www.iFourWinns.com

I have a 99 vista 298. On the starboard side next to the fuel fill, there are two vents. The most forward vent has a brown fluid come out of it, we notice thsi only when we flush the vacu-flush toilet. This would lead me to beleive the holding tank is full right? but when I look at the guage it is saying its empty. I just recently bought the boat and the owner said the tank was empty as well. Of course my first reaction is going to be to have the tank emptied again just in case the guage is malfunctioning, but is there any other reason thsi would happen? It would surprise me that even if the tank was full that it would come out of a vent. Its not the white exhaust vent that you turn on, it's the little chrome vent. Any help is appreciated.

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1999 298 Vista [color=#FF0000]Sold!!!
twin Volvo 5.7GXI

Woody: Pour you a beer, Mr. Peterson?
Norm: Alright, but stop me at one...make that one-thirty

Pump your waste tank. You could have some crap in the lines (literally).

Guages for water/waste/and even gas are about the most unreliable things on a boat.

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2008 318 Vista -SOLD, but I am still around!
All Night Long, Seattle WA

that really sounds like an overflowing black water tank (where your toliet waste ends up). Your nose should tell you.

Pump it out ASAP. Then you have some cleaning to do. If you have a vent filter, it's no good anymore. replace it or rebuild it.

If you tank monitors don't work, the first thing I would trying is cleaning the tank. This isn't as bad as it sounds. Put some Tide or other detergent in the tank and fill it half way with water. Then go ride around. Then pump out again.

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2008 V358 Two-tone Blue V/P Dual Prop 320 HP
Lake Winnipesaukee, NH

Thanks for everyones help, I am leaving now to pump it out before the holiday boating starts and will take the advice about the tide soap to hopefully get it cleaned out. I will let you know if I have any more issues.

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1999 298 Vista [color=#FF0000]Sold!!!
twin Volvo 5.7GXI

Woody: Pour you a beer, Mr. Peterson?
Norm: Alright, but stop me at one...make that one-thirty

As noted above .... you DO have, ummm ... junk, in the vent. Once you know the condition of the tank, you will have to adress cleaning out the vent system. This may involve flushing, dissassembly and replacement of the charcoal filter. Otherwise, you will keep pushing crap (how appropriate) out of the vent, just in normal operation of filling the tank as you use the system.

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Gordon Arnold
New Hampshire

2003 268 Vista ..................................................................Prior: 97 245 Sundowner

So, just to confirm, the vent that this is coming out has a charcoal filter? Its the very small chrome vent not the large square exhaust vent that this is coming out of. I just want to make sure I am understanding this correctly. Any ideas on how you clean this out? I dont know how to remove that small chrome piece but I assume there is some sort of pipe or tube that leads to it so that is where I would find the filter? I will take some pictures of the vent I am talking about. Thank you again for the clarification

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1999 298 Vista [color=#FF0000]Sold!!!
twin Volvo 5.7GXI

Woody: Pour you a beer, Mr. Peterson?
Norm: Alright, but stop me at one...make that one-thirty

Not sure about the charcoal ... but after overfilling my black water tank once and watching the nastiness floweth over ... I would think that if you're looking for a quick way to "flush" that line ... simply pump out your tank, add back soap (lots) and water and pump out. Repeat until the liquid is clear during pump out. Then, add more soap and water and let it overflow/overfill. This will force soapy water through the overflow line. Then pump out one last time. Wouldn't hurt to add a little soapy water to the toilet and pump it through too.

Assuming you can clear most of the blockage, one last step ... put some black water treatment in the tank after the final pump out. This will help in eating up what you couldn't get out.

Craig C.

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2003 Vista 248, VP 5.0 GXi-C, DP

All of a sudden the non pump out Portapotty I have doesn't seem so bad !

Graham

I have a 2000 298 Vista with vacu flush and my black water indicator is worthless as well. I get the waste tank pumped out every other week just to make sure it doesn't get too full. Unfortunately, the inevitable will happen and I just bite the bullitt and buy a new filter (maybe once every 2 years). The filter is not cheap, but well worth the investment.

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Current Boat: 2000 Four Winns 298 Vista
Previous Boat: 2000 Carver 406MY

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Brett DiMichele

It was indeed completely full, the guage is bad, I just added some water and tide and will take it for a nice spin before anchoring and watching the air show, after I will pump it again and see how it works.

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1999 298 Vista [color=#FF0000]Sold!!!
twin Volvo 5.7GXI

Woody: Pour you a beer, Mr. Peterson?
Norm: Alright, but stop me at one...make that one-thirty

The tank level gauges that come OEM are "Flaky" at best. There are some tank level indicators that affix to the outside of the tanks they look like a metal strip, I think those are the type that work and I think Bill Kearney has installed them in his Vista.

Mine are always hit or miss. I think if you look at your exploded diagrams in your master manual, I think you have a charcoal vent filter and if so, it will need to be replaced now. You can either buy one, or you could make one out of PVC and activated charcoal (available at any aquarium shop).

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Brett DiMichele

There another thread on tank indicators going, look there for more info. I just put the new design Fireboy Sensors in mine, plug and play.

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2007 358 T-5.7GXi IB
Previous Boats
'08 H240, '08 V318, '04 268, '04 225

If you have a vent filter it will be mounted in the engine area. There will be a hose from your holding tank to the filter and another hose to the small chrome vent. In some cases the vent filter mounts to the holding tank.



The filter looks like this:



If you want to really clean the vent tubing, the connections to the vent filter are garden hose style...

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2008 V358 Two-tone Blue V/P Dual Prop 320 HP
Lake Winnipesaukee, NH

Or you could try a refillable filter such as the Big Orange filter, just in case it happens again. It's a little more money up front but the refill kit is inexpensive and it's easy to refill. http://www.bigorangefilter.com