Lazzerus

I just joined, so hello all!

Picked up a cheap ski, but it is taking on water. Checked and fixed the hoses, but now it seems to be coming in from some place I can't find, but it drains out of the drive shaft bearing / seal. I hooked up the hose to the flush out fitting, and not a drop.

I filled the hull over the seal, and no leaks, filled it a bit higher keeping thw water under the intakes and it started to leak via the shaft. At this point, the shaft is a good inch at least underwater.

Now the part that confuses me. The ski has a bilge pump in it. I switched on and drained to below the seal and it still leaked through the drive shaft seal, even with the water level is over an inch below the seal and mounting unit that holds the seal. It can have only and inch in the hull, but the drive shaft will still continue a fast drip

Any ideas? Is there some design in the hull that would allow water to seep in and fill a portion of the hull I cant see, and weight it down? After I pull the ski from the lake, it will continue to drain for quiet some time. The bolts to the ride plate and the intake grate where even dripping water when I removed them, like for a good hour or more....

Please let me know if you have any ideas..

Thanks!

ggauvin

There are some small cavities within the driveshaft bearing assembly. They should have been filled with grease during assembly. But possibly the grease is gone and these areas fill with water. It might take a few inches of water depth to generate enough pressure to penetrate the leaky seals from the inside surface. The shaft rubs on the seals and can eventually wear out the seal, or score the shaft, to allow some water penetration. The whole bearing mount plate can also leak at its mounting surface against the fiberglass. Its a bit of a task to get this bearing assembly out, but I'm guessing thats what's needed. Feel this bearing and shaft for heat after a run. If its getting too hot, the bearing probably needs replacement anyway. A failing bearing can be one way to ruin the seals. Dripping water from the grate & ride plate bolts is a different mystery... I don't know about that.

Lazzerus

Thanks for the reply.

I read someplace that the ride plate and intake grade on some models should have a sealent on them, so I am going to see if I can find the right stuff this week.

Once I get both of those sealed, I will see how much water is still coming in, and make the decision on the drive shaft seal. I figure if the bolts are dripping, they are letting water out, so they gotta be letting water in.