Clean out plug disaster...

[cwoav8r]

Clean out plugs are siezed, I mean really stuck. I have been trying the 2x4 method with no luck, and just when I thought the left one popped out, turns out the plastic around one of the pins gave way and the T handle is only attached on one side. Somewhat good news is I can get to the bottom of the plug on that side because the pump is removed. Bad news is I have tried to beat it out from the bottom with no luck. I am icing them right now and willing to try the floor jack on the right side, but if I break that plus like I did the left one what the heck are my options??? I am scared to death that I am going to damage the aluminum housing...

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

try disassembling it down in the hole and removing the parts just remove the small screws first and then you can get the t handle etc up out of the tube

 

[cwoav8r]

try disassembling it down in the hole and removing the parts just remove the small screws first and then you can get the t handle etc up out of the tube

Yep that did it... Ice and floor jack worked on the right side and... taking the left one apart in the hole worked. When the right one came out and I looked at it, I saw the screws I was like, duh...

One last question... should I replace with the same plugs or switch to the newer screw in plug.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

no choice you have to replace it with the same one

 

[cwoav8r]

Well dam... I guess I'm gonna need some EZ-Locks... I'm not doing nerfs again.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Oh no nerf balls is a fools errand seriously , there are 2 types of blowouts violent ones that blow open the rear hatch and shut down the engines so actually that type won't harm your engine but the one that makes the plug just come loose and not blow open the hatch will let you continue to drive until you fill your engine compartment and flood an engine. That is by far the worst and all a nerf ball does is pretty well guarantee if your plug blows you will have the one that floods the engine compartment but it won't prevent a blow out

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Also do not use any petroleum based grease on the seals go buy a bees wax base gasket for a toilet and place the wax on the seal and the round ring it goes into. also put it on your moving parts like the pivots for the reverse bucket and nozzle and cable ends,
bees wax is not water soluble and will provide protection to the seals as well as lubrication for your cable ends and cable boots .

 

[drewkaree]

One last question... should I replace with the same plugs or switch to the newer screw in plug.

The different styles of plugs are not interchangeable without doing fiberglass work, and even then, I don't know if the tapers and angles on the plugs themselves would mate up. The newer plugs may have a different shape to them, causing drag if they're not at least somewhat flush to the bottom of the boat.

Any pics of how it looks at this point? Kinda hard to know what the situation is with written descriptions, maybe a different eye than yours may catch something that solves this for ya.

When you get this all back together, I'd also recommend some sort of anti-corrosion spray, although it's gonna be tricky there near the seals. The beeswax on metal parts of the new plugs should do a great job, as Jeff mentioned, compared to having them freeze up on you again.

 

[OCMD]

You have to buy the exact plug and Yamaha rips you on them. Think I paid 375 for s new one last season.

 

[drewkaree]

You have to buy the exact plug and Yamaha rips you on them. Think I paid 375 for s new one last season.

That fiberglass work is starting to look like a reasonable solution!

 

[cwoav8r]

Here is a pic of the left plug... after it broke on me using the 2x4 attempt I removed the screws and used my floor jack and the top half pulled right out. I pushed the bottom half out toward the intake grate with a piece of PVC pipe and a hammer. This made the most sense as the impellor was already out... and I did destroy that part by trying to initially push the entire plug out from the bottom.

I already had the rebuild kits so I'll reuse one and I have the other one on the way from Amazon ($219).

Now I get to focus on replacing the steering cables (ugh).

 

[cwoav8r]

Like an idot (and because I was a little angry) I tossed that left plug in the trash. The next day I got my new plug and when I got around to overhauling the right plug I wound up with this:



The T-Handle is beyond repair. If anyone has an old plug, or just the handle please let me know, I'll pay you and shipping cost! The rest of the components are good, I just hate to buy another plug because of one part... it does not exist seperately in the parts manual outside of the whole assembly. I just hate to spend another $200 if I don't have to...

Thanks!
Ed

 

[cwoav8r]

Oh yea, and thank you @Cobra Jet Steering LLC for getting my EZ-Locks to me!!!

 

[scokill]

Too late now, but what happened to the jet port popper? is it still a product and any around? Might have been helpful.

 

[cwoav8r]

Unfortunately I was dry storing my boat at a local marina that promised me they knew how to service and wash down Yamahas to include flushing and pulling the plugs. I caught them more than once hauling my boat and going straight to the barn and when I confronted them they said that they were too busy to wash every time and that they stopped pulling the plugs because they got to hard to pull out.

That coupled with a drastic increase in the lease and other newly inposed fees made my put her back on the trailer and store it at a friends house. In hindsight there were things I could have done to mitigate, but I didn't. I did do a thouough flush with salt away and I fogged but I gave up on the plugs until I had more time. In short, life got in the way and she sat for two years untouched

Yes I can still buy the plug assy:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004K9CSZM?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_2

I just don't want to buy the whole assy if I can source the one part I need... the rest of the assy is in perfect condition.

Ed

 

[drewkaree]

Unfortunately I was dry storing my boat at a local marina that promised me they knew how to service and wash down Yamahas to include flushing and pulling the plugs. I caught them more than once hauling my boat and going straight to the barn and when I confronted them they said that they were too busy to wash every time and that they stopped pulling the plugs because they got to hard to pull out.

That coupled with a drastic increase in the lease and other newly inposed fees made my put her back on the trailer and store it at a friends house. In hindsight there were things I could have done to mitigate, but I didn't. I did do a thouough flush with salt away and I fogged but I gave up on the plugs until I had more time. In short, life got in the way and she sat for two years untouched

Yes I can still buy the plug assy:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004K9CSZM?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_2

I just don't want to buy the whole assy if I can source the one part I need... the rest of the assy is in perfect condition.

Ed

That's just got me gobsmacked! They noticed a problem developing, and didn't care enough to let you know - how utterly frustrating, I feel your pain. I can also empathize with life having a way of getting in the way - had a similar situation last fall. Thankfully it wasn't boat-related, but similar to you, it could have cost me a few hundred to resolve. Nothing to beat yourself up about, that's just the way things shake out sometimes. Now you have stories to share!

 

[cwoav8r]

Thanks @drewkaree, plug overhaul is done, but I'm only going to use it until I can order another new one. I'll keep it around for a spare but I am not going to tempt fate with it in the condition it's in.



One more day of work left on the boat... but I don't have a lot of faith that I can get the sheared off bolts for the fuel/deck hatch cover out. 7 out of 14 left and I soaked them with PB but the extraction tool I have is not working.

 

[drewkaree]

I wonder if they have some sealant or silicone-type stuff around the bolts? Do you happen to have an air hammer? I had a similar problem with the bed bolts on my F150, and that helped with one of the bolts. I think those are allen bolts on there, and the tool I found is used in an air hammer along with copious amounts of PB Blaster or similar to help it creep a little deeper and break it out. A little tightening (VERY little) at first can also help, kinda like you're working the bolt back and forth to break up some of the rust. I'll see if I have a link for the tool I found for the bed bolts, and post it up here in a bit

*edit*

Here ya go. Add the appropriately sized impact rated socket. The air hammer won't do any turning at all, it just gives targeted impacts, and you throw a wrench on the flats of this thing and hopefully turn it by hand as the air hammer helps break the bonds

https://www.amazon.com/Pneumatic-At...=1746909440&sprefix=b09cdhrk85,aps,222&sr=8-1

As long as you have, or can find, the appropriate socket, this might help. Harbor freight for throwaway impacts of all stripes - allen, torx, phillips etc

If you already have an air hammer, and smoothing bits for it, that can be tested too, but I found that bit above to allow you to attack it from more angles and give you more options