"Bryan" wrote in message
y.com...

"jps" wrote in message
...
In article , bryan.459
@pac.bell.net says...
A few times that I've pulled the drain plug on my boat there has been
red
fluid coming out. It happened again the last time I was out. The lake
is
green and blue.

I took the engine cover off and inspected my power steering fluid level
and
the power steering hoses with flashlight and by hand. No sign of
leakage.

I ran the motor to operating temperature and turned the steering wheel a
few
times; no sign of leakage.

Why do I occasionally get a red fluid coming out with the lake water
when I
pull the drain plug after boating?

The only red fluid on the boat is the power steering fluid and gasoline.
The gas tank hoses are secure and there is no scent of gasoline, except
after dieseling.

Alpha One Mercury Mercruiser 4.3L V6 efi, approximately 45 engine hours
2005 Sea Ray 185 Sport


Transmission fluid can also be red.


I've checked the engine oil, the hydraulic fluid, the drive fluid, and the
power steering fluid. PS and gasoline are my only red fluids.
jps


Probably not likely on an 18 footer, but if your boat is equipped with
electric/hydraulic trim tabs, the fluid that operates them is red.
Personally, I'd be asking the question of why there is any liquid of any
type in the bilge of your boat. The normal state of a bilge for a stern
drive boat is bone-dry, no water whatsoever. There are only three sources
of water in a stern drive bilge that I can think of, and only two that are
acceptable.

1. Water from the weather (acceptable).

2. Water from a temporary ingress due to taking a wave over the bow or from
dripping swimmers (acceptable).

3. A leak from either the hull or a through-hull fitting, the on-board
water systems, or the mechanical systems (unacceptable).

I think you need to broaden the scope of your investigation.

"Bryan" wrote in message
y.com...


I've checked the engine oil, the hydraulic fluid, the drive fluid, and the
power steering fluid. PS and gasoline are my only red fluids.
jps



What does the water smell like?

Chuck Gould wrote:
Bryan wrote:
A few times that I've pulled the drain plug on my boat there has been red
fluid coming out. It happened again the last time I was out.

Are you boating in the Red Sea?

If not, the suggestions of a fluid leak are likely correct.

Or.......

How often do you pull that drain plug?

Could it be that you've got a colony of microcritters camped out in
your bilge? Could this be biological in nature?

That's what I'm thinking, red algae.

How about spilled Kool-Ade powder, or spilled wine, or ketchup. It's time to
take the taste test.
Jim
"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
oups.com...

Bryan wrote:
A few times that I've pulled the drain plug on my boat there has been red
fluid coming out. It happened again the last time I was out.

Are you boating in the Red Sea?

If not, the suggestions of a fluid leak are likely correct.

Or.......

How often do you pull that drain plug?

Could it be that you've got a colony of microcritters camped out in
your bilge? Could this be biological in nature?

Jim wrote:
How about spilled Kool-Ade powder, or spilled wine, or ketchup. It's time to
take the taste test.

Great idea! Drink a glass full. Tell us the results, especially if you
grow a third nipple or something!

That was my thought when I read the OP. I have trouble with red algae growing
on the bathmats.


"Chuck Gould" wrote in message oups.com...

Bryan wrote:
A few times that I've pulled the drain plug on my boat there has been red
fluid coming out. It happened again the last time I was out.

Are you boating in the Red Sea?

If not, the suggestions of a fluid leak are likely correct.

Or.......

How often do you pull that drain plug?

Could it be that you've got a colony of microcritters camped out in
your bilge? Could this be biological in nature?

I was thinking perhaps a killer forgot to dump the body overboard and
stuffed the parts in the bilge instead. No??

-W

"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
oups.com...

Bryan wrote:
A few times that I've pulled the drain plug on my boat there has been
red
fluid coming out. It happened again the last time I was out.

Are you boating in the Red Sea?

If not, the suggestions of a fluid leak are likely correct.

Or.......

How often do you pull that drain plug?

Could it be that you've got a colony of microcritters camped out in
your bilge? Could this be biological in nature?

"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
oups.com...

Bryan wrote:
A few times that I've pulled the drain plug on my boat there has been red
fluid coming out. It happened again the last time I was out.

Are you boating in the Red Sea?

If not, the suggestions of a fluid leak are likely correct.

Or.......

How often do you pull that drain plug?

Could it be that you've got a colony of microcritters camped out in
your bilge? Could this be biological in nature?


Same boat, same lake, same time and activity on the water and no red fluid
today.
I pull the drain plug everytime I take the boat out of the water, so
microcritters seems unlikely.
I'm at a loss.

"RG" wrote in message
. ..

"Bryan" wrote in message
y.com...

"jps" wrote in message
...
In article , bryan.459
@pac.bell.net says...
A few times that I've pulled the drain plug on my boat there has been
red
fluid coming out. It happened again the last time I was out. The lake
is
green and blue.

I took the engine cover off and inspected my power steering fluid level
and
the power steering hoses with flashlight and by hand. No sign of
leakage.

I ran the motor to operating temperature and turned the steering wheel
a few
times; no sign of leakage.

Why do I occasionally get a red fluid coming out with the lake water
when I
pull the drain plug after boating?

The only red fluid on the boat is the power steering fluid and
gasoline.
The gas tank hoses are secure and there is no scent of gasoline, except
after dieseling.

Alpha One Mercury Mercruiser 4.3L V6 efi, approximately 45 engine hours
2005 Sea Ray 185 Sport


Transmission fluid can also be red.


I've checked the engine oil, the hydraulic fluid, the drive fluid, and
the power steering fluid. PS and gasoline are my only red fluids.
jps


Probably not likely on an 18 footer, but if your boat is equipped with
electric/hydraulic trim tabs, the fluid that operates them is red.
Personally, I'd be asking the question of why there is any liquid of any
type in the bilge of your boat. The normal state of a bilge for a stern
drive boat is bone-dry, no water whatsoever. There are only three sources
of water in a stern drive bilge that I can think of, and only two that are
acceptable.

1. Water from the weather (acceptable).

2. Water from a temporary ingress due to taking a wave over the bow or
from dripping swimmers (acceptable).

3. A leak from either the hull or a through-hull fitting, the on-board
water systems, or the mechanical systems (unacceptable).

I think you need to broaden the scope of your investigation.


I seem to drain less than half a gallon of water after a day of boating and
putting it back onto the trailer. It's probably water from my swimmers,
tubers, wakeboarders, and skiers. I opened the engine compartment after a
few hours of watersports today and it was almost as dry as a bone.

"Jim" wrote in message
k.net...
How about spilled Kool-Ade powder, or spilled wine, or ketchup. It's time
to take the taste test.
Jim
"Chuck Gould" wrote in message
oups.com...

Bryan wrote:
A few times that I've pulled the drain plug on my boat there has been
red
fluid coming out. It happened again the last time I was out.

Are you boating in the Red Sea?

If not, the suggestions of a fluid leak are likely correct.

Or.......

How often do you pull that drain plug?

Could it be that you've got a colony of microcritters camped out in
your bilge? Could this be biological in nature?




I'll smell it. I'll touch it. I won't taste it!