Exhaust Question / Non-Engine Center Storage Compartment Question

[ccave04]

Wasn't sure whether to post this in Engine questions or non-engine questions as I have two different questioins.

Anyways, I just recently purchased a 2000 Marada 198 SKE that has a Mercruiser 5.0L V8 Engine in it.

After reading the forums the past couple weeks I have realized how important it was to have good ventilation in the engine compartment. The first time I had the boat out I ran the blower for 5 minutes prior to start up and then we were off on the lake and just took it for a nice cruise because the whether was so/so. We never started / stop so I didn't smell any fumes the whole time. 2nd time I took the boat out I went fishing and again used the blower for 5 mins on start up and when we were idling around for fishing spots I also kept it on. At this time I realized I still smelled quite a bit of fumes while putting around and did not thing it was right. When I got home I took a close look and found that the blower exhaust hose was actually broke/rotted off down in the bottom of the boat. I purchased a new exhaust tube and replaced it and everything seems to be working great now. Now for my question, on the port side there is also an exhaust tube that goes down to the bottom of the engine compartment, it currently is not connected to anything and I am wondering if it is suposed to be or if it is just there to help air move up to the vent?

Here is a picture of it hanging:



Picture is not perfect but basically where the pic cuts off is where it ends...

Question #2

The boat has a center storage compartment in the center of the floor (for ski's and what not). It is not in that great of shape and it looks like what ever fabric/carpet was in there has rotted away. It is now just down to wood, but all the wood is sound and there are no soft spots anywhere. When the boat gets water into it (splashing, hosing off for cleaning, rain sneaking past covers) this compartment fills up with water. There is a whole in the stern side of the compartment that looks like water would run down, but there is a piece of plastic in front of it (see picture). So if water gets in the compartment it just sits in there ( I have currently been shop-vacing it out after cleaning or if I notice any water in there). Should I drill a small hole in the plastic for draining to the back of the boat (I have no clue what the piece of plastic is and I would obviously search out further before drilling but I have to unscrew a bunch of floor boards to figure out what it even is). I assume this should be able to get water into it and drain out, am I wrong? Please see pictures below:




Any help suggestions would be appreciate. This is my first boat so I don't really know what i'm doing, sorry if these are very basic questions / situations:facepalm:.

-Chris

 

[Don S]

Re: Exhaust Question / Non-Engine Center Storage Compartment Question

Wasn't sure whether to post this in Engine questions or non-engine questions as I have two different questioins.

It's very simple, make 2 questions out of it, each in the proper forum.
Since neither of these are engine/drive problems, I will move this over to the Boat topics (not engine) forum.

 

[ccave04]

Re: Exhaust Question / Non-Engine Center Storage Compartment Question

Thanks / sorry.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Exhaust Question / Non-Engine Center Storage Compartment Question

Question 1)

The way the bilge vent/blower is designed to operate is simple. Fresh air in, forced air out. The hose that's comes from one vent & hanging in the bilge (not attached to anything) is there for fresh air that's drawn in to reach the lower portion of the bilge (gas vapors are heavier than air). The other vent (that's connected to the blower) is there so when the blower is turned on, any tainted bilge vapors are forced out thru a top side vent. Depending on the placement of your blower, there may or may not be a piece of corrugated tube lying in the lowest portion of the bilge. Running the blower is recommended for 4-5 minutes prior to starting the engine, but the sniff test is better. Lift the doghouse and smell for gas. If you can't smell anything, just run the blower for a minute or two. If you do smell fuel, find the source prior to starting the engine.

Question 2)
That storage well should (more than likely) drain to the bilge and any water collected can either be bilge pumped overboard or drained via the garboard plug on the way home. Find out why that piece of plastic is jammed up so tight against the hole that water can't pass. I would be leary about drilling into it, at least until you are absolutely sure it's not the gas tank.

As far as the exposed wood goes, don't waste your money recarpeting it, as it's a perfect place for mildew and mold to grow. However, I would certainly paint it with white bilge paint to protect the structural members of the boat. 2 coats should be plenty and would give the area a finished look.

 

[ccave04]

Re: Exhaust Question / Non-Engine Center Storage Compartment Question

Fireman,

Thanks for the reply. It makes perfect sense that the second hose is for air-intake, I just wanted to be sure it shouldn't be connected to anything else and now I dont have to worry . As for the storage well, I appreciate the suggestion on the bilge paint I hadn't even thought of that and that will be much easier / appropriate for that compartment. Regarding the draining of the compartment I guess I will have to take up the floor boards (requires removing seats and other obstacles) to find out exactly what that plastic is. If it is the gas tank, would there be a reason that it would be pressed so tightly against that drainage hole? Just thought I would ask, I assume the answer will not be known until I find out what the plastic is....

Thanks again for the help, I will post what I find out when I get sometime to investigate...

 

[91rr]

Re: Exhaust Question / Non-Engine Center Storage Compartment Question

Looks like the plastic might be a replacement gas tank so I'ld be careful about drilling it before verifying what it is.

 

[oops!]

Re: Exhaust Question / Non-Engine Center Storage Compartment Question

yes.....that plastic is the gas tank.....

an incorrectly installed gas tank......the cheap quick fix is to add another bilge pump in that locker area. the proper fix is to remove the deck ans re install the tank......however...if the tank is squished up against both ends....you will be removing the forward bulkhead and moving forward a few inches.... thats a lot of work. once you are in there.....it will be a lot larger job than you think.

 

[ccave04]

Re: Exhaust Question / Non-Engine Center Storage Compartment Question

Thanks for all the input. I do plan on tidying up the compartment with sanding and/or grinding before the bilge paint. Now, how involved / difficult would the insertion of a second bilge pump be. I am not very experienced, I assume I would have to wire everything into the current bilge switch / battery and also run water lines to the exisiting bilge dump? Is this something I should attempt to tackle on my own or should I head to the local marina and see what it will cost for them to install. I don't mind getting my hands dirty and giving it a whirl but like I said I lack any experience... I suppose there is only way to learn though...

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Exhaust Question / Non-Engine Center Storage Compartment Question

There may be another option, but it would be "hit-or-miss" type attack. By putting a small (1/2") drain hole in the floor of the compartment, the water may drain down into the bilge from there, going under the tank. However, there may or may not be flotation foam stopping the water. You'll either be the king or the idiot for trying it! Worse case scenario is that it doesn't work and you put a rubber plug in the hole you drilled. Just a thought.

As far as the tank (if that's what it is) up against the hole, I have a feeling it either shifted in it's mounting location or someone spec'd out a bigger tank than normal. Have you tried pushing on it thru the hole to see if it will slide back an inch or so? If it does, you can block it in the new position. My personal thought is that a small hole in the bottom rear corner of the well would allow the drainage. It would almost certainly drain to the same portion as the bigger hole, since there are no hoses attached to it.

 

[ccave04]

Re: Exhaust Question / Non-Engine Center Storage Compartment Question

I will have to wait until tomorrow to see if I can slide the gas tank / plastic obstruction forward (as all it has done is pour since I have been out of work). There is a half tank of gas in the boat right now, and according to previous owner its a 40 gallon tank, so I will see but it might be hard to move roughly 120 lbs through that small hole. I will definitely give it a whirl and if no movement will give it a second try next season after I burn through a tank of gas (probably will be filling up the tank for winterization and storage this weekend). If it would shift backwards and I could secure it in the matter that would be ideal.

I am also not opposed to giving the drill option a try, Fireman so you suggestion (thought) would be to drill a hole in back right corner. Should I do this straight down or at an angle (in your opinion?).

If neither of those work, I guess I will have to start looking into installing the second bilge next spring.

Thanks for the help!

 

[guy74]

Re: Exhaust Question / Non-Engine Center Storage Compartment Question

Be careful drilling drain holes, lol. My cousin drilled one to drain a compartment under the seat on his Glastron, problem was the bottom of the compartment was the hull :facepalm:

 

[ccave04]

Re: Exhaust Question / Non-Engine Center Storage Compartment Question

Lol, that thought has crossed my mind. But I'm a daring young lad... err stupid... hopefully I can slide the darn thing forward.

 

[Fireman431]

Re: Exhaust Question / Non-Engine Center Storage Compartment Question

Glasstrons are known for their single thickness hulls, as are Key Largo and a few others.

I would go straight down, just enough to break thru with a 1/8" bit and gradually go larger from there, just so you don't destroy anything below deck.

 

[ccave04]

Re: Exhaust Question / Non-Engine Center Storage Compartment Question

Well, I did get some time and tried to give the plastic a move... with no luck. I did notice the exit drain in the bilge also has the plastic "close too it". Meaning that it is not pressed water tight like it is in the center storage compartmenet but it has a bout a 1/2" gap. So I am assuming that the "replacement" gas tank is just a tight fit in there.

I haven't muscled up the courage to drill holes into the boat yet, but say I do do that (or don't) and it doesn't work. I don't really see anyway of installing a 2nd bilge pump and getting a drain hose of sorts to the back of the boat with the gas tank there anyways?

 

[ccave04]

Re: Exhaust Question / Non-Engine Center Storage Compartment Question

I know this thread was from last fall, but during the summerization process of my boat this spring I attempted drilling a hole in the lower port side of the storage locker. I went straight down and broke through the board and went a little deeper than that about 1" total. Water did not drain down, I drilled the test hole with a 1/8" drill bit, I tried one hole right in the corner and one hole in about an inch. Neiither went down to the bilge . Not sure if I should install a bilge pump or just buy a small portable pump and clean it out everyone once in a while. I am however, keeping it in a wet slip this summer, but I have a bow cover and full cockpit cover so only during heavy rains does w