2003 SX-M big leak near transom

[Space Goast]

Hey everyone, pulling my hair out on this. I have a leak in the back of my boat, that has progressively gotten much worse. I flooded the bilge with a hose with the boat on the trailer and nothing came out so the leak is relatively high up. I thought I found it when I found the speedometer pitot tube was able to move in and out, so I replaced all the sealant. i resealed everything else on the transom like the trim tabs and depth finder . Splashed my boat at the ramp and I can hear water trickling in before I even get it off the trailer. Checked the bellows and the bottom one looks older but is still soft and I can't see any holes. The top bellows looks new, soft and no signs of wear. I've pulled the foot a few times for maintenance but never the transom shield, is there a seal back there that could've worn out?

 

[GA_Boater]

Stick your phone down there in camera/video mode and look for a trickle or waterfall.

 

[Space Goast]

I'll try to get it back to a ramp and check. Crawling under it I found something that miybe a possibility. Is there supposed to be a seal around the shifter cable where it exits the transom? I can move it around and there's nothing there, big gap. I tapped all around the transom with a ratchet extension and it sounds fine, boat has always been a trailer boat, so I don't think it's transom rot.

 

[GA_Boater]

Trailer boats rot at the same rate as slipped boats - Don't assume.

Don't know if the shift cable should have a seal. It looks new, been changed recently and the leaking started?

 

[Space Goast]

I haven't changed it but only had the boat a couple years.

 

[muc]

pretty sure there should be a 3 foot long hose screwed into the transom shield that the hose runs thru.

http://www.volvopentastore.com/Tran...on_id.856368383--store_id.366--view_id.783169

#39

do you have a serial number?

 

[Lou C]

There is also a seal on the end of that hose that screws into the transom mount. You can see it in that parts diagram, same design as the OMC Cobra...

 

[dizzy1]

Just fixed a leak in my 07 5.0 GL, not sure if will help. Last year was getting about 2-3 gallons of water in the hull from a day at the lake. Pulled everything and no leaks in bellows or anything i could see. Saw the loose feeling shift cable but turns out wasn't that. While on water, running, sitting and looking around with phone camera, found 2 small leaks that together seemed to be my bigger leak. Water pump had a drip out of the weep hole, so finally broke down and replaced seals and rebuilt it. Also found good amount of water around rubber coupler on one side exhaust. Noticed while running and in gear, was getting a good leak around rubber coupler down exhaust. Didn't find any holes but was able to tighten all 4 hose clamps about 3-4 more turns each. That seemed to stop that leak. Next time out will be the test if that was all the leaks but might be something to look at.

 

[Space Goast]

Unfortunately confirmed it's leaking from the transom seal/plate. We will see if the transom is rotten when it comes out ...

 

[Space Goast]

I got somewhat lucky. Paid someone to pull the engine, transom wood is in good shape. Seal just went bad.

 

[Scott Danforth]

buy a lottery ticket

 

[Lou C]

And coat the wood with epoxy resin!
I’d also clean out the groove the seal fits in on that outer transom plate and use some sealer in the groove just in case...