Livewell in a 700LX

[Scott H.]

Well, got the Nitro out for the first time this last weekend.. Ended up catching a limit of walleye's Sunday evening and again Monday morning. Good times! All good eaters, too, 16-18"



Anyway, of course we kept the fish in the livewell, but I noticed that the livewell wasn't staying filled up. Never had this problem before. I always slide the "Empty/Auto" lever over to auto up by the throttle control before I hit the switch on the dash to start filling the livewell. So, I filled up about half way like always, about 30 minutes later I look in there and it's only about a quarter full.. throughout the evening and next morning, I had to keep hitting the livewell switch to keep filling it back up. I hit the bilge pump, nothing came out. Looked in the back of the boat where the batters and gas tank is, no water in the bottom of the boat. ??



We kept the livewell filled up all night and it didn't lose any water when the boat was on the trailer. Where the heck is the water going?



When I leave the leaver on "auto" and pull the plug out of the boat, there's a steady stream of water that comes out when there's water in the livewell. So, obviously there's a leak somwhere on the livewell, but what confuses me is why does the water not seep out when the boat is out of the water??



When we were done with the livewell, I switched the lever over to "emtpy" and the water started pouring out of the plug in the back that has the filter screen over it, not the main plug.



What in the world is happening here?

 

[Marty Klein]

:lol::lol::lol: Those are sympathy laughs as I share the same problem w/my 750. When I get home I will amend what I'm getting ready to write since I will be able to see instructions. The two switches are really independent. The one on the dash fills and re-circulates. The one by the throttle keeps stuff in or out and will allow water to enter the livewell on its own [equal to the waterline outside the boat] when set on auto. I also think that set on auto, the water will run out when the boat is on plane. Set on empty-I can't remember what happens. Set in the middle, it holds the water. Will amend tonight; maybe Trep will jump in as he has a 700.

 

[Drew Dennis]

Good question.. I have the same issue. I thought that my valve was going bad. I actually bought a plug to go in the bottom of the well and took teh screen off.. when I need it to hold I put the plug in....ugly..but neccesary

 

[Marty Klein]

Well, we're going to start a round of experiments now. I went out to the boat this evening with a couple of buckets and water. Situational awareness: livewell has one overflow hole, one screened drain hole, and a recirculating faucet/pipe [for lack of the official name]. Set the dash switch [fill/recirculate] "off" and set the throttle switch to "auto." Poured in water and it came out the rear drain hole [screened] slowly. I turned on the fill/recirculate to "manual" and the faucet/pipe picked up water from the drain pipe and put it back in the livewell, while water continued from the rear drain, but more slowly. I flipped the throttle switch to "empty" and water drained from the livewell, lickety-split. Need more work to see if I can get it to stop. No water in the bilge area so no need to remove the plug. I'm thinking my next step is to try and follow the cables from the throttle switch back to see if there is too much play.

 

[TrepMan]

Snooter - I've got the 700lx, but its 7000 miles away in storage in Atlanta, and i'm in Shanghai China!!! LOL



Here is what I know on the 700lx:

- Set the switch next to the throttle to Auto, that is a cable that open/closes the bottom drain in the livewell. IF you put it to Auto and fill her up with water in driveway from a hose it should NOT drain at all. If it does, and it comes out the screen hole in the transom, then you have an issue with either the cable not completely pulling the lever/drain closed or something stuck that is causing the drain not to seal.



- If i remember (been almost a year since i've been in her) there is a overflow hole build into the side of the livewell near the top, which is there when you have the livewell filled, and add more water (either manual or timed Auto) to allow it to overflow. I think (again don't have the boat here) that both go to the same drain line with the screen in the back NOT the place with the plug.



It sounds like, since it doesn't leak at all when the boat is on the trailer out of the water that either A) your drain cable/plug is not sealing all the time/tightly and when you are moving on the water the pressure is pushing it open, which has it drain out the screen hole in back, or B) there is a crack in the livewell that only under pressure of moving does push the crack open, and that water would have to fill in the bildge.



One thought, fill it in the driveway, 3/4 full, tilt the trailer front UP so the pressure is near the back, and see if that helps figure out where the leak is, or if its the plug cable.



Trep

 

[Marty Klein]

After thinking about this all night, instead of sleeping like a good boy, I'm in agreement with TrepMman. I'm thinking I have something clogging my line or, as I surmised last night, my cable is a little loosey-goosey.

 

[Drew Dennis]

I removed the cable and manually worked the valve in the bilge area for the well. It still leaks. After speaking with one of the "old timers" at the Atlanta Basspro shops we determined that the valve needs to be rebuilt. Rebuild kits are not available from tracker but can be bought from the Valve manufacturers website for about $18.

 

[Drew Dennis]

Here is flow-rites web page for the operation of the valve..



http://www.flow-rite.com/marine/system2.html?open_menu=1&sub_menu=1



and the valve rebuild kit is on this page...first item. Only 10 bucks plus shipping...or get a whole new valve for not a lot more....





https://www.flow-rite.com/store/marine/retail/marinestoreretail.html

 

[Scott H.]

Wow, great info here guys!!



Trep, dude it's fishing season - get back to the US! great breakdown of what things should and shouldn't do, that helps alot. I'll get er' in the driveway tonight and see what I can determine. I sure hope it's just slack in the cable or bad o-ring and not cracked well..that'd be painful.



Looking at the link that ddennis posted, does the cable from the "Empty/Auto" switch by the throttle run to the valve itself? If so, where that valve located? I dug around just a bit the other night but couldn't find where that cord was running, is it under the gas tank?? The lever to move between empty an auto feels like there's alot of pressure there, not sure if should just slide back and forth easily, but there's definitely some good tension on mine.



Well, I'll post back what I find out......

 

[Drew Dennis]

That cable does run straight to the valve and it is indeed under the gas tank...PAIN in teh a$$ to get to.. There is also some tension on mine as well. I ordered a rebuild kit for mine yesterday. Once I pull the valve I am thinking of running new hose so I can move the pump and valve back for easier access in the future.

 

[Scott H.]

Are you removing your gas tank to do all this ddennis?

 

[Drew Dennis]

Nope... Laying on my belly on the back deck and working with a mirror in the bilge. Faster and easier to do since I wont have to drain the gas tank. Actually I dont even think the tank will come out.. its a 24 gallon tank..if it does come out there must be NO room to spare!

 

[TrepMan]

Snooter - i'd love to get back, family moving mid-June, I may not be back to Oct/Nov for the fall fishing, its the job unfortunetly.



Let us know how it works out, and if it hold water