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Caution Auto Bulge


Bumgardner

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I have a brand new 22 VLX and the Caution Auto Bulge keeps popping up on my screen. Does anyone know why this keeps popping up ? Does my boat have a leak ? Please forgive my ignorance but this is my first malibu ....

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Just now, Bumgardner said:

I honestly don't know how to even check that. How would water even be getting in there ? 

open your hatches and remove a divider panel so you can see under the engine. Open the hatch in the floor next to the driver seat. Could be a leaky hose or fitting, or maybe one of your 3 plugs is out?

 

 

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Only about a hundred ways water could be getting in your boat...but most likely would be people, leaking ballast fittings/bags/pumps, loose drain plug, melting cooler ice, etc...

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whens the last time you pulled your plugs to make sure bilge was dry to start with?

 

EDIT:  WOOP....wait, if you don't know how to check your bilge, forget about plugs.  Suggest you go to your dealer and ask questions for 30 minutes.  My guess is that you got some rainwater in there, the bilge doesn't get the bilge "dry" given its location, and if you've never pulled your plus you have the same water sloching around throwing the auto-bilge but you're not really correcting the problem.

Edited by 85 Barefoot
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I would confirm water is being pumped out the side of the boat when that warning comes up as well to make sure it isn't a bad alarm.  

But as others said, look in your bulge too for water.  

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My guess is that the warning is to let you know that the auto bilge was pumping b/c normally it does not.  Mine has never switched on but I keep a tight ship.  

Assuming the warning clears ... turn off the boat and then pour enough water in the bilge to cause it to trigger.  It is probably just a trip sensor to say it happening or happened.  If I left my boat in the water, I'd like to know that it happened b/c otherwise I would have no idea.

But where the water is coming from??  Sounds like a trip to the dealer.  

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Water comes in from everywhere people, boards, jackets...etc  (you are in water ;))... I am not one to make people dry off before getting back into boat, and when kids are playing in water... you will be surprise how much comes back in... when it does come on... it will let you know and pump until most of water is out and turn off... then everything is working as it should... if it stays on for the whole time you are in the water, then you defiantly have an issue.

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I had an issue similar on my last Malibu.  It had no alarm but I saw the water coming out the side of the boat.  Turned out to be a hole had been worn in the muffler by the water pump pulley and was leaking pretty substantially.   Start your engine and check all hoses to and from the raw water pump as well as all your exhaust etc.  As said before, it could be numerous things.  It could even be the stuffing box...unless you have a drippless one.  

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57 minutes ago, edwin said:

If you're this unfamiliar with your boat, you need to call your dealer for help.  

 

Take this advice to heart....before you or someone else gets hurt.  Seriously.

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Mine does the same, boats get water in them.  Mine usually goes off when I have bow rise.  A little water hits the bilge int he back and the alarm goes off, not a huge deal.  Just listen to see if a ton of water is being spit out, if not you're fine

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@BumgardnerWhere are you located?  Maybe a crew member would be willing to meet up on the lake and walk you through some of the basics in exchange for a pull or the like.

 

Edited by onwi
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Had the same issue after about 20 hours.  We had a ballast fitting break.  Took it to the dealer and they were the ones that found it.  Hopefully your issue is something easy and you don't miss anytime on the water.  

 

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99% of time it's external ballast or fitting to internal ballast.  Been surfing for yrs and any time I get this msg. Or a lot of water drains out of rear plug one of My rear bags has a leak (mostly on underside fitting area were PNP drain hoses connect).  

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My first time, I switched out the plug with the paddle wheel insert after making sure my hoist wouldn't hit it. Thought I did it right, but full bilge and both pumps running, made me realize it wasn't installed properly. That was at about 12 hours.

The second time, 2 pnp fittings simultaneously popped off my ballast bags. All ballast except the pnp were full, 8 people on board, both pumps running, engine stuttering. The boat was too full to figure out where the water was coming from. Hit empty all, had both bilge pumps running and very slowly made it back to the hoist. Couldn't raise it, but we were very happy to not sink our 15 hour boat. Once we got it dry, checked each system until the fittings were found disconnected. That was definitely a holy crap moment!

3rd, 4th, 5th + times have always taking a wave over the bow. We try not to do this, but when you get 3 or 4 surf boats together and your boat is loaded up, it does happen to us now and then. Bilge goes on shortly there after.

Hope that helps someone avoid my crazy mistakes. Really glad I didn't sink our new boat!!!

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19 hours ago, Bumgardner said:

its kind of comical how arrogant some people can be when someone wholeheartedly admits not only their lack of experience but ignorance as well. I do want to thank everyone that was nicest enough to try and help with my situation. Blessings !!!

Compared to most forums I am on, the crew is extremely polite and helpful even when people do stupid stuff. There are threads on here where everyone on this thread has admitted to doing something silly  

Seriously though post your location. Someone on the crew would be happy to come out for an afternoon with you and teach you all you could ever want to know about your Malibu, inboard boats, and whatever water sports you are interested in. We all love boating and nobody wants you to sink or damage your new boat!

have fun out there and welcome to the crew! You picked a great model but I am partial...

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On 8/19/2016 at 3:10 PM, edwin said:

If you're this unfamiliar with your boat, you need to call your dealer for help.  

 

While normally I'd totally agree with this, on the new boats, the warning he's referring to does look unnecessarily ominous.  It pops up on the screen where all other engine warning messages do, and says 'CAUTION' in big letters.  It probably doesn't need to be as dramatic looking as it does.

 

OP, your boat is working fine, the bilge automatically kicks on when there is some water in the hull.  It turns off when it's done.

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