www.iFourWinns.com

She's been taking on water in the bilge since I started the season this year and I can't figure it out. I summerized myself which included re-connecting all the water hoses, re-installing the 4 drain plugs and changing the impeller. I ran it on the hose at home before taking it to the lake the first time this year and I did not detect any water leaks. I even installed the main boat drain plug with it out of the water, ran it for 15 min or so with the hose on it and not a drip comes out when I pull the plug. Now, take out on the lake and I am getting way to much water in the bilge and it only seems to be when I run it. I can run around on the lake come to a stop, bilge it, several gallons come out, float, bilge again, nothing comes out, run around on the lake and it's got gallons of water in it. I'd sware it was a leaking engine/exhaust drain plug or hose, but I can put my hand right on them with the engine running and hot and feel no drips at all. I see no drips coming from the water hoses to and from my water pump. No cracks in the welds on the exhaust pipes that I can see or feel and no whining or grinding sounds coming from the lower unit. What could it be? I am stumped.

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2008 H210SS VP 5.7 Gi/SX
2011 Ford F150 FX4 EB

Is the bilge water warm or cold?

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Bad bellows taking on water? Seems strange...sort of. Think of it this way, maybe when you are underway, the water splashing around near the drive is making it into the bilge through the bellows. When you are floating, the water isnt getting stirred up around the bellows, so its not taking on any water....make sense?

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Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

Nauti makes sense, the bellows is there to help stop water from coming in is it not, pull the drive and check the condition of the bellows, Ebay has some really nice drive stands for cheap, if I was near you I would help you pull it.

Mike

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Mike
2007 Horizon 200 SS
5.0 GXi SX drive.

Another thought (still thinking bellows)...when you come off plane and come to rest, your wake always catches up to you. I am wondering if at that point the water is coming in through the bellows.

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Current Boat:
2004 Sea Ray 320 Sundancer "Nauti Luvin'"

Previous Boats:
1999 298 Vista "Seas The Day"
2008 H200SS "Nauti Luv"
2006 Tahoe Q4

It sounds very strange for such a new boat… I have run into some people who had leak from depth gauge transducer on the bottom. Also Captains Call outlet flange (not pipe section) could leak since a part of flange can be under the water when you are running… Just a thought.

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08 H260 VP 8.1Gi DP.....Previous
2013 Crownline E6 Merc 8.2MAG BIIIX, DTS/SC

Mine leaked from 2 spots - around the horn, and the 2 tie down loops on the transom. Hit it with some silicon, and been pretty good since.

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Alec

2006 Horizon 190
VP 4.3GL/SX, Sunsport

This is a lot of water leaking, not just a few drops. (Yes, the boat drain plug has always been in, and I've even used a wrench to tighten it, although I've never had to before, finger tight was always enough) If it was the bellows wouldn't it be getting into the drive gears and I would hear the telltale drive wine because the grease was thining out? I looked at the bellows as best I could, but they are fairly well covered and hard to inspect even with the drive fully up. Best I could tell all the hose clamp connections were tight and I was flexing the bellow hoses in my hand to see if I could see any cracks show up, but nothing that I could see. I also looked at the fittings around the Captian's Call exhaust fittings and they look to be in good shape. Mike I did check the water temp from the bilge as I emptied it and it seems to be lake temp water, definately not in the 160 - 170 degree range. Sushi, that's what's got me perplexed that this is such a new boat. You know this is going to be an easy fix, it's just figuring out where it's coming from. They did inspect/pull the drive/lower unit last season, I wonder if there is something that didn't get properly tightened back up, if there is it's not obvious. Thanks guys, keep your thinking caps on, keep the ideas/suggestions coming.

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2008 H210SS VP 5.7 Gi/SX
2011 Ford F150 FX4 EB

Is it possible to uncover the engine and run around the lake with somebody inspecting the engine compartment? Take along a mirror on a stick as well as a good flash or spot light. You could also tape some paper towels to the interior of the engine compartment and run it for a couple of minutes then look to see where it's wet....

What abot the bow eye hook? Have you opened the ski locker to make sure the water isn't coming from the front and collecting in the bilge?

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Marc, Kathlin & Nathalie


'89 Chaparral Laser 32

'93 Vista 245, 5.8L w/ King Cobra

Former Boats
'01 H260, 7.4 VP Duoprop
'98 H200, 5.0 GL w/VP SX drive

+1 on having someone do their best to watch it while under way. This is very odd. Bad seal around the transducer maybe (very unlikely)?

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Yep, did that with the admiral driving while underway as best I could using a small flash light and couldn't see or feel any leaks, just the water sloshing around in the bilge. Nothing in the ski locker, honestly haven't checked the bow eye hook, but again this is way to much water, it would have to be a gaping hole where the bow eye hook is. I feel like this is going to be one of those where I slap myself once we figure it out, maybe not.

I haven't looked closely around the transducer, but I will make it a point to roll under the boat and look.

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2008 H210SS VP 5.7 Gi/SX
2011 Ford F150 FX4 EB

I was taking on alot of water from the anchor locker drain at the bow, it was facing to far forward and was too low so I was taking on water at low speeds and rough water. It was coming in so much my bilge pump was going off often.

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Steve
2007 Fourwinns Horizon 240
VolvoPenta 5.7L DP GL 280 hp

This is interesting....but I think my anchor locker just drains to the rear bilge area, so I kind of doubt this is my case. This is my third summer with this boat and it didn't do it the first two. What did you do to fix it?

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2008 H210SS VP 5.7 Gi/SX
2011 Ford F150 FX4 EB

Just to add a few thought starters...

If it is "cool" water it most likely is before the sea water pump. Can you trace from the pump back? (I know on my boat I can't even see back there.) Off the top of my head there is the power steering pump cooler that is on the pump intake.

There is an o-ring seal from the drive to the pivot housing/transom shield for water intake. That could have gotten fouled up but I don't know if it would leak inside the boat. What about the pipe that goes from there forward? Or the pipe from there inside?

I've never worked on or even seen these parts mind you, but I have looked through the service manual before. (I am an engineer so that qualifies as entertainment for me )

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Terry
Current: 07 Crownline 255 CCR cuddy - 350 Mag MPI/B3 "Casi Cielo"

Previous:97 245 Sundowner 5.7GI/SX

Tow vehicle: 1986 GMC 2500 Camper Special 454/TH400

Mine leaked as well, lots of water, hard to find. 6.2L Merc but it might be similar.

It was the seawater pump hose directly behind the crankshaft pulley. It was not dressed properly and kept bouncing against the pulley and cut the hose. The water finally started spraying on the underside of the engine cover.

Dealer fixed under warranty very promptly. Merc hose was not available but they were able to repair it using a snowmobile cooling system hose. (Very apropo for where we live.)

I wasn't actually able to see the repair until this year when I took the back seat and "firewall" out. That sure makes working back there easier. The hose is now tied to a bracket that pulls it away from the pulley.

Hope this helps.

Greg

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2008 210SS 6.2L DTS Bravo 1 Now featuring MercMonitor w/SmartTow