I just got a 2014 RT178, every other one I have seen has a lever in front of the throttle, but mine does not. Questions is how to I use the livewell in this case?
I just got a 2014 RT178, every other one I have seen has a lever in front of the throttle, but mine does not. Questions is how to I use the livewell in this case?
Just flip the aerator switch to manual to fill the livewell. I usually put it in auto after filling. Nothing else required. Make sure the plug is in before taking off so water stays in the livewell.
Yours has no lever because you don't have the optional recirculating livewell that was offered beginning in 2015.Originally Posted by srsnow
2018 Ranger RT188 SC Black/115 hp Yamaha SHO 4-stroke; Garmin LVS34 - north
2018 Ranger RT188 DC Black/115 hp Merc Pro XS 4-stroke; Garmin LVS34 - south
14' Mirrorcraft tin boat (ancient) with a 9.9 Mercury 4-stroke, no electronics; catches fish anyway
Ok so if I turn the aerator swith to manual and no water fils does that mean there is a bad pump?
Good possibility. Could be switch or wiring also but pump is probably toast.
Thanks everyone
Ranger had a problem in the 2013 and 2014 RT series with the livewell pump installation. My 2014 had the problem and I heard of others. If you can hear the pump running but there is no water flowing to the livewell, it is probably an air lock.
The following pics, show proper mounting. My problem was the way the discharge on the pump was oriented.
You have to remove the trolling motor batteries to gain access, but once there, you slide back a collar near the base of the pump motor, rotate the pump base so the outlet fitting is above the inlet and snap the collar back in place. Kind of hard to explain but once you see the pump I think you can figure it out.
I try to drive as if my 16 year old Grandson is following me
Speak as if he is listening and act as if he is watching
That sounds exactly like what mine is doing. I hear an electric motor run but nothing happens. I will try this, thank you.Ranger had a problem in the 2013 and 2014 RT series with the livewell pump installation. My 2014 had the problem and I heard of others. If you can hear the pump running but there is no water flowing to the livewell, it is probably an air lock.
The following pics, show proper mounting. My problem was the way the discharge on the pump was oriented.
You have to remove the trolling motor batteries to gain access, but once there, you slide back a collar near the base of the pump motor, rotate the pump base so the outlet fitting is above the inlet and snap the collar back in place. Kind of hard to explain but once you see the pump I think you can figure it out.
There are a couple other issues with the early model Livewells:
1) Often the Livewell will overflow into the bilge or the back deck. This occurs because the pump can produce more flow than the overflow can drain away and occurs more frequently when you have someone on the back deck. To fix this, reach behind the input nozzle and you will feel a valve lever, close it slightly to reduce the flow. If you don’t have enough clearance to rotate the lever you can unscrew the valve, set the lever, and then reattach.
2) Because the livewell fills and drains through the same valve, it occasionally becomes clogged with debris from the bottom of the Livewell. The second Pic shows the screen I used to solve the problem but TH Marine sells a wire mesh screen that works better.
BTW: The second picture also shows how I raised the center divider to prevent 12 inch Bass from jumping over and mixing with your partners.
Last edited by Bill Reynolds; 10-08-2018 at 11:56 AM.
I try to drive as if my 16 year old Grandson is following me
Speak as if he is listening and act as if he is watching
Apparently I am not seeing what you are talking about. Here is how my pump is mounted, I am not seeing a clip anywear, and also not sure how it should be orientated.
I will try to find a diagram or print of the pump. I think it is the white ring at the base of the motor close to the valve that goes back through the transom. If that is it, you should be able to pull back on it then rotate the motor/pump up then snap it back into place. You for sure have an air lock problem. See how the pump discharge hose is pointed down below the inlet that goes through the transom?
I try to drive as if my 16 year old Grandson is following me
Speak as if he is listening and act as if he is watching
Ok so the outlet needs to move from the current 7 oclock to something closer to 11 oclock?
Correct - The discharge needs to be above the inlet to the valve.
I try to drive as if my 16 year old Grandson is following me
Speak as if he is listening and act as if he is watching
This is as far up as I could get it, hopefully it fixes it. Thank you far all the help I appreciate it.
It appears to be slightly above, I think that will work. If you do get the occasional air lock, with the pump running, back the boat up to force water through the inlet. That does not always work, but Hopefully you never have to try it.
Good Luck.
I try to drive as if my 16 year old Grandson is following me
Speak as if he is listening and act as if he is watching
Thank you again for the help took the boat out today and it works now.
You are welcome. There were several other issues with the 2013/2014 models most of which were corrected by 2016. Don’t hesitate to contact me if you see another problem, I have probably seen it too.
I try to drive as if my 16 year old Grandson is following me
Speak as if he is listening and act as if he is watching
Im having this same issue with my 2013 rt178 I cannot get the pump out to rotate it more to a 11 o’clock position. Any ideas?
You should not have to remove the pump. Are you unable to get to the white ring at the base of the pump to snap it back And rotate the motor on the pump body?
Edit: If you cannot gain access to the retaining ring because of close quarters, you can remove the pump from the transom to gain clearance.
From outside the transom, unscrew the screen to gain access to the retaining nut on the through hull pipe fitting. Removing this nut should allow you to pull the pump away from the inside of the transom to gain enough clearance to lift up the retaining ring.
However this would be a last resort for me because of problems of resealing the through hull fitting.
You may want to PM srsnow for his advise.
Last edited by Bill Reynolds; 04-12-2020 at 08:09 AM.
I try to drive as if my 16 year old Grandson is following me
Speak as if he is listening and act as if he is watching
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