water in the bilge

[gcombe74]

ok so tonight I take my 2004 out for the 2nd time... just bought a mobius 2004 lsv.

Here is my concern or question? It seems like I am getting a large amount of water in the bilge. I was just running and water started to come out of my bilge line? I did not turn my bilge on.... then I was like ... ok lets turn it on and see? more water... ran it until it would not run again...

then a little bit later it did it again? I pulled the plug in the back of the boat when I pulled out of the lake and it took like 5 min to drain? is this normal... this is my first V drive?

thanks.

[BensonWdby]

Probably the packing nut on the drive shaft. Since it is a 2004 there is probably room to tighten it som more. Search this MSg Board for Pack, Jam, Nut.

I recently repacked my 99 Movius without removing the drive shaft. Pretty easy really. Not sure if V-Drive is as simple ...

Dave

[lowdrag]

Yep probably the shaft packing. If that's not it though, check the exhaust lines inside the engine compartment and the ballast plumbing.

[zabooda]

Yep, I just tightened the packing nut tonight after two years. Half hour to take the parts off to get to the nut and 20 seconds to adjust.

[Pacs007]

At least take time to find out where the water is comming from. We had a major leak when one of the screws holding the wake plate on had fallen out. We also had a loose ballast fill line that dumped water in the bildge. All of this on a 2006 boat. Both were easy to fix once they were discovered.

Good Luck

[JoeTechie]

I agree w/ Pacs - you will need to get this on the water, open every possible cover and look w/ your own eyes. Water entry is bad, but it is usually easy to locate the source if you are paitent. Pull the back seat forward, and open the v-drive cover - that will give you a direction into the bildge pump, so you can trace it back.

Good luck,

Joe

[gcombe74]

thanks guys... I was not sure really where to start. my initial thoughts where something with the drive shaft... since its the only item penetrating the hull in the water besides water intakes and speedometer. I have checked all the rest... like wake plate and ballast lines ext...

I figured not a ballast issue... I had not touched the ballast system when this all started. so did not pump any water on board... just started running on the lake?


will see if I can find any posts like you mention on how to do this...

[qb12]

Has the boat ever overheated. Any possible way it is leaking thru a cracked exhaust.

Other than the shaft packing not being tight that is the only other thing I can think of.

Since you have not used the ballast is the thru hule ballast cut off switch in place.


db

[gcombe74]

Ok one last question? What is recommended to repack? grease type? And what is the best procedure... just do it on the trailer from the under side? I assume this is where the nut is after reading? Channel locks used from reading one post? Or would you reccomend repacking and tighten? I guess what I am saying is this... I want to get it right the first time... or at least stoped the first time... taking it out tommorow night again and if this is the cuprit want to verify that its fixed? or at least off the list?

[gcombe74]

hard to say if it has been over heated? I actually live in utah... but bought this boat from a gentlemen in texas. It only has 56 hours on the boat... and I dont know the history? I would have to assume no? Its in great shape, and I would assume he took great care of it.... I had to drive it 1200 miles to get it home, and wonder if that is part of the v-drive nut being loosened, the highway is not a kind place? I did look at the motor running and did not see any water comming from the exhaust or manufold.

[qb12]

You don't do it from the bottom side.

Give me your email address and I can send you what Skiers Choice sent me for replacing and adjusting the shaft packing

db

[gcombe74]

[email protected]

I dont get it... how then can one guy claim to have tightened it from the bottom? so odd...

Thanks ... I appreciate it.

[qb12]

u have mail.

doug

[zabooda]

I went boating camping last weekend and had to use the bildge pump quite often. The people I was with were not familar with direct drives and didn't realize how the shaft packing system works. The bidge pump is one of the most trusted components on the boat. I determined that when the coupling starts leaking that the amount of water that leaks in increases exponentially over a short period of time.

The cord I use is the graphite inpregnated cord which should never need to be replaced until the cord can no longer be compressed. It is more expensive than the wax cord but wax changes state and migrates when heated causing failures. Where I live, most summer days are in the 90's and 100's that would cause the wax to melt when the boat is undercover (melting point is around 125 degrees). Excessive tightening of the stuffing nut will heat the cord also but will not affect the graphite.

Maybe they make it easier to work on the packing nut on the newer boats but by 98 Mobius I have to remove the rear center floor to get to the nut. To do that I have to remove the rear seat, three rear panels (they overlap the floor) and the engine cowling (attached to the floor). I see some of the competitors have a small trap door in the floor to get to the nut but then the more seams in the floor the more wear you get. It got me the chance to grease the steering also.

thanks to all for the help... it was the packing nut... and as most stated easy to fix.

thanks to qb12 --- doug thanks for all the help... my reccomendation... ask him... I appreciate all the time you took and the call to skidim!!! you should have a moomba subcontract !!!

thanks.

[BensonWdby]

The packing is a Garlock wax rope packing. It is about 0.25 inch diameter. I recently got that info from Brain on this board.

It is NOT grease.

Not sure abouot V-Drive, but the direct drive nut is inside the boat. I had to remove the clamshell, remove a small section of the floor, and the nut is clearly visible on the drive shaft. When in the water you can see water running in around the drive shaft if it is not perfroming correctly.

This is a Double Nut arrangement. The large nut has 3 layers of packing inside it around the shaft. The skinny nut below it is the tightner nut. I used a pipe wrench because I did not have a big enough crescent. A channel locks would probably work.

While not in the water - lossen the skinny nut clockwise. Use both HANDS to tighten the big nut (clockwise). If it does not move at all, you probably need to repack. You might be able to tighten gently (!) with channel locks, for short term fix. A small amount of water is desired.

If you find you need a wrench I am guessing you will need to repack next time you start getting water.

Process is basically the same but instead of tightening big nut, loosen (using a wrench is OK here) it and slide it up the drive shaft. Lay on the floor or in the engine compartment so you can see the packing inside the nut around the shaft. The rope may look more like a plastic washer but trust me - it is a rope. I used a narrow screwdriver to pry the packing out, trying to avoid contact (nicking) with the drive shaft. There should be 3 layers of rope.

Try to salvage at least one of the layers in its entireity so you can use it as a template for cutting the new rope. You should get 12 inches f rope to start.

Cut the first piece so that it completely encircles the shaft and gently push it into the nut with your screw driver. Make a note where the the joint is.

Cut the second piece same way and place it in the nut so the joint is 180 degrees oppposite the first layer, gently press into nut.

Cut the third piece the same way and place it so that the joint is 90 degrees rotated from the first two layers. Gently press it in place.

Thread the nut over the shaft tube BY HAND and use both hands to tighten it. Then bring the skinny nut up andtighten it with the wrench. Don't overtighten.

Test in water before you put floor back together.

HTH
Dave

[gcombe74]

I feel a bit bad, you typed so dang much... I actually have it fixed. Talk about a pain. I guess not to bad... but not alot of room on a V drive... had to take off a water hose... but not to bad... and it only took maybe 20 min total. Wont count the drive time to the lake to test before and after... recall I was not sure that the problem was... but it did end up being this packing nut... it was driping away just sitting in the water. and really ran when I put in gear...

Doug thanks so much for the help.


as well the Moomba Mobius lsv 2004 I have is 3/16 packing rope. just in case this ever gets searched down the road.

[BensonWdby]

Glad you got it fixed.

Typing is not a big deal for me - it's what I do all day at work as a developer.

Dave

Dave love the personal site on comcast... oh man those water ski vids.. that is some funny stuff to watch!

[lowdrag]

Next time you're out, check it again and make sure it's still dripping a little bit. A drop or 2 every 10 or 15 seconds. If it's not, you've overtightened it and will end up burning up the packing and possibly damaging the shaft.

[NCSUmoomba]

It is not grease the nut is packed with. If I recall correctly, it is kind of like rope with a waxy stuff impregnated in it. And you cannot access it from underneath. You have to access it from above. It is located just before the shaft penetrates the hull. And yes a pair of channel locks or a wrench should do it. They recommend tightening it with the boat in the water because there is an appropriate amount of drip you are aiming for. If I remember correctly, it is one drip every 30 seconds. You don't want to get it too tight, I assume the water is helping to lubricate the seal, and keeps the heat of friction of the shaft on the seal down.

[JoeTechie]

LOL - um... NCSUMoomba... you may want to read the thread before you reply. Check 4 posts above yours.

:)

-J