new owner .. in over my head?

Dang. Typed all that on my iphone with my thumb and darn it, WDC beat me to the punch. Ha!
 
The seacock lets on the sea water into the boat. It travels through the strainer to filter out sea crap to protect the engines. A sea water pump then moves it through the cooling system. There is also a separate pump called the water circulating pump on the engine. This pushes cooling water through engine block. In sea water cooled engines it's the same water the seawater pump is sucking into the boat. In close cooled systems it moves antifreeze mixture through the engines. On those systems a heat exchanger is used to take the heat out of the engines and the seawater only goes through the heat exchanger to take the heat of the engines out of the boat.

The strainer is below the water level of the sea. So, yes, if you open the strainer with the seacock open you should start sinking the boat.

The bilge pumps are simply safety nets should too much water ever get in the boat. They have float switches connected to them that turn on the pumps once the float up to get two contacts inside of them to touch and pass current to the pump.


wow thanks guys for the two fast replies


ok thats what i thought, so i definetely had the seacock open and then open the strainer and no water came out ,, so im guessing theres some kinda plug like you all were saying and that why my engine overheated... so besides trying to change the inlet hose any other ways i could try and troubleshoot the issue?

after this happened i noticed the port bilge pump wasnt drainaing water out of the boat( starboard would) when i hit the manual bilge pump buttom .. and i wasnt sure if this was connected to the overheating .. but what your saying is that its two different systems,

so in my boat are there 2 bilge pumps? because i thought they replaced the port bilge pump as it wasnt working on the survery , and now again the port bilge does not drain
 
There are two bilge pumps and two float switches. One float switch is mounted higher than the other and is called the high water switch. It's the backup should the first pump/switch pair fail.

You could have something as simple as a piece of plastic stuck in the seacock opening. I personally wouldn't remove the hose from the seacock unless you can get it closed. You could try poking a wire back through the hose opening at the strainer and see where it hits an obstruction.
 
By the way, if you do get it cleared out with the strainer lid open don't panic. Just calmly put the lid back on and screw it down.

Also, the bilge pumps are not mechanically or electrically tied to engine operation. They are simply a bailing system to bail unwanted water out of the boat. It's generally ok to find a little water in the bilge from rain water runoff, condensation, etc.
 
i have two bilge pumps as well in my engine compartment, in every boat, they have nothing to do with the engine cooling water. you might not have enough water to trigger the float in the pump or maybe the pump is no longer functional. as with any machine, even new it might be dead.

you most likely have closed cooling as most newer, larger boats do. in this case it was mentioned before how that works, sea water does enter the boat and exit through the exhaust. this should be happening all the time when the engine is running, when you opened the sea strainer it should have poured water into your boat, something is blocking the hose or the intake under the water line. you may need a diver or at least a snorkel to take a look at it.

How long can you hold your breath?

if you have water in your bilge, try to look at all the hoses to see if there is a drip, it may increase when the engines are running but either way you need to get water into that engine before you start it again, i would bet the impeller is burnt up too as it needs to run with water or it will melt. it is usually just hard rubber although i don't know on your engines.

good luck and feel free to ask anything. congrats on the new boat too, I love those 320's.
 
i have two bilge pumps as well in my engine compartment, in every boat, they have nothing to do with the engine cooling water. you might not have enough water to trigger the float in the pump or maybe the pump is no longer functional. as with any machine, even new it might be dead.

you most likely have closed cooling as most newer, larger boats do. in this case it was mentioned before how that works, sea water does enter the boat and exit through the exhaust. this should be happening all the time when the engine is running, when you opened the sea strainer it should have poured water into your boat, something is blocking the hose or the intake under the water line. you may need a diver or at least a snorkel to take a look at it.

How long can you hold your breath?

if you have water in your bilge, try to look at all the hoses to see if there is a drip, it may increase when the engines are running but either way you need to get water into that engine before you start it again, i would bet the impeller is burnt up too as it needs to run with water or it will melt. it is usually just hard rubber although i don't know on your engines.

good luck and feel free to ask anything. congrats on the new boat too, I love those 320's.


thanks for above replies,
so where is the intake located on the underside of the boat if i were to try and clear it? i will try and see about the hoses first and put a hanger in the inlet for the strainer first

i also tried to close the seacock for the starboard engine just to see if i could and it could move it either... not sure what im doing wrong (tried both clockwise and counter clockwise turns) ..


as for the bilge .. is there a port and starbard bilge pump? theres not that much water in the bilge..i just see the starbard discharge seem like its always working and havent seen the port one discharge water since the overheating incident ... and the manual said never to run the boat if you dont see water coming out the bilge opening...
also the impeller ? i understand that is basically a propellar but inside a hose or pump? .. i just have seen throughout the forum everyone saying change the impellor, whther it is the generator, the engine, sea strainer et,... how many impellers are there?where are they usually located? and why do they seem to fail so often (based on reading the forum)




thanks for all the help guys..
 
The fact that you can't open/close the seacocks is a serious issue. They are the only real protection you have against sinking if a hose lets loose. It's time to get your mechanic onto the boat, and possibly have it hauled out of the water to service/replace the seacocks. They appear to be either corroded in place or they are obstructed (probably by whatever is blocking the water).
 
There is no port or starboard bilge pump. They aren't located with respect to the engines. They are generally located near one another in the lowest point of the boat, usually the center rear between both engines.

Can you take and post pictures of your seacocks and your bilge pumps.
 
I just reread your last post and think I see the confusion. Your manual is talking about the seawater cooling water discharging through the side of the hull. That is why it says not to run the engines if there is no visible sign of water discharging. That would mean the seawater cooling path for the engine is blocked, which means the engine would overheat. That's the condition you are in. I agree with a previous post. Time to have a mechanic look at it.
 
I think the common problem I'm seeing is you are having trouble with your seacocks. If you can't guarantee you can close them see a mechanic. If a hose bursts and you can't close your seacocks there's no way to stop the water from flooding your bilge. Your pumps should keep up, but that's never a guarantee or a way to test them.

I've gone under my boat before. It's not fun. You will have brass grilles/scoops over some of your water intakes. The AC system is likely a scoop facing backwards. They are literally right under where you see the seacock in your engine compartment. In my experience they, themselves, don't tend to get clogged. I usually find clogs in the hose between the seacock and the strainer. However, to remove that hose you must close the seacock or else you will end up with a good amount of water in your boat.

As others have mentioned your pumps are safety features of the boat. They even bypass your battery switches and will remain powered as long as your batteries aren't dead. There are two in the event one fails. When I bought my 240DA years ago my pump didn't work due to a kinked hose. Once this was fixed the pump worked fine.

It may also be worth your while to pay a mechanic for an hour of their time to walk you through some general maintenance tips. My dealer offers this for free when you buy a boat and the maintenance class has been an invaluable experience. I've done it twice. They went over everything from clamping hoses to how to fix the seal on a leaking head.
 
I once had trouble with a seacock openeing and closing, so I loaded it up with PB Blaster and after working it back and forth, it was to the point that I could open or close it with a few fingers as opposed to a cheater pipe on the lever.
 
Be a bit careful about putting too much weight into closing the seacock. A boat at our marina (not a Sea Ray) actually had the seacock crack and snap off at the base. Luckily there were two people on board at the time and one held a towel over the hole while the other ran to get help and the boat was hauled out shortly after.

Just something to keep in mind before you start putting poles on the end of the lever for leverage.
 
I just reread your last post and think I see the confusion. Your manual is talking about the seawater cooling water discharging through the side of the hull. That is why it says not to run the engines if there is no visible sign of water discharging. That would mean the seawater cooling path for the engine is blocked, which means the engine would overheat. That's the condition you are in. I agree with a previous post. Time to have a mechanic look at it.


Ok guys ..had a mechanic look at it .....it turned out to be a loose hose fitting.. When the engine would run water would leak out ( a lot per him) leading to less water cooling the engine ..( just like you guys said ....He fixed it up .. And working great

and I think I was confused about the bilge pump..I thought there was one for each side and the water came out from the small hole above the exhaust .. ? Water has always come out the exhaust ...

So what is the small hole above the exhaust ? Seems the starboard always works when I turn on the manual bilge pump.. So what's the port one for ?

As as for the sea clocks the mechanic couldn't get them open and suggested taking the boat out the water ... But imac try the pb blaster first see if that works


awesome responses ..I've never seen such a helpful online forum without berating people who are new and ask dumb questions


thanks
 
You can grab your owner's manual here: http://www.searay.com/Page.aspx/pageId/10411/Owners-Manuals.aspx

Looking at it (section 2 page 10), the port side drain is from the wet bar and bilge vent box. If you have a manual bilge pump (in addition to the automatic and switched which both drain out the starboard side), there will be a second drain on the port side.
 
Glad he figured out your engine issue. Easy fix.

A few few things to keep in mind.. Many gray water systems on your boat discharge overboard. Those are many if your holes in the hull. Ie: head sink, galley sink, etc. You also have spots where the rain/water channels will drain.

Water should always be coming out of your exhausts when the engines are running. If you don't see water stop your engines immediately. This is where the water goes after it gets pulled through your seacock, through your engine and then out. After you start your engines always check to see if water is coming out. It can sometimes take a few seconds.

Your pumps may may or may not drain to the same time. As long as they pump overboard you're in good shape.
 
That's great. Now I am confused. You wrote that he found a hose leak and everything runs great now, but still can't get the seacock open. So the stuck seacock(s) must be for the generator and/or the air conditioning system, and not the seacocks for the engines.

As the previous posts stated, there are lots of holes in the side of your boat. Some are for seawater discharge for cooling the engines, generator and a/c system. Others are simply air vents to let air in to prevent creating vacuums in fuel tanks and head systems. Others are simply gravity drains to drain water out of the sinks. Still others are for discharge of water from the bilge pumps. And finally, others are for venting smelly air from the bathrooms and the stove. That's a lot of holes. Best thing is to study the picture of these in your manual so you know where they are and when they should/shouldn't be discharging water.
 
You can grab your owner's manual here: http://www.searay.com/Page.aspx/pageId/10411/Owners-Manuals.aspx

Looking at it (section 2 page 10), the port side drain is from the wet bar and bilge vent box. If you have a manual bilge pump (in addition to the automatic and switched which both drain out the starboard side), there will be a second drain on the port side.

Yep I read that manual a bunch of times and always thought the button for the bilge pump was for the Manual pump... Plus the dealer survey the port bilge wasn't draining....or at least that what I thought I heard...so turns out the bilge was draining the whole time from the starboard ...and the hose leak just happened

also for the other poster the seacock was stuck in the open position..I was trying to close it for the strainers ...

three other questions..

how do I remove the table in the stern and In the cabin ? It seems to be bolted down....


also ran the tv and DVD .. First there is no antennae reception ... I think maybe there may not be a digital antennae but I'm not sure ...try to channel search and nothing but static ....how do I access the video PC inputs ( besides the input on the DVD player )


also is it possible to get the DVD player and tv audio playing thru the boats speakers. ?
 
also for the other poster the seacock was stuck in the open position..I was trying to close it for the strainers ...

also is it possible to get the DVD player and tv audio playing thru the boats speakers. ?
i figured I got the seacock thing backwards after I reread my post.

There is a way to transmit sound from your TV to the radio. Get a Miccus Bluetooth transmitter or the TV and Miccus Bluetooth receiver for the radio. JimFromMD did this on his 2005 300DA. If you PM him I am sure he will be glad to take you through it.

On my 04 300DA I had the optional second DVD player and flip down TV in the mid-berth. That TV had the built in capability to broadcast audio to FM channel 88.3. So if you have that option on your boat you might already have what you need.
 

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