cooling water problems

[shaun.riley]

i have a cooling problem that is i cant get enough water drawn in to the strainer but if i diconnect the pipe and thorw it over board it works fine so i thaink i have a blockage between canal and the inlet to the boat

the problem is without getting it out of the water or me getting in i dont know where the inlet is on the outside and the strainer is clean any ideas please

Edited March 21, 2006 by shaun.riley

[Denis R]

Could be the mud-box is clogged. Some systems used to have a means built in for back-flushing. Could you try to rig-up some contrivance to blow water backwards through the strainer and mud-box?

[Chris M]

i have a cooling problem that is i cant get enough water drawn in to the strainer but if i diconnect the pipe and thorw it over board it works fine so i thaink i have a blockage between canal and the inlet to the boat

the problem is without getting it out of the water or me getting in i dont know where the inlet is on the outside any ideas please

 

The easiest thing I can think of is drop an old bilge pump or something in the canal / river and connect the pipe from your strainer to the pump outlet and pump water backwards through the strainer to clean it.

[Cafnod]

Normally you can undo the lid of the mud box, it is usually held on by a couple of wing nuts. Then you can get at the whole lot. It is almost certainly clogged. The flange that the inlet tube comes in from is probably the removable part of the mudbox.

[John Orentas]

i have a cooling problem that is i cant get enough water drawn in to the strainer but if i diconnect the pipe and thorw it over board it works fine so i thaink i have a blockage between canal and the inlet to the boat

the problem is without getting it out of the water or me getting in i dont know where the inlet is on the outside any ideas please

 

 

High Shaun.

 

Is there significantly less water coming out of the exhaust when you bye-pass the strainer or does it just run hotter.

 

What sort of strainer do you have is it an old fashioned mud-box or a more modern proprietary built unit.

 

Can you find somewhere you can moor with a very low bank in order that you can get you hands and suitable tool below the water line.

 

The cause could still be a blockage in the pump or in the rest of the circuit with a bit of restriction of the strainer making the difference.

 

If you try to clear out the water inlet from outside the boat, pour a kettle of hot water into the area.

 

Take a lot of care washing your hands afterwards.

[shaun.riley]

High Shaun.

 

Is there significantly less water coming out of the exhaust when you bye-pass the strainer or does it just run hotter.

 

What sort of strainer do you have is it an old fashioned mud-box or a more modern proprietary built unit.

 

Can you find somewhere you can moor with a very low bank in order that you can get you hands and suitable tool below the water line.

 

The cause could still be a blockage in the pump or in the rest of the circuit with a bit of restriction of the strainer making the difference.

 

If you try to clear out the water inlet from outside the boat, pour a kettle of hot water into the area.

 

Take a lot of care washing your hands afterwards.

 

hi thanks for the reply

the strainer is vetus a round plastic strainer type which is clear there is a pipe coming in through the skin with a stop cock on it that goes to the strainer if i remove the pipe from the stop cock end there is no water coming in which i thought would just be a inlet from the canal

[John Orentas]

I am sure you are correct, turning off the valve enables you to open things up and remove the strainer. Open the valve with the pipe off and canal water should pour in. Certainly sounds as though you have a blockage.

 

Sometimes you can simply suck a plastic bag over the inlet, I think you will have to get your hands wet but it should only be 3 or 4 inches below the waterline. Find a low bank somewhere.

[Guest]

I am sure you are correct, turning off the valve enables you to open things up and remove the strainer. Open the valve with the pipe off and canal water should pour in. Certainly sounds as though you have a blockage.

 

Sometimes you can simply suck a plastic bag over the inlet, I think you will have to get your hands wet but it should only be 3 or 4 inches below the waterline. Find a low bank somewhere.

Happened to me once in Blackburn, luckily it came clear. I think you need to backflush with a hose.

[DHutch]

So to recap, your havine trouble drawing water in though the inlet/strainer. But all works fine if you dissconnect the inlet hose, and dunk it into the canal, sucking water up directly.

 

The inlet takes the from of a small inlet tube, leading to a valve, and then a strainer, then the hose.

- With the hose removed, no/little water comes in, even with the valve open?

- Is that right? Or have i got totalty the wrond end of the stick?

 

In which case, have you tryed removing the strainer, and opening the valve then?

- I have you stuck your hand over the side and felt for the inlet?

- Have you tried opening valve a little and poking a bit of wire or somthink out, or "back-washing" it.

 

 

Normally you can undo the lid of the mud box, it is usually held on by a couple of wing nuts.

Yeah, thats how ours is... LOL

 

 

 

Daniel

[Bones]

So to recap, your havine trouble drawing water in though the inlet/strainer. But all works fine if you dissconnect the inlet hose, and dunk it into the canal, sucking water up directly.

 

The inlet takes the from of a small inlet tube, leading to a valve, and then a strainer, then the hose.

- With the hose removed, no/little water comes in, even with the valve open?

- Is that right? Or have i got totalty the wrond end of the stick?

 

In which case, have you tryed removing the strainer, and opening the valve then?

- I have you stuck your hand over the side and felt for the inlet?

- Have you tried opening valve a little and poking a bit of wire or somthink out, or "back-washing" it.

Yeah, thats how ours is... LOL

Daniel

 

 

daniel - what are you doing?!

[Baron & Mrs Boater]

We had this trouble with weed blockage on the Wyrley canal.

By using a hand pump, located in the strainer basket (nozzle down the inlet pipe) and with some very vigorous pumping we managed to blow / suck the blockage out - but not before we had overheated the engine !

 

Keep an eye on the amount of water coming out of the exhaust and buy one of the tube hand pumps - at six or seven quid they are worth the money !

[DHutch]

daniel - what are you doing?!

Unblocking the mud box?

[ChrisPy]

Unblocking the mud box?

hmmmm ..... I wonder ???? with a smile like that ?????

[shaun.riley]

So to recap, your havine trouble drawing water in though the inlet/strainer. But all works fine if you dissconnect the inlet hose, and dunk it into the canal, sucking water up directly.

 

The inlet takes the from of a small inlet tube, leading to a valve, and then a strainer, then the hose.

- With the hose removed, no/little water comes in, even with the valve open?

- Is that right? Or have i got totalty the wrond end of the stick?

 

In which case, have you tryed removing the strainer, and opening the valve then?

- I have you stuck your hand over the side and felt for the inlet?

- Have you tried opening valve a little and poking a bit of wire or somthink out, or "back-washing" it.

Yeah, thats how ours is... LOL

Daniel

hi

thanks for your reply with your recap you have the right end of the stick

todays task is what you suggest a long piece of wire and some poking i cant feel over the side the depth is longer than my arm maybe dangle the wife over i think not