Water in engine compartment

[Orlando]

I just got a 2006 AR230. I am noticing a lot of water in the engine campartment. The bilge comes on when I am just sitting in the water, so I know it's leaking regularly, but when I first go out and leave the boat ramp, spending time in reverse seems to make it fill up fast. It's enough water to throw it all around the engine campartment, so even the top of the engine has some water on it. But when I'm just sitting or running slow I don't see water coming in.

 

[Julian]

My guess is your scupper is broken.....this FAQ has links to the best threads on how to find leaks in your boat:

https://jetboaters.net/faq/how-to-find-a-leak-in-your-boat.145/

 

[Orlando]

Would the scupper leak still produce more water when running then just sitting? Would a shaft seal leak let more water in in reverse the forward?

 

[Julian]

Would the scupper leak still produce more water when running then just sitting? Would a shaft seal leak let more water in in reverse the forward?

A scupper leak MIGHT leak more when running just because the movement of the boat would shift the hose around allowing more water to leak in (not sure how much more though). You should still check this...because it isn't a question of IF your original scupper is leaking, but WHEN it will leak. The older the boat, the more fragile that white plastic becomes. Does your scupper still have its flapper in place? If not, then if the fitting is cracked and you go in reverse....this WOULD force water into the fitting and would leak a lot more.

The shaft seal MIGHT let more water in when in reverse, but unlikely much more. Keep in mind that the shaft is always spinning the same direction in forward or reverse, so the only factor in play here would be water pressure on the fitting, and these boats aren't exactly fast in reverse.

 

[Orlando]

Thanks I'll definitely check all the fittings. I think the first step will be to fill it up with a hose on the trailer and check from the outside. Looks like I know what I'll be upto this week after work.

 

[Julian]

Thanks I'll definitely check all the fittings. I think the first step will be to fill it up with a hose on the trailer and check from the outside. Looks like I know what I'll be upto this week after work.

Good luck and keep us posted! We are here to help.

 

[haknslash]

Also check those clean out ports and make sure they seal and the clamps on the clean out tubes/boots are tight and not broken.

If you have water filling your engine compartment that fast and to the top of the engines then you have a pretty large leak. Check the intermediate housing as well when the boat is running. Empty all the water and then take the boat out to see if it comes up from the hole to the engine compartment from the bilge underneath or if it’s coming around the intermediate housing(s).

 

[Scottintexas]

if it were my boat,
I wouldn't take anyone else out on it until I understood where the water is coming from,

I'd remove the cleanout hatch cover and drop it in the water running as little as possible, preferably not at all and let it sit for 30 minutes at the dock and see if you notice water coming in from any lower locations, scupper, exhaust fittings,

if it stays dry I'd fire a single engine for a few minutes and monitor, if no water fire the other engine and monitor,
if it was still dry i'd run it around the dock area at no wake monitoring for leaks, no leaks then run it at higher rpm,

if you do this, you have to manually push down the safety hatch switches and definitely do not put any body part above the cleanout ports (you may even stick a nerf football in there for whatever protection that may help in the slim chance of a blow out)

update your profile with your location, this is the kind of project I'd enjoy helping troubleshoot,

 

[Scottintexas]

and if you're not familiar be sure to watch this video about how the cooling water flows in our boats, one of the fittings could be loose or a hose could have a hole,

it's also in our FAQ tab at the top of the page,

 

[Orlando]

Cooling water line outflow was off on Port Engine.
No leaks now.

Thank you all for your help. Now have a new thread going about my Srtaboard engine. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Matt Phillips]

If you have a plastic scupper, replace it with a stainless one....as that thing is on borrowed time at this point.

When I changed out the one on my 09 three years ago, it almost broke in half as I removed it.