My boat is taking water ! About 2 gallons per hour, regularly ...

[shellone]

On a Chapparal 205 SCI with a 5.0 Mercuiser V8 I have an alpha one 2nd gen drive. One of the trim pistons got stuck before summer and I had to replace it. To access the sunk-in screws I had to remove the block anode, which actually was in good conditions ... so I just placed it back after repair. Ever since I have water infiltration, quite regularly 2 gallons per hour and the water seems to reach the bilge just above the drain plug. So at first I resealed the drain plug, that had been exposed to very low temperatures, but nothing changed. A Merc dealer suggested that I might have to replace the gasket above said anode; another Merc dealer tells me that no leak can be borne in that area. I recollect that there was some remains of a gasket when reinstalling the anode which I did not particularly care, so removing the block anode I might find a wrong set of components anyway and i do not seem to find schematics for correct reassembly. Can anyone confirm that the area behind or around the block anode might be the cause for the leak? And can anyone point me to some schematics or part list?

 

[tpenfield]

It sounds like you also loosened or removed the trim cylinder manifold in the process :noidea: . So the gasket area may be the source of your leak.

 

[shellone]

It sounds like you also loosened or removed the trim cylinder manifold in the process :noidea: . So the gasket area may be the source of your leak.

Thanks Ted !

You not only explained how I got to my leak in the first place, but also why two specialists have two different opinions ... of course I removed also and mainly the manifold to better access the screws that held the hoses in need of replacement. Concentrated as I was to properly connect the new hoses I sure did not much worry about gaskets. Does ten liters of saltwater (15 - 20 secs bilge pumping) per hour make sense as amount that leaks through a missing (sigh) gasket ? Good news is that for once the repair will not cost much in terms of parts !

Thank you, again, also for the interesting website I got to visit ! And greeting from Sardinia, Italy.

 

[Grub54891]

Tepinfield nailed it. One boat I bought had some pretty bad bellows, replaced then, still had the same leak as you do. That darned gasket was cracked. Replaced it, water free!

 

[Old Ironmaker]

Welcome to iboats pisanno mio. Not Sardinia but a swim away. Reggio Calabria is where my Nani and Nono are from. I've never had the pleasure of visiting Sardinia, it's on our bucket list when we visit this summer, From what we have seen uno paradiso per davera. Please excuse my Italian. It's my almost 2nd language, I try.

You have come to the best boating site a la Mondo.

 

[shellone]

Tepinfield nailed it. One boat I bought had some pretty bad bellows, replaced then, still had the same leak as you do. That darned gasket was cracked. Replaced it, water free!

Yes Sirs ! When I went at it I actually realized that I had not previously touched the manifold, because once I had removed the anode I could get to the screws I needed access to; but now removing it I see a no good gasket and underwater life above the manifold (where, I take it, it should be dry). Unlucky for me I will have to wait for a couple of days before I can start looking for the gasket ... but with some luck I will try the boat on Tuesday. Hope the water leak did not cause any further damage, boat had been in the water not more than two weeks (who wants to hear the bilge pump running all the time !) .

 

[shellone]

Welcome to iboats pisanno mio. Not Sardinia but a swim away. Reggio Calabria is where my Nani and Nono are from. I've never had the pleasure of visiting Sardinia, it's on our bucket list when we visit this summer, From what we have seen uno paradiso per davera. Please excuse my Italian. It's my almost 2nd language, I try.

You have come to the best boating site a la Mondo.

Paesano Calabrese ... how I love your grandparent's homeland ! I actually was born in Rome and lived in the UK, US and Germany for most of my life, but as soon as I could afford I moved to Sardinia for good, I guess ! Where else can you leave port like this on Christmas eve (in Europe) ?

Buon anno nuovo !