Best way to check for transom leak??

[cableguy1979]

I just got through talking to the guy I got the boat from and he tells me that the boat had about half a gallon of water in the bilge after about a month of boating so Im panicking and wanting to check for where the water is coming from but the boat isn't ready for the water. I still need to put on the lower, have the prop refrub'd, dewinterize, put seats in the boat and figure out why the engine is idling high so im a little ways away from floating it. I have checked the bellows they look good. The bottom of the transom looks good and I don't believe the engine is leaking anywhere. I could always just back it down a ramp somewhere with the lower unit off....probably safer that flooding the bilge?

Hers my question.....can I safely flood the bilge up to the oil pan to check the transom seal? My worry is the lowest part of the transom where the sterndrive opening is. If memory serves that's usually wood surround by fiberglass. Im afraid if I get it wet it will be causing problems I don't want. If the transom is good I can rest and worry about the other things. If not then its time to scrap the boat. Will I be causing problems by flooding the bilge?

 

[zool]

Flooding the bilge or even dipping it in may not show the leak if the transom is rotting inside. When they start to rot and become weak, they tend to lose the parallelism around the transom shield while under load as the transom flexes. The best way to tell if you have a core problem is to drill some small holes partially thru from the INSIDE at ransom spots, and check for wet shavings and water dripping. You can also remove some exterior screws or bolts to see if water drips out, if the shavings are clean and dry, you can just fill the holes with epoxy or 5200 and look for other causes.

1/2 gallon of water over a month of boating isnt all that much, but if its the transom, it will get worse....If it is the transom, theres a good chance the stringers are compromised also......doesnt necessarily mean you have to scrap the boat, you can always pop over to the restoration forum and get down and dirty with the rest of us

 

[Scott Danforth]

Hers my question.....can I safely flood the bilge up to the oil pan to check the transom seal?

No

flooding the bilge adds thousands of pounds to the boat, over-stressing the trailer, and getting water in places it should never get into in the boat

Zool has a few things above to check.

best way I know to check the transom quickly. put your finger on the transom shield to transom joint. have a 250#-300# person jump up and down on the end of the outdrive in the up position. if you feel that the transom shield moves with respect to the transom, you have a soft transom

assuming that is not the case.

when was the last time the bellows were replaced? (you should have done the bellows and the impeller as soon as you got the boat home)

if the bellows are recent , move on to putting the boat in the water or on muffs and getting in the bilge with the motor. using a flashlight, mirrors and your smart phone camera, look for a leak.

 

[cableguy1979]

It has a very heavy duty trailer for a 30 ft. boat so I'm not worried about the water causing to much stress. I have had two boats in the past with bad transoms and even barely filling the bilge to the bottom of the transom hole quickly showed I had bad transoms but I had good belief that it was in fact a leaking transom so filling it with water wasn't a concern then however this boat I don't know if its ever had water that high so if the transom is good I don't want to chance it if its a concern. This 454 big block is so big getting a drill behind or even under the engine isn't an option. I can't even find a good way to see back there thus wanting to flood the bilge.....I think I have decided to just put the lower unit back on the boat and take it to the lake and lower it down the ramp and look for water intrusion. Then pull it out and see if I took on any water. If its dry Ill start the engine and let it run and look for a leak.

As far as rebuilding stringers and transom I'm not sure this boat is worth all that trouble. Although I would like to know how to do it just not on this boat. Im hoping for a good one. I doubt I have the means to get this big a** motor out of the boat. Im very mechanically inclined but transoms are a little out of my comfort zone considering its structural. If the motor and outdrive check out as good I might be up for the task if there is some good help there but its a last resort option. I leave for FL on vacation today and wont be back until next Thursday so it will be the following Saturday before I can attempt this.

 

[Bondo]

I can't even find a good way to see back there thus wanting to flood the bilge....

Ayuh,.... A digital camera will put yer eyes, where yer head won't fit,....

 

[JASinIL2006]

A smartphone on a selfie stick is really handy for looking into those hard-to-reach spots.

I agree with others that flooding your boat isn't a great idea.

 

[krakatoa]

best way I know to check the transom quickly. put your finger on the transom shield to transom joint. have a 250#-300# person jump up and down on the end of the outdrive in the up position. if you feel that the transom shield moves with respect to the transom, you have a soft transom

With all respect but this is a BIG NO! for me


You mention that after a month of boating you have have gallon of water in bilge.... after a whole month in water its doesnt look bad to me...

 

[Scott Danforth]

you realize the force of the prop puts about 600#-800# of force on the lower unit when tooling along, more during the hole-shot. so a 300# person nowhere near the force a prop puts on it.

 

[wellcraft-classic210]

Gents
This may be old news but you could have a small cooling system leak or rain water working its way to the bilge // Its not always the transom.

 

[Rick Stephens]

With all respect but this is a BIG NO! for me


You mention that after a month of boating you have have gallon of water in bilge.... after a whole month in water its doesnt look bad to me...

Absolutely no reason you cannot bounce a big person up and down on an outdrive. If it can't take that, it don't belong in the water.

 

[San_Diego_SeaRay]

The $10 endoscopes/borescopes/inspection cameras you can buy on Ebay for your smartphones work pretty good for the money. They can get into just about anywhere. Just another thought.

 

[QBhoy]

You sure it?s leaking through transom? Water turns up in boats from all different locations and over time too.
Could be from anywhere forward of there it all usually finds its way back to the bilge.
Windows, hatches, windscreens, canopy, covers. Domestic water systems should all be suspect.

 

[cableguy1979]

No Im not sure its the transom....I have own two boats that water did leak in through the transom.....In my experience if it has some significant amount of water I always worry about the transom. I do plan on taking it to the lake and dipping it in the water this weekend and looking for leaks not running and running. I will post back with what I find....If it leaks through the transom I will have a good 454 mag and Bravo 1 outdrive for sale. I don't think I want to take on a big project like removing the engine, outdrive and all rotten wood.

I have definitely jumped on top of a outdrive before but they always seem to leak from the bottom. If the transom is good and doesn't leak Ill have a good project though. This boat was not very well taken care of. It will need a floor section repaired, new carpet, new vinyl, tune-up, prop repaired, sound system, lighting, bimini top, and lots of elbow grease.

 

[ghunttwo]

Checking for a hollow or rotted transom is quite easy.

​Get a plastic hammer, tap on the outside of the transom with moderate force and you will hear a solid "Crack" if solid and a definite different "Thud" if rotten or hollow/ delaminated. You will hear the difference. That's the way we check for delamination in all size fiberglass boats .

 

[JASinIL2006]

Tap rest is not reliable. Drill from inside the transm. It?s the only way to be sure.

 

[rickasbury]

The water your talking about is nothing. How about rain? What type of boat do you have? Does it have an a/c system? My a/c will put that much in the boat in one night

 

[cableguy1979]

No its a cuddy there is no other reason for that much water. I've had boats that never took any water ever. It has no coolers ac onboard drains or tanks. Its so cold outside im having a hard time doing any work to the boat.

 

[Grub54891]

. Its so cold outside im having a hard time doing any work to the boat.[/QUOTE]
​If the transom is frozen from cold temps, it nay not leak. Water expands when froze. Also if ya run it in below freezing temps, you will have to winterize the motor when done.

 

[ghunttwo]

I Should have smack it hard but I didn't want anyone to use a sledge hammer or a roofing hammer and damage the surface your testing.
If the "Tap test " isn't reliable someone should tell all the surveyors that survey 20,000,000.00 yachts. Imagine the Captain or owner seeing a surveyor go at his yacht armed with a drill.
It takes a little practice and a good ear and is very useful.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I Should have smack it hard but I didn't want anyone to use a sledge hammer or a roofing hammer and damage the surface your testing.
If the "Tap test " isn't reliable someone should tell all the surveyors that survey 20,000,000.00 yachts. Imagine the Captain or owner seeing a surveyor go at his yacht armed with a drill.
It takes a little practice and a good ear and is very useful.

any surveyor worth his pay uses a moisture meter and a FLIR camera

the tap method has proven time and time again, it is not reliable.

as far as yachts go, most are carbon fiber, aluminum or steel hulls. Westport and Meridian are among of the few yacht builders that builds fiberglass yachts until you get down to the production boat category of Sea Ray, Cruisers, Tiara, etc. those hulls are full GRP and use stringer tubs.

day cruisers, pocket cruisers, older cuddys and other such boats are simply production boats.... Not yachts.

if you dont need a ticket (captains license) to pilot it, its not a yacht