Water Leak. Zenoa 29.5

[Bob Morton]

I am getting water in my engine ( will not launch). I put all new all rings in the head and the exhaust

Flange. Any way to test for leaks on the bench. Going to try to run the boat with the water disconnected

From the exhaust flange. Then a short run with the water disconnected from the motor.

Thanx. Nails

 

[moparbarn]

Bob, do you have a Boris meter or a air compressor with a regulator? Hook one up to the water line from the rudder & block the outlet at the engine or header (whichever the outlet is on). If using the air compressor, turn the pressure down VERY low to keep from blowing lines of their fittings. Then use a spray bottle with soapy water to locate the leak, just like you might check a car or bicycle tire. If water is leaking, the air will too, & will blow soap bubbles at the leak. Is the water actually getting inside the engine? If so, take the pipe off so you can see if the header flange is leaking on the inside. Water inside the engine just about has to be a bad or cracked cylinder or header flange, or a wet pipe could have bad orings. IIRC, you don't run a wet pipe. A split water line could possibly spray into the carb also.

 

[Bob Morton]

Thanx Robin, I will use the Boris meter method.

This will be today's project.

 

[Bob Morton]

Robin,

Found the leaks in the cooling caps around the

Cap bolts and the plugs. The bolts are stripped.

Need some inserts. Boris meter is the way to go

Thanx Robin, have a great day

 

[moparbarn]

I thought a Boris meter would work well, low pressure/steady flow. Similar to how I used to find interior water leaks in cars, turn the fan on high, air on fresh/outside, close up car & start spraying with soapy water (-; Glad I could help, my friend!

 

[Don Brown]

I had a similar problem with stripped screw holes. I just re tapped them to a 6-32 thread and was back in business.

 

[Bob Morton]

Thanx for your reply Mr Brown. (*¿*)

Nails

 

[happybradboating]

When blowing WD-40 through the cooling head after running my gas boats I have located loose or stripped cooling head bolts.

 

[Daniel's Racing]

If you do not use a external means of compressing the cap on the top of the cylinder before fully tightening the little screws this is what happens. You can not use just the little screws to pull the cap down and iully crush the orings so the water cap is tight metal to metal on top of the cylinder.

If you don't the cap will walk around and loosen and/or break the tiny 3mm screws off.

Compress the cap tight to the cylinder with a tool screwed in the sparkplug hole and then tighten the bolts with a touch of locktite

 

[Ray Sametz]

I had a similar problem with stripped screw holes. I just re tapped them to a 6-32 thread and was back in business.

Question, if I did this on a stock Zen 26 can I still run it in a Thunder Boat? Don't mean too high jack your thread Nails.............

 

[El Zorro]

I would say no. I remember someone getting tossed at an Internats for replacing phillips head head screws with socket head screws. Sounds kinda picky but stock means stock. If you strip the threads just get some heli-coils.....they will last forever.

Dick Tyndall

 

[Bob Morton]

Thanx Dainel will do that. I have do that in the past. But i did forget.

Anything for the Hammer

I agree with Dickey

Robins idea of using the Boris Meter and a spray bottle with soapy water ( just like a Plummer) (*¿*) works great found the leaks immediately. If there is no leak the meter will go to 300 and stay there.

Brad that's a great maintance tip I do that all the time.

Have a great day

 

[Daniel's Racing]

Running a flow meter with the output closed off you have to be careful to not overpressure the gauge. It is not good to run it over the scale which it will do in hurry if it is closed off completely..

I like using the Yellow Jacket gas pressure test kit. Works really well. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yellow-Jacket-78060-Gas-Pressure-Test-Kit-0-35-W-C-MADE-IN-USA-/121644017768?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c528c6868

https://youtu.be/Vzc8g6lBlQg

The carburetor popoff pressure tester works well also. A 0-30 psi pressure gauge with a T for pump and carb inlet or you can connect it to anything else you want to test.

 

[Ron Olson]

Like Daniel said you have to seat the water jacket before putting the screws in. I just used a washer on the spark plug. tightened it down then put the screws in.

 

[Daniel's Racing]

I would say no. I remember someone getting tossed at an Internats for replacing phillips head head screws with socket head screws. Sounds kinda picky but stock means stock. If you strip the threads just get some heli-coils.....they will last forever.

Dick Tyndall

If Socket instead of Phillips bolts was illegal than I would suppose fixing a stripped out hole with a helicoil could also be considered illegal. ???.

For the few dollars a new stock jug cost just replace it.

 

[bmazor]

Running a flow meter with the output closed off you have to be careful to not overpressure the gauge. It is not good to run it over the scale which it will do in hurry if it is closed off completely..

I like using the Yellow Jacket gas pressure test kit. Works really well. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yellow-Jacket-78060-Gas-Pressure-Test-Kit-0-35-W-C-MADE-IN-USA-/121644017768?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c528c6868

https://youtu.be/Vzc8g6lBlQg

The carburetor popoff pressure tester works well also. A 0-30 psi pressure gauge with a T for pump and carb inlet or you can connect it to anything else you want to test.

It is safety to over pressurize my GEN-4 flow meter to test leaks. Every flow meters testes with closed outlet. If you worry - connect flow needle to water outlet and adjust pressure! Boris