Water Running Thru Rigging Tube into Bilge w/Engine Running

[jkville]

Re-powered with a Merc 115XS over a year ago. Couple weeks ago I was sitting at the ramp idling with the side hatch door open where the rigging tube comes through the splash well and there was a small stream of water running out of the rigging tube into the bilge. I took off and watch as the flow of water from the rigging tube increased as the rpm's increased.

Last night I pulled the cowling off and put the flushing ears on and let it idle. Took a minute but the water started trickling out the rigging tube. I looked all around the engine with the cowl off and saw no water coming out of anything exposed that I could see. It's confusing... Any help is appreciated.

[TritonTRXV8]

Do you have a water pressure line running thru the rigging tube to the gauge? Sounds like you have a crack in the line and its leaking.

[Dave in Mpls]

Do you have a water pressure line running thru the rigging tube to the gauge? Sounds like you have a crack in the line and its leaking.

^^This!

[Bob G.]

The water pressure gauge hose and speedometer hose run through the rigging tube. Both of mine have a union with quick disconnect fittings. I had the same issue after replacing my fuel hose and pulled it through the rigging tube. I pulled the excess water hoses through the rigging tube so that the quick disconnects were under the engine cowling. I labeled them and use these fitting to disconnect after winterizing my boat. FYI, my fuel hose had a union inside the rigging tube. Good time to eliminate that potential fuel leak when replacing the fuel hose from primer bulb to pulse pump.

[jkville]

Thanks for the help. It has to be the pressure gauge hose then. I pulled the analog speedometer and used the console hole to install a merc monitor. I left the speedometer hose through the under deck tube and rigging tube as a future pull string and just disconnected from the engine. I guess I actually don't need the analog pressure gauge either with the merc monitor installed. I could just disconnect it also but guess it doesn't hurt having it as a backup.

[EuropeanAM]

Does not hurt to use both Analog and Smartcraft water pressure- PROVIDED that you locate and correct the water leak (which incidentially, could potentially be "skewing" water pressure readings for BOTH).

Likely the connection/coupler has come apart, or is leaking (at or inside the rigging tube).

[jkville]

Thanks Don.. I'll try to see if there is enough slack to pull back through rigging to to get to the coupler. Hopefully this is an easy fix.

[Rick James]

Also could be a speedo pickup tube leaking.........

[FUZZYDP]

Not @ idle...

[jkville]

It was the psi gauge tube. It was broken inside the rigging tube.

Don,
Advice... I'm looking at 2 options. Install about a 5' new section of pressure hose from the coupler under the cowling, thru the rigging tube and put another coupling in the splash well, attaching it back to the existing hose OR pull a whole new hose from analog gauge (which will be a pain) back into the engine at the factory coupling. I assume that I can add a coupling on the existing line at any point? thanks in advance for the help.

[Savage]

If it were mine I would use the old tubing to pull new tubing with no splices.

[EuropeanAM]

If it were mine I would use the old tubing to pull new tubing with no splices.

+1

[jkville]

New line it is. Don I'll send you an email if you can get me squared away on the parts I need.

Thanks all!

[EuropeanAM]

See Rhonda's post (pinned at the top of the forum) for Parts Department contact info.

[TritonTRXV8]

I totally eliminated the analog gauge and use the mercmonitor only. Its very nice not having any water lines running to the console to worry about freezing and draining in the winter or leaking etc. Its great getting all that info from the single data cable. Cleans up the rigging alot.