Water in the bilge? Big problem or just to be expected?

[dakst54]

So I bought a 1998 270 DA (200 hours, fantastic condition, very well maintained) and noticed there's about a quarter to a half inch of water that accumulated in the bilge. The bilge pump isn't pumping it out.

This brings up two questions:

I assume that means that either (a) the bilge pump isn't designed for pumping water that low or (b) the bilge pump isn't working properly. Which is the more likely?

Also, the water is a little brownish and after looking at it closely, it's mainly salt water, but it's mixed lightly with some type of engine lubricant/or other fluid. And yes, I've been checking the oil level, and it has remained constant.

I noticed this a week ago, have ran it since, and everything ran great.

Is this a sign of a problem or is that generally to be expected?


Thanks so much for all of the expert advice!!

Dave

 

[Dave M.]

It is always helpful if you put more information in your profile. Where are you, what motor do you have, is the boat normally kept in or out of the water?

In my boat, the bilge pump will not pump out the last quarter or half inch of water. Depends on how the boat is sitting in the water or on the trailer.

I have a slow leak in my boat I have not found the cause of yet. I suspect quite a few of us do. I keep my boat trailered. I don't know if the water leaks in while I am running the boat, while just sitting in the water, or after I load it back on the trailer. I have found and fixed several 'leaks'. The last one was the transom shower head, the valve was turned on but the shower head was off, but leaked slowly if the water pump was on. So 'leaks' can be almost anything. But sounds like yours really is coming from the salt water.

There are a couple of situations where the leak can be serious. If it is coming in from a leaky drive shaft bellows in your outdrive, then that means you have water, saltwater, in the bellows with your driveshaft and U-joint. Not good.

Also, if you have a combined fuel pump - water pump like I do, and it is leaking, that can be bad. And if that same pump is also leaking its lubricant for the fuel pump, then you may have gasoline in the pump housing where there should be only lubricant. That is a possible source of gas-oil in the water in the bilge. It happened to me; the lubricant leaking from the fuel pump, I did not have a water leak there. I have pictures of that somewhere here on the site.

Others may want to comment on possible exhaust manifold leaks. I have no experience with salt water and manifold problems, so can't comment on that. Well, except for the water leak I found at the plastic elbow on the bottom of each manifold. I have pictures of that somewhere here on the site also.

 

[out-n-aboat]

I had a similar problen on a merc. engine and the water was comming from the water pump.