Aerator Question

[its_a_muu]

I have a 2001 Pro Team 185 Tracker. This is my 2nd such boat and my precious boat had both aerator mode and recirculate. This boat however has aerator only. I am 2nd owner and everything is in better than average shape. When I bought the boat I test drove it and made sure the aerator worked while out on the lake. Fast forward to a owning it a couple of months I had caught a few small spots for the frying pan and I turned on the livewell and heard it running but it wasn’t pumping water. I didn’t really think it was a big deal cause this was not going to be a tourney boat until now that my son is fishing for his school. This spring I had caught some crappie and used a bucket to fill the livewell to hold them and after filling I flipped the aerator switch and it started pumping in water. It will pump in water with water in the well but with no water in it meaning it’s not drawing it in. I have flushed it from the outside and inside with a high pressure hose and still nothing if the tank is empty. Can anyone give me some guidance on what might be wrong? Thanks in advance.

[Jeff Hahn]

You have a dip in the fill hose and it gets an air lock. Next time you put a fish in, start the motor, put it in reverse, and forcefully back up a few feet. I bet the livewell fills with water with no problem.

[its_a_muu]

Tried that too...no dice!

[Brianmoore25]

Does it have a cutoff valve on aerator head in livewell?

[Arkyarcher]

Might get more answers in Tracker forum farther down.

[Bass Junkie]

My guess would have been air lock too. I had an Xpress that did that from time to time. I could put the TM on high and back the boat up to force the air out and it would pump again.

[D-wayne]

Is there a separate fill and empty pump on the livewell system?
Please post the cause and remedy for the issue

[mattmann7]

My old partners G3 had that issue. Sometimes from not turning it off while running and sometimes from running in the mud and getting debris in hose. He kept a section of hose in the boat and would suck water through the fill to prime the line.

[BigFishSteve]

Many act like that. I keep small plastic tea pitcher in mine. I scoop of water poured into drain. Wait one minute and she will go to pumping. Those valves/recirc things are not the greatest design. They leak and air lock. Even more trouble is hose has high and low spots.

[its_a_muu]

Yes it has the common fill and empty valve next to throttle.