Transom Leak!

[LuvBoating]

The drain plug was in, while running the engine on the muffs. After we shut the water off, I unscrewed the drain plug and at least a half of gallon of water came out of the bilge area directly under the engine. I stuck my little finger into the drain hole and pulled out some black junk that looks like it came from an old rotted hose in the drive. So, it appears the water leak is coming from the drive.

 

[Bt Doctur]

The drive usually does not "leak"water. The drive needs to be removed and a hose inserted into the water inlet.
The impeller sends water thru the drive, to the connecting hose to the transom, from inside the boat it goes to a power
steering cooler and then to the therm housing. A leak at any of those points would be very visable . Not seeing water spray from a leak then suspect
a rotted exaust pipe

see 4B-9 in here http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Servmanl/6/6B4R3.PDF
hoses 6A-11 in here
http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Techbk/97/97hga6.pdf

 

[Benny67]

Check for a hole in the exhaust manifold....If you are lucky it's this. The boat will take on water while running on muffs. Run the engine on muffs on the rack and feel if the water is warm..meaning it's leaking out the exhaust into the boat and it's warm from the engine.

To be double sure, you can remove the drive and clog off the idle relief holes on the transom, tilt the bell housing up and pour water with dye into the exhaust bellow and see if makes it's way in the bilge.

If it's leaking via the exhaust you will see the dyed water in the bilge. If it's not, the water will stay in the exhaust pipe until you tilt the bell housing back down to let the water run out.

bad news is that you will need to pull the engine to fix it...but the parts should only be a few hundred if not less if you buy them used.

Here's my post and a pic of my rotted pipe.


http://forums.iboats.com/forum/engi...d-engines-outdrives/10133811-exhaust-pipe-rot

 

[Benny67]

The drive usually does not "leak"water. The drive needs to be removed and a hose inserted into the water inlet.
The impeller sends water thru the drive, to the connecting hose to the transom, from inside the boat it goes to a power
steering cooler and then to the therm housing. A leak at any of those points would be very visable . Not seeing water spray from a leak then suspect
a rotted exaust pipe

see 4B-9 in here http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Servmanl/6/6B4R3.PDF
hoses 6A-11 in here
http://www.boatfix.com/merc/Techbk/97/97hga6.pdf

Didn't see this before I wrote my post....Dollars to donuts I'll bet you lost a flapper valve and it sat at the bottom of your exhaust port and then that magical thing that happens between aluminum and stainless steel touching each other caused a hole in your exhaust pipe where it sat and rotted since 2012

BTW,

I'm sure the broken flapper and the stainless bar are long gone somewhere where you have been boating recently.

 

[LuvBoating]

Ok, earlier this week, the Marine Service took both the engine and transom assy.and drive out. I was called to come down to the Marine Service for a look at the boat transom and the outdrive unit. They had taken the transom assy. off of the drive. The drive looks fine, as does the engine. The block of the engine (pistons, rods, etc.) was replaced in June of 2012, along with new alternator, belts, plugs and plug wires.

Transom Assembly: The transom assy. looked pretty bad, including half of it was corroded and a small steering shaft bolt was loose. It was determined that we needed a new transom assy. and, from looking at it, I agreed.
​
Boat Transom: I took a look at the boat transom itself. A guy, he redone our cuddy cabin floor and has a fiberglass/detail business next door, came over to tell me what he had seen. I could definitely rotting in outdrive opening outside the boat. The guy brought a hammer. We both got inside the boat and he showed me, by tapping the hammer head, the unsolid areas around the outdrive opening that had to be replaced. Not the entire transom has to be replaced, but a certain amount around the outdrive opening does and I agreed with that.

​So, right now the boat is back in the dry storage rack awaiting the materials to come in to fix our transom. Got an estimate of $1,800 for that. He told me "good marine wood is costly".
​The Mercruiser Transom Assy. will cost us $2,535 new. So, including the engine/outdrive removal, new transom assy. and both reinstalled into our boat, the cost (labor, part, water test) will be (estimate w/tax) $4,700. Labor is $99 an hour, but they are helping us with the cost by taking a couple of hundred off of labor. Labor is 17 hours. This $4,700 also includes removal of our old carb and install of remanufactured carb with a water test. That water test was when the bad leak was seen.

​So, have to go with the cost since the engine and outdrive are both out of the boat..

 

[tpenfield]

Wow . . . so is your total cost the $1,800 + the $4,700 = $6,500 (+/-) :blue: :faint2:

 

[LuvBoating]

Wow . . . so is your total cost the $1,800 + the $4,700 = $6,500 (+/-) :blue: :faint2:

Yep, that's what it will cost for all of it.
Have to remember, this is for:
Old carb taken off and new (bought by us) put on. Hourly labor for this.
Water-test of that carb. Hourly labor for this.
Hourly labor for engine and outdrive (transom assy. and drive) removal and reinstall.
New transom assy ( drive still good).
Parts/labor for replacing part of transom that is rotted.
Quite a bit of labor being done along with cost of transom assy. and marine wood/fiberglass parts.
Marine Service labor is $99 per hour, plus hourly labor to replace part of transom.

 

[nola mike]

I'll second that wow. Might be time to cut your losses and part it out...don't know how much of that $6.5k is already sunk though.

 

[LuvBoating]

I'll second that wow. Might be time to cut your losses and part it out...don't know how much of that $6.5k is already sunk though.

​Just paid $2,000 of $4.7k yesterday and just approved the transom fix for $2,000. With a new engine block/new hourly meter put in in 2012 and other things we've done to the boat, including new manifolds/risers, dual battery setup, new cables/starter, new cuddy cabin floor...........sure wouldn't be worth it to us to part out. It's a 1992. We originally paid $8k for the boat and should definitely get that amount back whenever we sell it (few years down the line).

 

[nola mike]

Well, you still have your engine. You could find a donor with a blown engine. Wouldn't have to mess with the transom assembly that way. You could probably find a good used one for a few hundred bucks, which would knock a good chunk off that bill.

Don't know where in FL you are, but:
http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/bpo/5753959185.html

 

[tpenfield]

The cost of fixing an older boat via boat shops, etc. often exceeds the value of the boat. That is why you see a lot of folks DIY for their boat repairs and restoration work.

Based on all of the things the OP has described, there will probably be $15-20k spent on this boat, including the initial purchase.

 

[LuvBoating]

Well, you still have your engine. You could find a donor with a blown engine. Wouldn't have to mess with the transom assembly that way. You could probably find a good used one for a few hundred bucks, which would knock a good chunk off that bill.

Don't know where in FL you are, but:
http://jacksonville.craigslist.org/bpo/5753959185.html

We live in an apartment, with no place to put an engine. The engine, transom assy. and drive are in the Marine Service shop. The boat itself is sitting back in it's spot in Dry Storage next door waiting for transom plate replacement. That will be done in the same area as the Dry Storage and Marine Service is.
We are too old (later 60's) to mess with it. I'm a computer "geek" type, not a fiberglass man or mechanic.

 

[LuvBoating]

The cost of fixing an older boat via boat shops, etc. often exceeds the value of the boat. That is why you see a lot of folks DIY for their boat repairs and restoration work.

Based on all of the things the OP has described, there will probably be $15-20k spent on this boat, including the initial purchase.

The boat cost us $8k in early 2009. The trailer was $2k (same time).
Boats cost, and when repairs have to be done by a shop, that's just the way it is.

 

[nola mike]

There's always the time/PITA v. money equation. I think getting a used transom assembly is a no-brainer though.

 

[LuvBoating]

Boat now getting into process of having part of transom replaced. The owner of the fiberglass company calls the area being replaced, the Transom Plate. Gave the Marine Service a $2k deposit and they ordered, and have received the new Transom Housing (aka Gimbal Housing). I went down last week to take a look at it and it looks terrific. The Drive part is going to look a little odd (old) when attached to this housing, but should get great performance out of the who thing.

​Yes, this is costing us, but when we decide to sell the boat, we should get at least what we paid for it. Until then, we can still enjoy boating..........that what both of us really want.

 

[airdvr1227]

I get that. Most here wouldn't spend that money on a 1992 anything however, you want to have a boat. You can take your money and go buy something completely different than what you currently own. Chances are the boat you buy could have the same problems or worse. The devil you know vs. the devil you don't. Also, most repair shops aren't gong to install used parts. I say get your boat fixed correctly and be ready to enjoy next year. It sucks that you have that kind of repair bill but such is life.

 

[tpenfield]

I think that is the value in being able to do many of these things yourself. Your boating money goes a lot further and you can overcome hurdles at a lower cost.

Not everybody can do that, or cover the gambit of work that a boat may need, but it sure helps if you can.

 

[H20Rat]

​Yes, this is costing us, but when we decide to sell the boat, we should get at least what we paid for it. Until then, we can still enjoy boating..........that what both of us really want.

Unfortunately repairs don't really help the value of the boat much, if at all. If you paid $8k in '09, it is worth substantially less than that today. But with anything related to boating, cost is secondary, first is to go out and enjoy it!

Have any pics of the repair? We like pics around here!

 

[LuvBoating]

I've done a few things to this boat, like change the ignition switch, install a pair of new cd speakers and take out the block plugs to drain the block of water for winter, but that's been it. Years ago I use to be the "backyard mechanic" type on vehicles I had, but that's long gone. Physically, I just can't do much, if any, mechanic stuff anymore and never did to a boat.

Don't know where we'd get a descent boat/trailer for what we are spending on this repair. We know everything about this boat and have every repair receipt since we bought the boat. We know exactly what's been done to it.

 

[Pete_a]

Hey there, sorry to hear about leak. If its your baby its your baby right and its special to you. Fix and enjoy, best of luck getting back to water