Water Leak 101

[WATER WOODY]

Water leaks are sometimes hard to trace down.Here is a good way to help trace the leak down.Make sure the hull inside is dry.Take the ski out and run it.Keep lifting the seat and check to see when the water intrusion accures.If you see water,right away,stick your hand in it and feel it.

HOT water could be coming from the pipe u section,1/4 pissers,or the coupler were the stinger bolts to the U section,water box to stinger coupler and from the couplers from the waterbox out.Also check the water lines from the head/heads.


COLD water could be:
transom plate
pump shoe pulling down/cracked tunnel
pump shoe brackets/inserts spinning
trim tab brackets/inserts spinning
1 1/2" hose from intermediate shaft to hull split
hull through fittings for water/steering and trim cables
duck bills
improped rubber gasket install on exhaust outlet
any incoming water lines in general/added lines etc....
running in rough water without bucket in
ride plate brackets/inserts spinning

Also check ALL hose clamps.Here is a little tip: I put a small drop of red Loc-tite on all my hose clamps for insurance.Just dab it on the threads.

[RX951]

This is very very good information for newbies and veterans
Thanks Kevin

[Hydrotoys]

Front hook got me one time. Was filling the inner liner up.

Perpetual leak: When the inner liner fills up and makes you think you have a leak since everytime you look in the hull it has water in it. Drill a hole in inner liner, suck out water with wet match. Seal ALL the holes.

[WATER WOODY]

Dang Mark.I remember someone posting about this,maybe you,not sure.With the added weight,im sure the speeds would go down some.Good find Mark.

You got it Billy.

[Hydrotoys]

HIN plate rivets...especially if you've changed them out for painting.

[Hydrotoys]

2" hose from intermediate shaft to hull split

Big one. Also, you know that gasket behind the I-shaft bearing? The rubber one? It can get bent over on a small area, and have a hairline leak. Just like the rubber hose, it really doesn't leak until about 40mph when the tunnel pressure increases.

[WATER WOODY]

Didnt think about that one Mark.Another Gremlin hiding spot.

[WATER WOODY]

Forgot to mention the o-ring head leaks.

[stingray152003]

what i have always done with leaks is this tonarrow it down i let the boat/ski sit a day or 2 then fill the bottom of the hull with a little watter and wait for it to leak out. it has always worked.

for an engine leak i hook it up to a hose let the engine run a few seconds shut it down then i rub my hand around and look at the same time till i find water on my hand then do closer inspection. i even one time bought one one of those fertiler things that goes in line with 2 hoses and filled it with food dyes that helps to.

[spaceman]

thanks woody, ive saved it to my pda incase i have any leaks.

[jdog800]

HIN plate rivets...especially if you've changed them out for painting.

+1 this one got me before....very hard to locate

[Dirty Sanchez]

Woody- Thanks!

Woody, helped me find warm water leak last year. I wish I had this info back then.

[spud]

Right on Woody. I had the bent rubber lip on my intermediate shaft. A lot of work to fix it.

[WATER WOODY]

Right on Woody. I had the bent rubber lip on my intermediate shaft. A lot of work to fix it.

no fun.

[ChewsteR]

Front hook got me one time. Was filling the inner liner up.

Perpetual leak: When the inner liner fills up and makes you think you have a leak since everytime you look in the hull it has water in it. Drill a hole in inner liner, suck out water with wet match. Seal ALL the holes.

Where would you drill for this?