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Midship tank leaking


Bill_AirJunky

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We keep the boat on the lake for weeks at a time in the summer. Late last year we had a situation where the boat started taking on water for no apparent reason. I pulled the boat, parked it in the driveway, leveled it out & filled the bilge up with water. We determined that it was the prop packing that was leaking. A couple weeks ago we installed one of SkiDim.com's "semi dripless" Gortex packings. Everything went flawlessly & we've since got it adjusted so it is "semi dripless".

So all the time I've been watching for any water in the bilge. We rode yesterday & noticed some water in the bilge, specifically after we filled the ballast. So today we put the boat in the lake & watched for water. The bilge stayed dry until the midship ballast was full, then it was overflowing in the bilge. Thru the midship hatch I can see the water pouring over the top rear of the ballast tank, but only after about the same time as the tank starts overflowing out the thru hull fitting.

Bitchin...... so how to access the top of that tank? Some way of pulling up the floor?

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Bill,

Funny, mine does exactly the same thing. I will make you a deal.....I plan to do this repair in a couple of weeks during spring break and I can give you the lowdown of how it went. If you do yours first, you give me the lowdown.

I am pretty sure you have to pull the fuel tank, and then slide the midship ballast tank back. Not sure yet if it is going to be easy or a PITA could go either way. I intentionally left my fuel tank empty at the end of the season just so I could go in and do this repair. Anyway keep in touch.

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I'm not adding anything here. I have heard that tank is very inaccesible. Good luck to both of you.

Well in a worst case scenario we could just plumb some concrete in right into the through hull and call it good... :crazy:

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I had the same issue once the tank filled I would start getting water in the bilge (not over the top but coming from underneath)... but it was only once it filled. Took it to the dealer and it was the fitting for the fill pump at the back that was cracked... seemed weird that it wouldn't leak until full but they swear it is fixed. Had it done during the winterizing so not sure until spring if it right. It was a 3 hour charge just to fix the fitting as it broke of when they tried to remove it because it was split. So..... have a close look at fittings you can see before you go any further because if you can fix it without removing the tank life would be much better. As per the previous post to remove the tank requires removal of the gas tank then slide it back. Agreed it would be a major PITA. Hopefully it is as easy as a fix that can be done in place. Not sure of the difference between LSVs and VLX but I have a small access hatch beside the driver to get at the front and mid fill and drain pumps and a hull drain.

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I had the same issue once the tank filled I would start getting water in the bilge (not over the top but coming from underneath)... but it was only once it filled. Took it to the dealer and it was the fitting for the fill pump at the back that was cracked... seemed weird that it wouldn't leak until full but they swear it is fixed. Had it done during the winterizing so not sure until spring if it right. It was a 3 hour charge just to fix the fitting as it broke of when they tried to remove it because it was split. So..... have a close look at fittings you can see before you go any further because if you can fix it without removing the tank life would be much better. As per the previous post to remove the tank requires removal of the gas tank then slide it back. Agreed it would be a major PITA. Hopefully it is as easy as a fix that can be done in place. Not sure of the difference between LSVs and VLX but I have a small access hatch beside the driver to get at the front and mid fill and drain pumps and a hull drain.

Actually I have already fixed that fitting as well. In this case the water is running off the top of the tank. You can see it if you pull the access as the midship ballast is filling.

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Actually I have already fixed that fitting as well. In this case the water is running off the top of the tank. You can see it if you pull the access as the midship ballast is filling.

Yea, I've caught that fitting leaking a couple years ago. I pulled the pump, then reassembled it tightened down. It's been fine up till now. I'll have to double check it though.

Today I definitely had water from the top side of the tank. There are two hoses going that way that can be seen from the midship hatch by the driver's seat.

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Yea, I've caught that fitting leaking a couple years ago. I pulled the pump, then reassembled it tightened down. It's been fine up till now. I'll have to double check it though.

Today I definitely had water from the top side of the tank. There are two hoses going that way that can be seen from the midship hatch by the driver's seat.

Yup I am sure we have the same issue. I will probably start mine on the 19th.

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Yup I am sure we have the same issue. I will probably start mine on the 19th.

Maybe I'll pull the floor up & see whats involved in removing it. There has to be at least 4 hoses (2 filler, 1 vent & 1 fuel line to the EFI). Mine is over 1/2 full right now so I may have to ride a couple more days before I get to pull the tank.

Looking forward to hearing what you find.

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Mine is at the dealer right now for this. I told them I was getting a lot of water coming in and I suspected the midship ballast tank, I just wanted them to check it out and see if they could locate something. They found a cracked fitting on the midship ballast, not sure which one but apparently the fitting is part of the tank and not repairable. So Malibu sent them a new tank. Yes, the fuel tank and all hoses and lines need to be removed. Malibu sent all new fuel lines and hoses to replace just because.... just because Malibu is AWESOME :rockon: It's all covered under warranty, which expires next month!! Sorry, didn't mean to rub the warranty part in :biggrin:

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Mine is at the dealer right now for this. I told them I was getting a lot of water coming in and I suspected the midship ballast tank, I just wanted them to check it out and see if they could locate something. They found a cracked fitting on the midship ballast, not sure which one but apparently the fitting is part of the tank and not repairable. So Malibu sent them a new tank. Yes, the fuel tank and all hoses and lines need to be removed. Malibu sent all new fuel lines and hoses to replace just because.... just because Malibu is AWESOME :rockon: It's all covered under warranty, which expires next month!! Sorry, didn't mean to rub the warranty part in :biggrin:

But your going to miss all the fun :crazy:

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I talked to our local sales guy, who in turn talked to their maintenance tech about this problem. He said it's usually an L fitting on the return line that cracks. He seemed to think that he could replace it without removing the tank. And asked if I could see the fittings. I told him the gap between the floor & the tank was only like an inch or so. I haven't gotten my face down there to see if I could see much. But maybe I'll give it a shot & see how far away they are from the edge of the hatch.

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I just got off the phone with Paul from Bakes and we should be able to just slide the ballast tank back to gain access. i think this is going to require pulling the fuel tank, but possibly there is enough room to just slide the tank back. I kind of want to anyway as it will be a good chance to clean the fuel tank. He also suggested that it may be the hose.....he explained that sometimes the fiberglass rubs a hole in one of the hoses.

Guess we just gotta dive in and inspect it.

Edited by Ruffdog
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Hmmm, so I was under the impression that the fittings were actually on the top of the tank. I actually saw water flowing over the top of the tank, like it was coming from somewhere on top, towards the front, and then flowing back.

Heres a shot in that hatch. The 3 arrows are the 3 fittings. I don't think these are my problem.

IMG_2158.jpg

But a worn hole in one of the hoses would explain it. Wonder how that is replaced?

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Hi Bill,

So I finally went out to the garage to look and I had the hose pulled in 10 minutes or less. :yahoo: it is pretty easy to do.

First disconnect the hose from the fill pump and tie some twine to the hose. It is better to cut the hose rather than break the pump trying to get it off.

Second undo the zip ties that are securing the loop of hose inside the storage.

Third pull the hose up through from the inside of the storage.

Fourth feed the hose back through from the inside of the storage while pulling from the hatch. Make sure the twine stays put or you will have a more difficult time feeding the new hose through.

Now for the Huh? On my boat when I shined a light into the hatch, I discovered that malibu had crossed the hoses over the top of eachother. were talking two approx 1 inch hoses lapped over one another in a 1 inch space. My hoses were crushed, the fiberglass didn't rub through them.

Uh, I took some pics but I er.....forgot to renew. I guess I will give photobucket a try. And I will get on the renewal WG...

Edited by Ruffdog
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Yabetcha,

That very much sounds like my problem...... water flowing over the top of the tank into the bilge, only when the tank is full & overflowing out the thru hull.

So any idea which hose I'm looking at replacing here? And it goes up to the compartment where the batteries are sitting behind the spotter's seat?

Getting warmer here..... :rockon:

Edit: HA! Good stuff, Ruffdog!! Thanks!

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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Yabetcha,

That very much sounds like my problem...... water flowing over the top of the tank into the bilge, only when the tank is full & overflowing out the thru hull.

So any idea which hose I'm looking at replacing here? And it goes up to the compartment where the batteries are sitting behind the spotter's seat?

Getting warmer here..... :rockon:

Edit: HA! Good stuff, Ruffdog!! Thanks!

Okay so it is the hose that comes from the fill pump that your replacing. It travels from the fill pump up to the battery compartment, makes a U-turn and heads straight back to the tank.

Since your replacing the hose anyway, it would really help to cut the hose off of the pump.

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Sounds very familiar, from another VRide owner. Check the link below for what I discovered and fixed.

ybetcha.......I completely forgot about that thread! :lol:

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Sweet, nice goin. Now I wish I had my boat in the garage. I'd go fix it now.

Thanks. Sounds like this is going to work out a lot better than I thought it would.

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Ruffdawg, Yabetcha, you are both da man!

I got the hose out tonite. Didn't have any yellow twine, but I found some white stuff. Should do the job. And sure enough, just like you said, the hose is cracked from being crushed. :crazy:

It was the hose that goes from the pump in the hatch on the passenger side thru the bottom of the hull, loops thru the battery compartment, and then to the inlet on the tank. It's 84" long & I'll be lookin for a new piece tomorrow.

IMG_2159.jpg

Thank you both for the help!

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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I owe you thanks as well :lol: It took your posts to get me off my can and go out in the garage and actually look at the thing. After actually studying it for a bit I realized there are no fittings on the front side of the tank and that it must be a hose. Of course I should have known that cause ybetcha told me that last year. :lol:

Oh and the comment on the twine.....just my strange sense of humor coming out.

Bakes has the hose, you can buy it by the foot.

Edited by Ruffdog
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