Boat Problems... Please Help!!! (Pictures Inc,)

Hi all... I have a 2002 Supra Launch SSV with 1300 hours on it. I bought it last May and it ran great all summer. It was owned by a wakeboard school and was maintained maticulously. This is my second year as a boat owner but I am trying to learn the boat and make all fixes myself since i live a long way away from a dealership.

My questions:
1. At the end of last summer and now beginning this year, I am noticing a black film along the water line of my boat when I pull it up the boat ramp after use. It was really bad when I dewinterized it a few weeks ago and let it run for about 10 minutes while trailored on the boat ramp.below are some pictures of the resulting film from last weekend.





2. This year, the boat seems to be running hotter than last year. I did the winterization myself. I see no water in the oil. I did not refil the water system with antifreeze to prevent corrosion. I do seem to have good water circulation and I know the thermostat is working because when it opens, the temperature gauge returns to normal (Straight up and down). I am just nervous because last year it rarely ever got above normal. The picture below shows the peak temperature it got to last Saturday before the thermostat kicked in and returned it back to normal. The straight up and down line I drew represents where it stayed all last summer.



Please please help give me some idea of what could be going on and the seriousness. I really do not know if these are commonplace issues or if I really need to be worried.

Thanks,
Ryan

Do you have closed cooling? Check your raw water pick up for "stuff" built up and/or stuck in there...

Will do. Thanks for tip. Typical me doesn't even think about the simple things. I was contimplating tearing into the impellor to check it's condition regarding the cooling. However, if it was a water circulation problem, I wouldn't think that it would return back to normal temp after heating up too much.

I am somewhat worried that black film might be an indicator of something wrong inside the engine, possibly causing excessive heating to the point the cooling system to be inadequate unlike last year...



(Message edited by rmdanie on April 23, 2008)

This might sound really stupid, or maybe I mis-read your #1. My boat has the same scum on it after using it as well. It will come off after a scrub with the wet towel. I think its from the crap in the lake..

on #2, did you replace the impeller? its cheap and you might want to. if you havent.

Thanks for the reply Jason, this film seems to be different than the traditional lake scum. It is black black black. It does scrub off but not as easily as lake scum.

the impeller should be changed at least once a year. if your running hotter that means its time to replace the impeller. also there is a filter in the water intake line just past the impellar that you should take appart and clean out. its really easy to do. if you run the boat without wter for even 30 secconds it will fry the impeller. they are not meant to be run without water

The black stuff could be carbon from the exhaust... Doesn't really fit the picture if it happens when the boat isn't just sitting idling on the trailer though. Looks similar to the carbon build up we get under the swim platform on the back of our boat though. Some Simple Green and water, or whatever cleaner you want to use, should take it off.

check to see if you have water in your oil, it will be kinda milky gray looking or just pull a valve cover ,could be a head gasket...

Great tips folks. I will check everything mentioned before my next trip out this saturday and i will change the impellor as well.

Doug, I will take out the dipstick and take a picture. I was commenting to my wife about how suprisingly well the oil looks even though I have not changed it since last year. It doesn't seem to be milky but it might have some grey to it. Will water in the oil only show right after running? It hasn't been run in 5 days and I am thinking that the water and oil would have settled by now in a sitting environment. would water in oil cause some extra black exhaust thus creating this abnormally black film? In the event of a head gasket, what am I looking at to change it?

Please keep the ideas coming. It was nice to hear that others experience the black film from the exhaust as well.

Thanks,
Ryan

If the oil is grey, you might want to change it. If it comes out milky/bubbly you might have a problem. The black stuff is probably oil/fuel on the top of the water. I get it if I spend more than a few minutes at the ramp, where everyone is starting there boats and refueling the pwcs.

The black is just lake scum. Your water may be dirtier this year than it was last year. A little Fantastik and a towel and it will clean right up. You should wipe your boat down after every use, it helps prevent buildup like that and water spots.
Change your impeller, it should be done every year anyway.. I say that.. I haven't changed mine is a few years.. bad me. That should bring the temp down.
Change your oil, it should be changed every 50 hours or 3 months, if you haven't changed it since last year you need to do so anyway.
While you are in there change your transmission fluid and V-drive oil. Check your owners manual for how to do this. It will ensure a long, healthy life for your engine and transmission.
Have you noticed any smoke right at startup? How about when taking off?
Hope that helps... Nice boat btw... I have an '04 in yellow.
Tiff.

OK, I have torn into some things today and here are some more pictures. I found nothing alarming but maybe you guys can see something I can't.

Old and New Impellers



Oil Condition



Tiff... I noticed some white smoke when I was giving it gas to trailor it last time out. IT gave a pretty good puff of white smoke and I put it back to idle and it quit.

Thanks guys,
Ryan

Impeller and oil look fine. The smoke on start up could be oil seals starting to seep a little. Nothing to worry about, really.

For the running hot, your boat has a trans cooler on the raw water line, it has a screen on the front end that will get clogged and make you run a little hot. It's a long black tube on the drivers side of the engine down on the floor.

I pull mine out every month or so and flush it with water from both directions to keep it clear.

(Message edited by ridininmd on April 24, 2008)

LT I never thought to do that with my trans cooler, might have to add that to the PM list.

Dude Limo... That thing was nasty. That has to be part of the prob. I will certainly add that to my pm spreadsheet. Thanks...

Also, Anyone know where my fuel filter is. I found a tube laying on the bottom of my boat today and found it to be an extension from the bottom of the oil pan. It is long enough to pull through the rear drain plug with ease. I cannot wait to drain it from the bottom finally as I have been pumping it out of the top. Goodbye sludge.

Anyways, I also want to buy a fuel filter while I am getting my oil supplies and the owner's manual doesn't tell me where it is. It only mentions the location of a water seperater.

Thanks,
Ryan

fuel/water separator. Thats your fuel line going into the separator and coming out, then up to fuel pump. There may be one inline or it may be in the bowl of the separator.

I've had black marks like that before and just used watered down Zing or muriatic acid- it gets evrything off just be careful- it is acid. Use gloves and don't get it right in your nose and face- its very strong. For a less toxic chemical, sometimes vinegar and water works. For general oxidation marks and boat care I really like 3M's fiberglass restorer- its kind of pricey but got all the oxidation out of my Nautique- both colored and white surfaces. Hope this helps.

Thanks everyone for you help. I think I am good now. I replace the impeller, and cleared out he filter screen for the transmission cooler. That thing was disgusting. I changed the oil. Everything seems to be as it was last summer now. I took it the to boat ramp, ran it for about 30 minutes at 1700 rpms, the temp gauge never rose above half way and I had no film on boat.

Wakeworld kicks ass...

Ryan