1998 187 Champ

[hydrashack]

Ok guys I have a question about my livewell and wanted to see if some of you gents knew what the problem is

On my 187 I have a timer, aerator button, hydro, and livewell pumpout button. To fill up my livewell I push the aerator button and wanter pumps in, however the hydro button does not seem to do anything and to my knowledge should recirculate the water but does not work or I am using it wrong. I am having my motor serviced next week but I am positive I could fix this myself if someone knew the problem. Is this an aerator problem, recirculator problem, fuse???

Thanks for you help

[OkieBud]

mine recirculate the water

[Slick196]

The hydro pumps air into my livewells. Aerator just pumps water. Not sure on a 187. I know that someone will know shortly.

[Lea]

Could be several things. In many boats, the switch was installed, but the actual pump, etc, was not, since it was an option. Has it ever worked? I had a 99 187, but ordered it with both aerator and Hydro-air.

On some of the newer Champs, the venturi on top ot the Hydro-Air tube would be under water when the wells were filler....so it could not bubble. You might check that when your well is full. A fix is described in several earlier threads. Also, if you actually have the pump installed, are you sure the Hydro pump is working? You may need to replace it.

[hydrashack]

I have only owned the boat since the spring, the hydro button has never made it bubble, the guy I bought it from said that it just needed a new aerator but if I replace the aerator would this fix my problem and make it a recirculating livewell?

Thanks

[Lea]

The terminology can sometimes be confusing. The "aerator" pump brings water in from the lake...and if it is left on, it will bring water in and allow it to go back into lake via the over-flow. Best to use manual switch to fill well and then change to Automatic if you want to bring new water in and back out on a timed basis.

The Hydro-air pump is strictly a bubbler which adds air to the water in the wells. It should not be used when the aerator is running, since the aerator is bringing in new water. I use aerator to fill and then shut it off and run Hydro on timer in hot weather.

These systems use 2 different pumps. One (aerator) is down in the bilge and the Hydro is behind the livewell... Others here can help with precise locations, etc...

[hydrashack]

Thank you for the info Lea, this helps out a lot. I think I have one pump that is not working and needs to be replaced, that should help pump air into the livewell and will fix my problem.

Will post later and update with results

[Steve 187]

There is a pump attached to the livewell that does the recirculating (bubbling). That pump has probably passed on. Replace it. I just replaced all pumps in my boat. Let me know if you need some pics, I have some. I removed the tank to make life easier while doing it.

[hydrashack]

Well I went through all of my pumps and found one not working so I replaced the motor and it was the livewell pump so I guess I don't have the bubbler like mentioned before. Thanks for the help though guys

[Lea]

I'm confused. You said in your first post, that the "aerator" pump was working ok. By "livewell pump", do you mean it was the livewell PUMP-OUT that was not working? What is the exact location of the pump you replaced? Also, do you have a white tube in the port side of your well with a small hole in the top? This would be the Hydro-Air venturi....if your Hydro is hooked up.

[Steve 187]

[hydrashack]

Sorry to confuse everyone else out there who has read this post, so I will start from the beginning, I have a aerator button, hydro button, and livewell pumpout. All three switches have some correlation to the livewell, I was hoping that after getting some feedback on this post I would find out how or if my rig had the hydro capabilities, my livewell pumpout switch and hydro button have not worked since I owned the boat.

So...I found the pump (3 total underneath gas tank) that was not working, saw that it was damaged and no longer working, replaced the motor and wired in the new 750 gph motor, fired on the power and it turned out to be the livewell pumpout bilge.

[Steve 187]

Here is the gas tank out already.



Here are the three pumps you CAN see with the tank in.



Here is the panel behind the tank to be removed.



Here is the hydro air pump.



Hope this helps if you still needed it!

[ReelBigJ]

So is the Live-well pumpout one of the pumps you can see with the gas tank in? My 2004 187, seems like the livewell pumpout isn't working. Been to hot to mess with it, but was going to tear into it this weekend. Was wondering if I was going to have to take the gas tank out or not to get to it.

Also, where did you buy your new pump?

[Lunker Punker]

How did you get your gas tank out?

[Lea]

Great info, Steve!!!

[Steve 187]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by ReelBigJ &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">So is the Live-well pumpout one of the pumps you can see with the gas tank in?

Also, where did you buy your new pump?</td></tr></table>

Yes it is. It is the one laying on its side with the T at the bottom. Got the replacement cartridge at BPS. Mayfair/Johnson pumps. If you need the whole housing, you just need to cut to length the threads.

I do believe that the 2004 model is different layout however.




Modified by Steve 187 at 12:50 PM 8/17/2010

[Steve 187]

<table width="90%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=center><tr><td>Quote, originally posted by Lunker Punker &raquo;</td></tr><tr><td class="quote">How did you get your gas tank out?</td></tr></table>

Comes out easier than goes in.

Disconnect all hoses. I suggest removing the compartment lid, I had to to get it back in. Lift on crossover vent tube, carefully. It will start to angle up, grab ahold of bottom of tank and stand upright at the end of the arcing. It will take two guys.

Going in it is hard to clear the filler tube. Ratchet strap to crank it (filler tube) down and reverse action of removal. Drop a couple F-bombs and she pops in.