Say it ain’t the transom!

[SSTKO81]

I’m really not sure what to make of this. Running on the muffs in the driveway I have what appears to be water dripping down the transom. I checked around hoses and the exhaust and didn’t see any signs of water. In theory that should be the only place water could be coming from unless there’s some gremlins elsewhere. Thoughts?

 

[matt167]

Could be the water hose through the gimbal housing.

 

[flashback]

Have you had the drive off for maintenance?

 

[Scott Danforth]

Is your boat older than 15 years? 2010 build or older?

 

[kenny nunez]

Raise the drive and put as much of your body weight on the drive and watch if the transom flexes

 

[Bondo]

Ayuh,..... Is isn't there a bolt missing, right where I see the droplets falling,..??

 

[Scott06]

So it seems like water is coming down the transom when running on muffs on the wagon? Look back there when running can’t have water coming in transom when it’s not in the water

 

[SSTKO81]

Thank you all. Good thoughts. Bondo, yes, there is a bolt missing at the flywheel cover. It went missing years ago and I just never put it back.
The boat is an ‘81 sea sprite. I check the hull every year for damage, though she lives in dry storage so rot would seem odd at this point. No flexing at the transom and water hose is tight to the gimbal housing. I
I DID find that my power trim is no longer working. It’s hard to tell because I can’t reach, but it may be trim oil ??? I’ll take out the seats and dig in today.

 

[kenny nunez]

Try disconnecting the short hose at the thermostat housing then connect your garden hose to it so that water just goes into the exhaust manifold. This way the engine does not have to run and you should be able to find the source of the leak.

 

[airshot]

Thank you all. Good thoughts. Bondo, yes, there is a bolt missing at the flywheel cover. It went missing years ago and I just never put it back.
The boat is an ‘81 sea sprite. I check the hull every year for damage, though she lives in dry storage so rot would seem odd at this point. No flexing at the transom and water hose is tight to the gimbal housing. I
I DID find that my power trim is no longer working. It’s hard to tell because I can’t reach, but it may be trim oil ??? I’ll take out the seats and dig in today.

Only way to check transom and stringers is to drill a small hole and check for water or rotten wood. Flexing can be a telltale, but I have saw rock solid no flexing transoms with soft wood inside. Being a 1981, the odds are not in your favor, better to be safe than sorry.

 

[SSTKO81]

As for the status of the transom, I can’t say; but I did find the source of my “water”. Turns out one of my trim lines running back under the gimbal had a pin hole and was pushing out foamy W30. The bilge has oil all over it. So now I’m on the hunt for replacement lines.

 

[tank1949]

I’m really not sure what to make of this. Running on the muffs in the driveway I have what appears to be water dripping down the transom. I checked around hoses and the exhaust and didn’t see any signs of water. In theory that should be the only place water could be coming from unless there’s some gremlins elsewhere. Thoughts?

Used a mirror and still nothing??? UR screwed. If you keep boat, replace transom. A JOB!!!!!!