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where is this "liquid" coming from and why is it coming out?
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Author:  drballard33 [ Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:11 am ]
Post subject:  where is this "liquid" coming from and why is it coming out?
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. :cry:
Author:  cougarcruiser [ Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:23 am ]
Post subject:  Re: where is this "liquid" coming from and why is it coming out?
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.
Author:  jrcinnh [ Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: where is this "liquid" coming from and why is it coming out?
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.
Author:  drballard33 [ Sat Sep 05, 2009 10:11 am ]
Post subject:  Re: where is this "liquid" coming from and why is it coming out?
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.
Author:  M3eater [ Sat Sep 05, 2009 10:44 am ]
Post subject:  Re: where is this "liquid" coming from and why is it coming out?
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.
Author:  drballard33 [ Sat Sep 05, 2009 11:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: where is this "liquid" coming from and why is it coming out?
M3eater wrote:
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.



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
Author:  mcraigchr [ Sat Sep 05, 2009 12:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: where is this "liquid" coming from and why is it coming out?
drballard33 wrote:
M3eater wrote:
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.



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


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.
Author:  Graham R [ Sat Sep 05, 2009 4:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: where is this "liquid" coming from and why is it coming out?
All of a sudden the non pump out Portapotty I have doesn't seem so bad !

Graham
Author:  298VISTA2000 [ Sat Sep 05, 2009 7:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: where is this "liquid" coming from and why is it coming out?
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.
Author:  Brett248Vista [ Sat Sep 05, 2009 7:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: where is this "liquid" coming from and why is it coming out?
Image

:mrgreen:
Author:  drballard33 [ Sun Sep 06, 2009 8:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: where is this "liquid" coming from and why is it coming out?
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.
Author:  Brett248Vista [ Sun Sep 06, 2009 8:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: where is this "liquid" coming from and why is it coming out?
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).
Author:  firecadet613 [ Sun Sep 06, 2009 4:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: where is this "liquid" coming from and why is it coming out?
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.
Author:  jrcinnh [ Mon Sep 07, 2009 9:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: where is this "liquid" coming from and why is it coming out?
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.

Image

The filter looks like this:

Image

If you want to really clean the vent tubing, the connections to the vent filter are garden hose style...
Author:  BigOrange [ Tue Sep 08, 2009 12:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: where is this "liquid" coming from and why is it coming out?
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
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