2006 Malibu VLX Ballast Drain Pump Location

[Jdread]

We had the drain pump for the rear left (passenger side) ballast go out. Can anyone let me know where this pump is located at? What is the best way to access the pump so we can replace it?

Thanks for all your help!

[SuperchargedC6]

That's one of the hardest ones to get to. It's under the floor in the very back left side.

Here is a pic of mine after I cut out that part of the floor. (this is on the opposite side that you are asking about, but it in the same place)

Edited June 30, 2014 by SuperchargedC6

[Jdread]

Thanks for the pictures, that really helps. I will dig into it this week.

Thanks again.

[SuperchargedC6]

No prob. Good luck!

[KL7]

I just had this exact issue. I lost my left rear and center drain pumps (stock hard tanks) this past week. I have a few questions about the locations of the pumps (sorry to take over the thread, but it makes sense to consolidate info in one).

1) Is there anyway to access the rear drain pumps without cutting the floor?

2) Anybody have a location on the center tank drain pump?

3) Anybody have a location of ALL pumps on a 2007 VLX Wakesetter? I have 4 stock tanks (2 rear, 1 center, 1 bow). I would like to know where all 8 pumps + bilge pump is located in case I need to replace (such as now! )

Both of the drain pumps will run for a few seconds and then the circuit breaker for each will pop. I'm guessing I need to replace both pumps.

[SuperchargedC6]

I just had this exact issue. I lost my left rear and center drain pumps (stock hard tanks) this past week. I have a few questions about the locations of the pumps (sorry to take over the thread, but it makes sense to consolidate info in one).

1) Is there anyway to access the rear drain pumps without cutting the floor?

2) Anybody have a location on the center tank drain pump?

3) Anybody have a location of ALL pumps on a 2007 VLX Wakesetter? I have 4 stock tanks (2 rear, 1 center, 1 bow). I would like to know where all 8 pumps + bilge pump is located in case I need to replace (such as now! )

Both of the drain pumps will run for a few seconds and then the circuit breaker for each will pop. I'm guessing I need to replace both pumps.

All my info is coming from what I found on my 2005 VLX. I would imagine its the same for yours.

1) You do not have to cut the floor. I cut the floor after removing the floor and made an access door so that in the future it would be easy to replace the pump. IIRC the rear compartment floor panel goes to about the middle of the rear seats. I had to loosen the seat bases and take out a few of the seat dividers to get the floor out. <---This is the hardest part. There are screws in the perimeter of the floor board. Find those and remove them. Now If you just want to work on the pump and not completely remove the floor, just remove what you need to to slide the flooring up into the boat enough to get to the very rear where the pumps are.

2/3) The two rear drain pumps are at the rear corners under the floor. The rear fill pumps are on next to the transmission, left on the left and right on the right. They are attached to a through-hull with a shut-off valve.

In the removable panel next to the driver in the floor you will find the center Fill, center drain, and front fill pump. The front drain pump is behind the panel in the walkway to the bow. You remove the middle bow cushion and it's screwed to the base between the observers and driver side. Your bilge pump will be in the back on the floor right behind the engine. Find the muffler and look down. Some have a bilge pump in the center access with the center pumps (not sure what year they started that)

I had a pump that was popping a breaker and replacing it fixed the problem. Also, sometimes these pumps just get stuck. My center fill would get stuck and I would tap on the top and it would start going. Sometimes I would have to unscrew it a little and then it would go.

[KL7]

Thanks for the info! Exactly what I need.

[Jdread]

As an update we were able to replace the pump and everything is good to go again. I must say that is a terrible place for a pump. Very hard to access. We ended up using a jigsaw and cutting the floor so that we could work on it and to make it easy for if / when we have to replace it again. Replaced the pump put the floor back in place (2 pieces) and put the carpet back on and looks as good as new.

Too bad Malibu did not put in a little access panel for them to begin with.

[scpalmer81]

Thanks this is extremely helpful as I need to access my port side drain pump

[nolinchip]

So, I just went through this and it is a b**** but once i got into it, not too bad.  The toughest thing was moving the seat support that supports the center seat.  There is a bracket which screws into the floor board that once you remove the screws is still tough to move.  I have to hammer it out of the way.  Even tougher getting back. 

My pump only required a hand spin to get it going again.  Works like a dream now.  Hope I never have to do that again, but at least I will know what I am in for.  All and all, took about an hour.

[MUM3]

On my 07 VTX, I've had the same issues.  I simply remove the side panels (mine has a removable side panel and a fixed side panel which separate the engine from the compartment) unscrewed the two screws holding the floors down (one near the back on the engine side, and one near the seats.  I then use a ratchet strap to hold the floor up.  On mine, it flexes enough to provide sufficient room to maneuver the pumps.  On one side, I just had to spin it to free it up.  The other, I had to replace.

[slimnicky]

On ‎7‎/‎1‎/‎2014 at 5:50 AM, SuperchargedC6 said:

All my info is coming from what I found on my 2005 VLX. I would imagine its the same for yours.

1) You do not have to cut the floor. I cut the floor after removing the floor and made an access door so that in the future it would be easy to replace the pump. IIRC the rear compartment floor panel goes to about the middle of the rear seats. I had to loosen the seat bases and take out a few of the seat dividers to get the floor out. <---This is the hardest part. There are screws in the perimeter of the floor board. Find those and remove them. Now If you just want to work on the pump and not completely remove the floor, just remove what you need to to slide the flooring up into the boat enough to get to the very rear where the pumps are.

2/3) The two rear drain pumps are at the rear corners under the floor. The rear fill pumps are on next to the transmission, left on the left and right on the right. They are attached to a through-hull with a shut-off valve.

In the removable panel next to the driver in the floor you will find the center Fill, center drain, and front fill pump. The front drain pump is behind the panel in the walkway to the bow. You remove the middle bow cushion and it's screwed to the base between the observers and driver side. Your bilge pump will be in the back on the floor right behind the engine. Find the muffler and look down. Some have a bilge pump in the center access with the center pumps (not sure what year they started that)

I had a pump that was popping a breaker and replacing it fixed the problem. Also, sometimes these pumps just get stuck. My center fill would get stuck and I would tap on the top and it would start going. Sometimes I would have to unscrew it a little and then it would go.

@SuperchargedC6- Big thank you for this info and the pics!  Totally saved me!  I have a 2009 VLX.  Three ballast pumps died last week (left drain, right drain, center drain) and your posts were right on.  Helped me replace them myself and save downtime and money.  Job is relatively easy if you just go for the replacement cartridge and not the entire pump - Shurflo Piranha 800 and 1100 GPH Replacement Cartridge Only - https://www.bakesonline.com/shurflo-piranha-800-and-1100-gph-replacement-cartridge-only.html. Additional parts needed - Heat Shrink Butt Splice 16-14 Awg Blue  - to connect the new cartridge once you cut the wires from the old one https://www.bakesonline.com/heat-shrink-butt-splice-16-14-awg-blue.html

Tools needed - Philips screw driver, heat gun, screw driver drill to undo the back panels so you can get to the rear drain pumps.

Was interesting to have three pumps die at once (two just did not work, one would blow the fuse) and that all three were drain pumps (perhaps more stress on draining).  I am told this is good engineering because of the predictable failure/expected life span. I bought the boat used, so not sure how much action these pumps have seen. Expecting the other ones to start going too, so bought a few extra cartridges.  

Anyway, thanks again for the awesome posts!

 

Edited May 21, 2018 by slimnicky

[RR326]

For future searchers:

I had the same problem - right ballast pump dead and needed to be replaced. I was never able to get the floor board up - I couldn't figure out how to remove the vertical pieces holding it in place. I wasted a TON of time trying.

My final solution was to cut it in place:

1. Take off all the easy screws from the floor board
2. You should be able to get your fingers on it and lever the back up several inches
3. Slide a piece of wood under there - say an inch thick
4. Now you can use a drill to start a hole and jig saw with a short blade to cut the floor board across the width. Do it about 1 ft away from the rear wall - that's plenty of space.
5. Then the back piece will come out and you can replace the ballast pump.

This may seem like a hack, but actually after you cut it, the carpet looks great and it almost looks like it was intended to be that way. And then you have access to the pump for the future. 

[rjonesy]

On 8/13/2019 at 8:33 AM, RR326 said:

For future searchers:

I had the same problem - right ballast pump dead and needed to be replaced. I was never able to get the floor board up - I couldn't figure out how to remove the vertical pieces holding it in place. I wasted a TON of time trying.

My final solution was to cut it in place:

1. Take off all the easy screws from the floor board
2. You should be able to get your fingers on it and lever the back up several inches
3. Slide a piece of wood under there - say an inch thick
4. Now you can use a drill to start a hole and jig saw with a short blade to cut the floor board across the width. Do it about 1 ft away from the rear wall - that's plenty of space.
5. Then the back piece will come out and you can replace the ballast pump.

This may seem like a hack, but actually after you cut it, the carpet looks great and it almost looks like it was intended to be that way. And then you have access to the pump for the future. 

Ended up being 1 foot X 1 foot hatch?

Did you have access to the swim platform bolts?