Taking on water

[Holly]

Need some help. On the lake yesterday and lost power while pulling tubers. Went to clean out jet ports and they were filled with water after clearing several times. Finally opened engine hull and discovered a lot of water. Any ideas what caused this?

Obviously drain plug was in.

 

[Julian]

When you say you lost power, did the engines stop, or just bogged down?
Not sure what you mean about the clean out ports being filled with water? Are you saying there was water on top of the plugs? If so, that is normal. Was the clean out port installed fully and locked into place? If you had a 2016 or sooner, I'd say you had a plug blow out, but your twist in plugs can't blow....unless you failed to twist lock them or they shook loose somehow.

Getting that much water in the boat would mean one of the following:

1. Forgot the drain plug (you said this wasn't the case)
2. Clean out plug blown-and then lodged in the access tube, blowing it off the bottom connection and flooding the boat
3. Engine cooling hose leaking
4. Hull damage (hole in the hull from hitting something)

 

[Holly]

Bogged down. Never stopped. Yes water on top which usually happens a but not overflowing like they were yesterday. After I got all the water out checked 6-8 hours later no water.

 

[swatski]

@Holly this has got to be the cleanout plugs not set in/sealed.
So - the engines are running after you pulled the boat, right? Wow, that was close...

 

[Scottintexas]

water on top of your cleanout plugs is usually not an issue (on older boats and assuming the same with your model), Wouldn't unsealed cleanout plugs just send water out the over the cleanout hatch (unless the cleanout tube or tray is unsealed?

Do you boat with your bilge pump always on? if so, did you notice it pumping?

All that water in your engine compartment is SCARY! and I wouldn't take your boat out for a fun day again without figuring out what's going on,

Do you know if that water in your engine compartment was hot or lake temperature? maybe run the engines with the hatch open to see if you notice water coming from a cooling line on the engine or rising up from the bottom,

 

[Scottintexas]

Welcome aboard! sorry we had to meet like this,

Were you sucking things up (weeds, trash, etc..) that was causing you to stop and clean them or were you just notice water on top of the plugs and trying to get rid of it?

Be sure to check out the FAQ tab at the top of the page for lots of great tips and fixes,

 

[Matt Phillips]

That's a lotta water. Was your bilge pump on, or set to Auto. On my E-series, Auto is highlighted on Blue. On is highlighted in Green. While wake surfing/boarding, with that rear swim platform so low to the water, it's common to get water up on the upper-step and it will find it's way to the bilge. This past weekend, I noticed the bilge pump pumping just about every time we changed to a new person.

 

[Holly]

It wasn't on until I discovered the water we were all on the platform then went straight to tubing. This is the only thing that makes sense.

I guess I need to find where it's coming in and seal or just run with the bilge on when back there?

 

[Matt Phillips]

Generally speaking, when the bilge pump is "on" it will cycle every 2-3 minutes and look for water. Once the pump notices resistance on the impeller (water) , it will then pump it out of the bilge until there is no more resistance on the impeller. This is thus the "automatic" function.

The difference I noted this weekend on my first trip on an E-Series boat is there are now two settings on the bilge pump: Green = on (all the time); Blue = Auto as described above.

As a general rule, you should always have your pump set to the Auto function so it is always looking for water/liquid in the bilge.

 

[mark_m]

It wasn't on until I discovered the water we were all on the platform then went straight to tubing. This is the only thing that makes sense.

I guess I need to find where it's coming in and seal or just run with the bilge on when back there?

Once my boat is in the water, the bilge switch is ALWAYS on. Seems like you have auto capability; turn that on and keep it set that way.

 

[islandstyle57]

Could this be a warranty issue?

 

[Julian]

@Holly Did you have a bunch of people sitting on the stern to the point that the rub rail was in the water? If so, this might well be your problem. The rub rail joins the upper hull to the lower hull, and isn't always sealed well. If you were sitting back there with a bunch of people (and the bilge off), gallons of water would seep through the rub rail and pool in your bilge. Without the bilge running, then it never gets removed and builds up.

Boat in Water = Bilge ALWAYS on!

So you turned on the bilge, it pumped all the water out and the engines ran fine and you drove it more?

I would check the oil in the engines just to be safe (and do it ASAP) - make sure it is engine oil color and not milky colored.

 

[spatty99]

Don't rely on the bilge. That much water in the engine bay looks pretty serious, I would determine and address the cause before much water time.

 

[buckbuck]

I never had that much water in my engine bay even after repeatedly submarine-ing my boat. Something needs to be carefully addressed.

 

[mraz72]

repeatedly submarining lol? How did that happen, stuck on rough water?

I feel like dealers need to do a better job, or yamaha has to do a better job of telling customers that you REALLY need to have the bilge on while the boat is in the water. I am actually surprised there isn't a sensor that detects the boat is in the water and turns the thing on, it's that important.

Also, why isn't there a warning that you have THAT MUCH water in the engine bay? It can't be that hard to create.

 

[buckbuck]

Repeatedly submarine-ing is an intentional event.

 

[seadude]

My first look at the TR1 motors (hope they're as waterproof as the MR1's)!

 

[GoVols01]

The engines bogged down because you starting sucking water into the intakes. A little bit of water will turn to steam in the intake and blow through the engine, but a bunch of steam / water will bog the engines down and kill them. I guarantee your air filters are soaking wet. There's something seriously wrong there. Take it to the dealer before you go back out. Also check that your plug has the rubber O-RING on it. That can also be a good source of a leak, but nothing that would cause flooding like that.

 

[Holly]

So went back to the lake today and had a mechanic look at it. Two loose bolts on the exhaust manifold caused this on a boat with less than 20hours wth.

 

[Scuba_ref]

Glad you found it!