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Where's the bilge pump? and other Maintenance Issues


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Just launched my new-to-me 1998 Malibu Response LX today after big-time cleaning and maintenance. Before launching, I turned on the bilge pump switch but couldn't hear it running. I looked around for it, but couldn't find it. On my previous boat, it sat right under the engine near the through-hull drain. I also noticed that the switch did not have an "auto" position like my old boat. It just had the "on" or "off" position. If I don't have a bilge pump, I would like to get one that has the "auto" feature and would appreciate any recommendations.

Once I got the boat off the trailer, I started it up to get the engine oil moving into the new filter and see how much more oil I needed to add beyond the 4 quarts already added. When opening the engine cover, I noticed about 3 inches of water in the bilge. I was very careful to make sure I had the plugs in including the manifold drain plugs, "through hull", stern plug, knock, and shower/heater block plugs. I removed the heater core from the boat and used a 1/2" copper pipe to connect the two hoses together until I can get a new heater core. The core must have frozen last year due to poor winterization.

The thing I did notice is when I turned the bilge pump switch on and off, there appeared to be a drain on the voltage.

Another thing I noticed was at high rpm going around the lake, the oil pressure guage pegged at max. When throttling back, the oil pressure drops to about mid-way on the guage.

The speedos indicated lower than I was going and the left was indicated slower than the right.

Advice would really be appreciated.

Does anyone have a downloadable maintenance manual? I am very handy and do most of the work on my cars and boats.

Thanks,

Wood

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Your bilge pump is likely frozen up...hence the drain on the battery when you put the switch to 'on'...may be a good time to replace it.

The auto feature of the bilge pump does not require input from you, hence the on/off only positions on the dash switch.

The pump should be located slightly forward of your ski pylon. There is likely a plastic 'plate' separating the that part of the bilge from the part you can see. Mine comes out with 4 screws, then you can see the pump.

How long did you run the boat? My oil pressure will read 'high' until the oil warms up, then settles down. Probably because the oil is more viscous when it is cold.

Hope this helps, and congratulations on the new boat....have a good summer.

Edited by rts
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Your bilge pump is likely frozen up...hence the drain on the battery when you put the switch to 'on'...may be a good time to replace it.

The auto feature of the bilge pump does not require input from you, hence the on/off only positions on the dash switch.

The pump should be located slightly forward of your ski pylon. There is likely a plastic 'plate' separating the that part of the bilge from the part you can see. Mine comes out with 4 screws, then you can see the pump.

How long did you run the boat? My oil pressure will read 'high' until the oil warms up, then settles down. Probably because the oil is more viscous when it is cold.

Hope this helps, and congratulations on the new boat....have a good summer.

Thanks for the reply. I did not know that the pump was ahead of the pylon. Do you access it from the engine compartment? Are the screws mounted on the vertical, i.e. parallel to the water? The reason I ask is that it has been pouring rain here since I launched the boat and I'm really not too motivated to go get soaked again.

As far as the oil pressure goes, I did about 1/2 lap around a 150 acre lake so I only had the boat running about 5 minutes or less before putting her on the lift.

Wood

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I have to agree w/ rts on all that he commented on. The bilge is auto when it is in the "off" position and shouldn't require anything from you to run. When it senses water in the bilge (enough water that is) to turn on, it should turn on by itself. However, if your's is froze up, then get a new one! As for the speedo's, they are adjustable w/ the switches on the dash. I used GPS to calibrate one and then just calibrated the other to match it.

Oh......BTW, Congrats and Welcome.gif

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Yes, you access if from the engine compartment. Look 'forward' of the engine. It will likely be just forward (but within reach) of the engine compartment opening. I had to service mine a couple weeks ago, and you need to be a bit of a contortionist to get to it, but it's there somewhere.

And I'll bet your oil pressure acts 'normal' after the oil (not engine cooling water) is warmed up properly. 1/2 lap around the lake won't do it.

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