and I could feel a blockage if some kind... I w a s able to get the string past the blockage but it never cleared... I guess I am gonna have to take that line off and see what the deal is....

@bronze_10 I found it easier to do the string trimmer thing while under way on the water. Put the wife behind the controls @ 5k rpm. I then hung over the side and reamed it. The water pressure blew the stuff out. It worked on both the low and high speed pisser. @0627Devildog you may find the low speed pisser active in the no wake condition. @Dhow. I also tried to vacuum the pisser clean but didn't work for me. It must have been too far in. I would have had a better chance if I was running on the hose at about 5k rpm.

 

[Dhow]

Hey I think it worked because I sprayed water from outside and got distracted it soaked in I guess . Small vac used hand around hose. I think I will try trimmer string with someone driving that would save me time with vac at slip.

 

[SCSTWG]

Keep the string trimmer in your on board tool box as this is not uncommon.

I will be adding that to the box tomorrow. Good call.