Leaky livewell

LnCoyote · Jun 23, 2011

Hello fellow Tahoe fans,

I have a 2010 Tahoe 215cc. It is currently still under warranty. I have taken it to the dealer a few times regarding the livewell which is located in the bow between the two passenger seats. At first there was a problem with the livewell leaking directly into the boat. It appeared to be coming from the pump that is located directly underneath the livewell. Whenever I would fill it up, even half way, I could open the ski hatch and observe the water dripping at somewhat of a steady stream from what looked like the pump or the pump fittings. The dealer did correct that issue by replacing the pump.

Now the live well leaks/drains directly into the lake via the drain hole on the port side of the boat whenever I put water into the livewell. The dealer told me that it is normal for their to be a slow leak, but it just doesn't seem right to me. I can fill up the livewell 3 quarters of the way, put my bait fish in and take off down the lake. 5 minutes later I check the livewell and almost all the water has drained out and the bait fish are floppin around. I again took my boat back to the dealer and they can prove to me by filling it up that it does not leak out when sitting in the parking lot/service bay. I then explained to them that it does leak when the boat is on plane/underway and I also have video of it leaking when I am just sitting there in the water.

The livewell on my boat has two pumps. One to pump water in and one to pump water out. It does not have any kind of plug or long pipe to plug up the whole in the bottom of the livewell. I even asked the dealer if there is one that could be ordered and they explained that there is not a plug/pipe made for this model. It just doesn't make sense to me that it should leak at all. Isn't there supporsed to be somekind of stop vaulve to prevent water from draining out once it is pumped in?

I am beginning to get a little frustrated with the service team. I could sure use a little ammunition/advice to take with me when I return to the dealer on July 6th.

Any advice or suggestions is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time.

Coyote

Hashi · Jun 23, 2011

Re: Leaky livewell

Have you checked by tightening all of the hose clamps?

yourboatmyboat · Jun 23, 2011

Re: Leaky livewell

Is the water leaking into the ski locker or thru the drain to the out side??

LnCoyote · Jun 24, 2011

Re: Leaky livewell

yourboatmyboat said:
Is the water leaking into the ski locker or thru the drain to the out side??

Originally the water was leaking into the ski locker, but the dealer fixed that problem by replacing the pump (which I believe would be considered the pump out because it is located directly beneath the live well). Now the live well is leaking (or you may even call it draining) through the drain to the outside. In fact it is almost draining as fast as it would drain if you turned the pump out switch on and leaned over the side to watch the water come out the drain.

Hashi · Jun 24, 2011

Re: Leaky livewell

Sounds like the dealer replaced the pump with another bad pump...Take it back. In the meantime, use one of these http://www.iboats.com/Seachoice-Dec...808098913--**********.221979877--view_id.2920

sschefer · Jun 24, 2011

Re: Leaky livewell

Just get yourself a piece of 3/4" PVC and sand one end on a belt sander until it fits tight in the hole. The length should be the same as the max height of the water in the well so it acts as an overflow tube. You can put a piece of plastic mesh over the end to keep small bait fish from going down it. Pull it out when you want to drain it. It takes about 10 minutes to make.

FYI, 3/4 copper is a direct fit.

yourboatmyboat · Jun 24, 2011

Re: Leaky livewell

Sounds like" maybe "since it does not leak in the parking lot and does when under way that"maybe" an intermitent switch problem . Have someone sit at the bow with their hand at the pump inlet to see if the pump actually sucking the water out???.

enelson1010 · Jun 9, 2012

Re: Leaky livewell

Hi,

Did you get this figured out? I have the same exact boat and the same exact problems. The dealers (3 different stores) have all given me the run around and said there is no problem. One even told me that the 215CC didn't have 2 pumps and that if mine did, it was the only one in the world like that. So he gave me the overflow tube that was suppose to fix the problem, which didn't because it didn't fit.

I think i'm going to just find a third party solution. I'm tired of throwing dead bait overboard...

Eric

LnCoyote said:
Hello fellow Tahoe fans,

I have a 2010 Tahoe 215cc. It is currently still under warranty. I have taken it to the dealer a few times regarding the livewell which is located in the bow between the two passenger seats. At first there was a problem with the livewell leaking directly into the boat. It appeared to be coming from the pump that is located directly underneath the livewell. Whenever I would fill it up, even half way, I could open the ski hatch and observe the water dripping at somewhat of a steady stream from what looked like the pump or the pump fittings. The dealer did correct that issue by replacing the pump.

Now the live well leaks/drains directly into the lake via the drain hole on the port side of the boat whenever I put water into the livewell. The dealer told me that it is normal for their to be a slow leak, but it just doesn't seem right to me. I can fill up the livewell 3 quarters of the way, put my bait fish in and take off down the lake. 5 minutes later I check the livewell and almost all the water has drained out and the bait fish are floppin around. I again took my boat back to the dealer and they can prove to me by filling it up that it does not leak out when sitting in the parking lot/service bay. I then explained to them that it does leak when the boat is on plane/underway and I also have video of it leaking when I am just sitting there in the water.

The livewell on my boat has two pumps. One to pump water in and one to pump water out. It does not have any kind of plug or long pipe to plug up the whole in the bottom of the livewell. I even asked the dealer if there is one that could be ordered and they explained that there is not a plug/pipe made for this model. It just doesn't make sense to me that it should leak at all. Isn't there supporsed to be somekind of stop vaulve to prevent water from draining out once it is pumped in?

I am beginning to get a little frustrated with the service team. I could sure use a little ammunition/advice to take with me when I return to the dealer on July 6th.

Any advice or suggestions is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time.

Coyote

whmoore18 · Jun 11, 2012

Re: Leaky livewell

Let me put this issue in the kill box once and for all for all 215cc owners. I had the same problem after the first month. My basspro service department manager put it to me straight like this "The livewell is a bad design" so the fix is what they did in putting a valve inline between the pump out pump and the drain hole. Literally it sits right next to the pump and looks similar to the valve that shuts the main water on and off to your house. Next time I will get on my boat I will take a picture of it.

The effect is simple even when the boat sits still the livewell will leak. You got alot of pressure from that water sitting ontop of the drain and it just pushes past the pump and out. On plane water passing the drain as well as air causes a vacuum effect that sucks the water out rapidly.

Basically I close the valve fill my livewell and it will stay full all day long. When I want to empty it I simply open the valve and turn on the pump out motor and it drains. I will post a picture its very simple if you want to do it yourself as well.

kamoore · Jun 23, 2012

Re: Leaky livewell

My newly purchased used 2005 Tahoe 215 has a live well but the console switch only has on and off. Rain water has filled the well in the bow and it looks like the switch will only fill it. When I turn it on the well fills further. It is not draining and there is no plug in the drain. The owners manual is not specific to that model and indicates the switch should have recirc, auto, empty settings. Any thoughts? My thought is it is a simpler model and the drain is stopped up somewhere but I don't see any mention on this forum about this type of on/off live well system. Thanks.

theBrownskull · Jun 25, 2012

Re: Leaky livewell

In response to kamoore

My 2011 Tahoe 216WT has a live well like yours. There is a drain plug in the bottom of it and a drain on the side below the aerator. It sounds like the drain is plugged up to me.

Jay 215CC · Oct 3, 2012

Re: Leaky livewell

Kamoore, I have a 2007 215CC and like yours, my console switch is only on or off.
To change from pumpout to pumpin, you push in a manual switch in the livewell located in the pipe where the water is now coming out.
This is difficult to describe, but on my boat in the livewell, the switch is red. Push in to fill and out to pumpout.

I hope that helps.

Leaky livewell

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