Just another porblem to add tot he list

[TRDon]

Out of nowhere I decided to check the V drive fluid 2 hours before I go back to my job out of state and it is a milkshake mess. Now I am in the process of changing it out so it is better for the winter. Who knows how long it was like this or how much damage was done. :evil:

I am trying to suck it out throught the fill hole with a manual pump but not having much luck with it. I have only gotten a few ounces at a time. Is there a drain plug somewhere on the unit itself I can fully drain it with? I will run it next spring and change it a couple of times when I can get to it. The through the dipstick route is not working nearly as well as everyone says it does, at least not so well for me for some reason.

Good god what a money pit this thing is becoming. I should have kept my 93 sport :|

[Onevw2go]

RE: Just another porblem to add tot he list

Sorry to Hear that you are unhappy with your ride. But you know what they say: "What do you call a hole in the water that sucks up all your money? A Boat" As for your Question about the Drain, What model V-drive, motor and Boat are you asking about? I will try and post an image of your combo from the PDF parts catalog. It should showwhere the drain plug is located. I am 99% sure there is a drain on the bottom of the unit. Good luck.

Out of curiosity, Are you just getting your boat out of the water for the season? If Yes, that is a nice long summer for you, I gave up early into October this year It was a crap summer for riding this year. Next year will be better. Right?

[johnboyy7]

RE: Just another porblem to add tot he list

my drain is on underside on starborside. if i recall it is square shaped.

[TRDon]

RE: Just another porblem to add tot he list

I have a 03 SANTE with the walters not sure what model. I took what I could through the top. I went to taking off the flare host that is connected to the bottom of the dipstick shaft and letting it drain on paper towels. I already put 1.5 qts of fresh oild in there to help flush out more bad stuff but all I am getting is milky oil coming out. I would not expect that to blend and I have seen nearly no good oil coming out which makes me wonder a bit.

I have been out of town for work for the whole summer. I bought it over labor day weekend and used it 2 times in 2 days, and to end those days, I gave myself a concussion. Before i could run the boat, I needed to replace the gateway computer, a sender, radio amplifier, the prop, the keypad has been spuratic, and it is a new keypad, the bilge gets what I would call an obsine amount of water after a day of riding, now this. I cant see it getting much worse than this year. Besides I will be laid off in 2 weeks with no future jobs on the horizon.

[NautiDave07]

RE: Just another porblem to add tot he list

Don Your bilge water could be cominf from a ballast hose of the 03 has the old plastic crap like my 00 did. Try a day on the lake with your ballast thru hull closed and see if that helps the issue. If so it is probably a ballast line and if you have aerator pumps like mine did they are under the engine and very hard to get to. you will have to remove factory hard tanks to get the lines. Good luck with the job I went thru that last year and managed to be able to keep the boat.

[TRDon]

RE: Just another porblem to add tot he list

I have the crap valves and I havent had time to change them out, so I always fill the tanks and then shut the valves. I dont know wheree else it could be coming from but it is on my to do list for next year to keep an eye on.

It slowly dripped but it finally got to some of the good oil I put in there. I let some more come out and then I re-installed the hose. I will probably refill and run it next year in the driveway and change the oil again once warmed. I know this isnt a randome problem, am I likely to be fine with just a change of fluid?

[bchesley]

RE: Just another porblem to add tot he list

The good news is the Walters Vdrives are pretty bulletproof and the likely hood its been damaged is small. You will need to suck as much out as you can refile and run it. Then do that again until your are getting clean oil out. Sometimes running it and getting it up to temperature will help get some of the moisture out. The water that is in there could have come through the vent on tip if you are getting a lot of water in the bilge. I know its probably frustrating but you will get the kinks worked out. Good thing is its winter and you have time to work on them.

[2gofaster]

RE: Just another porblem to add tot he list

Sorry to hear you've had such a bad experience. The list of things you've replaced, plus now the vdrive milkshake, makes me wonder if the boat wasn't sunk before you got it. Do you know the history of the boat before you bought it?

[WA-H2O-SKI]

RE: Just another porblem to add tot he list

I wasjust going t post the same thing as 2gofaster did. I bought a ski supreme that was sunk, and it had a HUGE amount of issues. I ended up making money on the boat, but only because I knew it was sank and bought it really right and then did all the work you are going through............

Although, it is possible that the moisture got in the tranny from the went on the tranny or if there was enough water to get over the top and get in the dipstick fill.

Buy a "Suck Up" from www.skidim.com I get over 2 qts. out each time I change the fluid and it comes out with about 10 pumps on the canister. It was the best money I have spent, AND NO MESS. Plus, you can measure exactly what you get out so you can add that exact amount of new fluid and have a great and easy starting point for properly checking the fluid.

Keep smiling, atleast you have a boat!!

[SNobsessed]

RE: Just another porblem to add tot he list

Don - I suggest you talk to Eric at FFI. He will give you good advice as to how to prepare it for winter.

It might need to be run to get the moisture out of the fluid circuits. I would be concerned with corrosion over the winter.

Sorry to hear the economy slammed you. Hope you find a new gig soon.

http://www.fantasticfinishmarine.com/

[TRDon]

RE: Just another porblem to add tot he list

I will be back home in a few days. I will be checking the ATF in the tranny. If there is water in there, will that be milky too? Also, how is the best way to get to it on a 03 san? Through the hatch or disassemble the back seat?

I hope it hasnt been sunk. It seemed pretty good when running it, other than the milky fluid and the leaking water. I hope to find that leak. NautiDave, where is the bad hose that you spoke of? I know of a few other places to look too but who knows. I hope after I get this stuff ironed out, this nautique will be as dependable as the last ones I have had.

Here's to winter projects and hopefully a sucessful spring start

[NautiDave07]

RE: Just another porblem to add tot he list

if you have the old ballast system the hoses run on the bottom of the hull under the engine. It kind of looks like shop vac hose. Mine deteriorated and would leak if I didn't close the thru hull

[Hollywood]

Re: Just another porblem to add tot he list

Good god what a money pit this thing is becoming. I should have kept my 93 sport :|

Should have kept the 85! Yellow_Flash_Colorz:

[crowland]

Re: RE: Just another porblem to add tot he list

I will be back home in a few days. I will be checking the ATF in the tranny. If there is water in there, will that be milky too? Also, how is the best way to get to it on a 03 san? Through the hatch or disassemble the back seat?

Here's to winter projects and hopefully a sucessful spring start

Just take the back seat out - it will make your life alot easier to work on the boat. There are 2 or 3 large knobs, they look just like the black plastic knobs on the tower, that hold the back seat rest on. Then there is a bungee on each side of the seat base to unhook. Mine also had a couple of screws on the middle section of the base (where the tranny and v-drive are. Also there should be a couple of screws that go from the rear seat base to the middle jump seat base (sorry, I dont know the technical name). Once you have the seat base out you should have ample room, if you remove the screws in the floor panel you will be able to have full access to your center ballast and pumps as well.

[TRDon]

RE: Re: RE: Just another porblem to add tot he list

Well, I got home now and I checked the tranny fluid and it looks good with no signs of water. It looked red and clear, smelled good and helps put my mind at ease. I have plenty now to keep me busy on the boat. As soon as I get laid off, I will haev plenty of time to work on it. Looks like I may have another possibly 2 months of work where I am at. The longer I work there now, the better chances I have of actually having the summer off this year, which is what I am striving for at this point.