Plugged Jet Question

[NWAngler]

I was at East Lake last weekend and ended up having to rescue some kids who were in trouble. I towed them and their canoe and rafts to shore but in the meantime sucked some major weeds into the filter (grate) on the bottom of the boat. I was powerless so I just used the kicker motor. I tried for a bit to dislodge the weeds by reversing the jet (I've thought this helped some but I'm a rookie jet owner). Nothing happened but while I was doing this I heard a loud pop. I bucked up and took a dive under the boat and the filter was totally plugged. Does anyone think I damaged the jet by reversing this without virtually any water flow going through the engine? Once I dislodged the clog it seemed to run fine. Also, is there a specific way I should handle this in the future? Any suggestions would be great.

:shrug: :shrug:

[doans]

Putting it in reverse does nothing, still sucks water thru intake like it does in forward. For future just pull the boat onto shore, raise the motor and try to remove the congestion. Also I have just ran wide open with my kicker, with the big motor all the way down and that loosened whatever was in my pump.
If all else fails put in on the trailer.

[wetaline]

if you have any propulsion at all..... get moving and then kill the engine - this can clear it sometimes.

[NWAngler]

Its a 351 Cleveland engine so I can't really raise it up. To clear it by putting it on the trailer is the last thing I really want to do but if that's what I need to do and what everyone else does to take care of this I will. Thanks for reply.

[craigcw]

I have a 350 in my T-Jet and there is an access just behind the engine in mine which allows for some clearing of stuff from behind the hull intake into the impellar blades. It is usually fairly easy to do, just two bolts on mine (it has to be out of the water). Otherwise, I sucked up a rope once and had to remove the impellar housing. I contacted Sigler's and they explained how to do it and I did it in my garage at home in a couple of hours.

[IDWITHELD]

Exactly. Shut the motor off and hopefully the crud will fall away. If you have a grate rake try to clean the obstruction (with motor off- but only if safe conditions allow). If not beach it and go for a swim.

Watch your engine temp with a clogged intake. You can overheat real quick with a blocked intake.

Open up the dog-house to aid cooling the motor if you are forced to run with a clogged intake (very risky). But keep one eye on the temp gauge.

[MattPark]

Its a 351 Cleveland engine



Really? What year is the boat?

[NWAngler]

Good point on overheating. I ran up the temp pretty hot on mine. I took the splash in the cold East Lake water to get the crud off the rake. I haven't had to disassemble anything on th e jet yet. Let's hope we can keep it that way.

[IDWITHELD]

he he he...me too. Beached mine last week. Stripped to undies, dove in the Columbia before the sun was even up trying to clear the intake. My "family valuables" were in my throat!!!

Same thing happened a couple of days later. This time I shut if off right quick while coasting down stream about 30mph....cleared itself right up.

[jimh]

It might be time to consider a stomp grate or at least a rake after the second dip in a couple of days! :smile:

[Hagar]

Stomp grate works great for me so far.

[Thunnus]

What exactly is a "Stomp grate"?

[fishkisser]

a stomp grate is a series of bars wich forms the intake grate on inboard jet boats 50% of the bars are hinged in the front and a linkage with springs (to keep it closed ) comes up through the swim deck with a flat bar that you step on to lower the hinged section to dissipate clogs ... works the best if motor is shutdown

[5 Salt]

Rarely happens but when you get cavitation of the pump, shut down the engine immediately while you still have velocity. Waterflow will usually clear the blockage from the grate. After you drift to a stop let set for a couple of second to allow remaining clog to fall away. Some like to carry a yard rake to reach under and clean away crap.

Disclaimer - don't shut down if doing so places you, your passenger or others in harms way.

[nauti time]

Hey all, Ive had good luck throughout the years building up as much speed as possible in reverse, shutting down the engine, then shifting to forward while coasting in reverse. Water flowing backward through the pump, unobstructed by the reverse gate, most times has dislodged whatever debries are either in the impeller or lodged in the grate. Do this a couple times and it should work. Oh yea, dont run at slow RPM's in the weeds.

[Boat Doc']

Be careful when doing this that you don't force water thru the exhaust into the cylinders!

[Captain Kirk]

:yeahthat: