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Need Plumbing help!!!!!!

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plumbing
26K views 148 replies 35 participants last post by  Hass828 
#1 ·
I was recently informed that my plumbing setup on my boat was incorrect. I need some pictures or diagrams of the correct setup and route of plumbing for the water cooling lines. Thank you.

Here are a couple pictures of my current setup. Thanks again.
 

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#4 · (Edited)
pic


the one out of the thermostate housing is going out the back of the boat(dump line) the one off the thermostat goes to the bassett t and then to the injection for the headers. there is a valve on the dump line so you can close it to send more water/ or water earlier to the headers.
 
#5 · (Edited)
How's the dump valve work? And what is it? Where does it go? I don't have one. Can I build one from plumbing parts? Thank you.

Nice pic. Thanks.
 
#10 · (Edited)
No, it hasn't even seen daylight for a year and a half. It hasn't even been rolled out of the shop! The motor hasn't run for more than 30 seconds at a time, had some issues! The above pics were taken in October of 07. It is just now going back together after being completely disassembled shortly after those pics were taken! That's all worked out now and it's finally going back together now.

Ok now that that's out of the way. I have a Basset T-valve, just didn't know where to put it. And can I run a line from the other thermostat fitting that runs out the back of the boat? The very few dump lines I have seen were near the pump, before the water goes into the motor. But the line from the thermo would be preferable to me if it would work. Thank you.
 
#11 ·
It doesn't matter if your dump line or the header line comes off the thermostat housing or out of the front of the intake. You just need 2 , 1 for the dump line,and the other to the bassett t valve and split from there to the headers. The valve on the dump line is to adjust at what rpm your headers become "wet". I think 2200 rpm's is what you should make the headers get water. There is a zillion ways to do it but thats the general idea.
 
#13 · (Edited)
Thank you very much!:D Do I just play around with it and adjust it, first time on the water, until water comes out of the headers at the desired RPM? Would you suggest adding a pressure gauge to the system somewhere? Thanks again for your help.

Ok, from the beggining..

1. You should have one line comming out of your pump, this line needs to turn into two lines so use a T.

2. Next take those 2 lines and they need to run to the front of the motor where the water pump normally bolts. This is where you have the black lines connected now that are right next to the timing cover.

3. Now you need lines out. Your thermostat housing has two outs, right now you have it setup so that each out goes to each header from the looks of it. You need to take one of those outs and connect it to the basset valve, then from the basset valve you need to run a line to each header. The basset valve has 3 connections and looks like a capital T you want the line from the motor to connect to the bottom of the T, and then have the headers connect to each side.

4. Now take the other port you have on your thermostat housing and run that all the way to the transom to a dump port.

I'm not sure if you have a thermostat or not but if you do you need to get ride of it if i'm not mistaken. Reason being is that if the t-stat is closed no water will get to your headers or leave the motor. Also i'm not sure if your motor pulling cold water will be able to get the water warm enough to open. I'm no expert in that department i just know i dont run one and there's a special T-stat housing to use that has a bypass if you do.

Sorry if i'm writing this out like i'm explaining this to a child, i'm just trying to be clear.

The step by step thing is fine.:D It was probably a pretty stupid question to begin with,:)sphss but I think that pretty much clears it all up now. And I am not running a thermostat. Thanks everyone!:D
 
#15 ·
Yes, I have a water temp gauge. The wire hooks up to the sensor on the front of the manifold. Thanks.:D
 
#16 ·
As far as adjusting your headers, the bassett valve will get you close even with it(the valve on the dump line) wide open. You don't have to worry as much as I do, I have tt bassetts and if I run my headers to dry, I end up with a couple of 4" holes in the back of my boat.:D
 
#18 ·
there is a diagram on bassetts wabsite, bassettracing.com pretty much just a picture of what shaun explained to you. i think this link will take you right to the picture http://www.bassettracing.com/newpage7.htm#Jet-Drive Application Diagram

now, sorry to jack your thread but I have a related question, I plumbed my headers just like in the diagram, temp is hanging at about 150 but when i fire it up to back it off the trailer my headers stay dry for about 30 seconds or so then they get wet and start to steam at idle and continue to do so the whole time I am on the water. What do you guys think, is the spring in my t valve weak or maybe just the valve on the dump is closed too far and it is building too much pressure and opening the t valve? It is a used t valve that I bought on ebay so it could just be worn out. any other ideas?
 
#20 ·
now, sorry to jack your thread but I have a related question, I plumbed my headers just like in the diagram, temp is hanging at about 150 but when i fire it up to back it off the trailer my headers stay dry for about 30 seconds or so then they get wet and start to steam at idle and continue to do so the whole time I am on the water. What do you guys think, is the spring in my t valve weak or maybe just the valve on the dump is closed too far and it is building too much pressure and opening the t valve? It is a used t valve that I bought on ebay so it could just be worn out. any other ideas?
Pull the basset valve apart, if you have done this before or sombody else did they may have put the spring in backwards. If you do this the first time there's enough pressure to activate the basset valve the ball will squeeze inbetween the spring and when pressure drops you'll never get it to properly seal again. You just need to pull the ball out, flip the spring around and it sould be ok. The spring will have a big end and a small end, obviously the small end should face the ball. While you have it apart make sure the ball and housing dont have any corrosion or debris that may be keeping it from closeing.

Another thing that could be happening is you just might have too much pressure at idle, there's alot of talk about this, my dad ran my boat for years with no pressure regulator and we never had problems with water squeezing by gaskets but he did have to run rubber freeze plugs... he though it was from the sand eating away the brass ones that would blow them out but i think it was from pressure. I cant verify this becuase when i went through my boat i installed a pressure reg, put it on the lowest setting and it was perfect. I only see about 15# of pressure, my basset valve opens at 10-12# according to my guage.

As for why it takes 30 seconds to see water out of the headers, you would be supprised how much water the block and lines hold and how long it can take to fill it!!
 
#19 ·
I've heard stories of my headers being run dry at WOT, back when it had a 454 in it, at night and the entire curved area was cherry red. These headers have been through hell. Hell, the whole boats been through hell. They'd get really drunk and drive stupid.:)sphss It's been on fire, it's been run ashore several times, when the engine went out, and a whole lot of one shit. The people who lived on the river even started a petition to get it off the river because the previous owner would go out at the crack of dawn and run wide open down the river, which has high cliff walls on both sides most of the way, with the water turned off to the headers. And then he would do another run right before everyone went to bed. And if I'm not mistaken, I think they actually did get him kicked off the river. Crazy drunks!:D Don't know what brought all this on, I guess it was on my mind right now, but I have typed it out, so it's getting posted. Thanks for all your help.:D
 
#21 ·
I've heard stories of my headers being run dry at WOT, back when it had a 454 in it, at night and the entire curved area was cherry red. These headers have been through hell. Hell, the whole boats been through hell. They'd get really drunk and drive stupid.:)sphss It's been on fire, it's been run ashore several times, when the engine went out, and a whole lot of one shit. The people who lived on the river even started a petition to get it off the river because the previous owner would go out at the crack of dawn and run wide open down the river, which has high cliff walls on both sides most of the way, with the water turned off to the headers. And then he would do another run right before everyone went to bed. And if I'm not mistaken, I think they actually did get him kicked off the river. Crazy drunks!:D Don't know what brought all this on, I guess it was on my mind right now, but I have typed it out, so it's getting posted. Thanks for all your help.:D
Some guys install a valve so they can run them dry when racing. The banderlog system (spelling?) has a option to cut off water for i think it's 10 seconds when triggered, normally at WOT.
 
#23 ·
Honestly, the worst way to plumb headers is the conventional way. The conventional way is to put a gate valve in the only 1 dump line you have, then run the T valve off the second dump fitting off the thermostat.

The way it's supposed to work is by closing down the dump valve it creates more pressure in the block, which forces the T valve to open.

However, again you're increasing pressure in the block!!! Why would you want to close down the only dump line you have!? Back in the days of old this setup may have worked. However, in this day and age with the fact that lots of us are running much tighter pump setups, you can easily overpressurize a motor with the conventional setup.

I have my plumbing set up with a pressure regulator, two feeds to the motor, Hardin Marine thermostat kit and two overboard dumps. I then tap the line just before the bypass regulator and run that to a gate valve, which feeds my header T valve. The gate valve controls how much water goes into the T valve.

With this setup, there's absolutely no chance of overpressurization, and the most damage you can do with it is accidentally run too much water to the headers.
 
#26 ·
Gotta love Jet Hot coating :D

That's the Hardin Marine thermostat setup. Water comes in from the bottom and enters the motor through the T, while the top feeds to the two top holes to bypass to the dumps while the thermostat is closed.

Head scratching done :D :D :D
 
#29 ·
I agree with Jetaholic. The idea of a restriction on your dump line just seams like a bad idea. I have one valve in my water system and that's a valve right after the pump. This is so if i end up with a leak any where in my water system i can shut off the feed from the pump and not sink my boat. Remember that even if the boat is not running water will flow through those lines!!! You pop a line, freeze plug or something and your in the middle of the lake your going to be bumin! I run -8 line in and -8 line out. My pressure reg is a 3/4" in/out and has a minimum setting of 25# but with the size of my line it keeps my pressure way below that. My basset valve opens around 2000 RPM.

The only reason i can really see why you would have to restrict your dump line is if your running too large of line to begin with and cant build pressure.

The bypass system is optional, i don't run it, most jetboats don't... i think it looks retarded too but thats just me. it does serve it's purpose.
 
#34 · (Edited)
Make sure to check your oil for water if you've run it this way for a while. Common cause of the jetboaters milkshake.

I agree with Jetaholic. The idea of a restriction on your dump line just seams like a bad idea. I have one valve in my water system and that's a valve right after the pump.
Agreed. Although I have a dump valve on my current boat, I leave it wide open all the time. It's plumbed with
-8AN all the way from pump to dump. With regards to the boat I'm plumbing now, it won't even have a valve for dump,
-8AN line seems to be the perfect size. Been running it problem free that way for years.
 
#31 ·
I agree.

Why have to worry about reversion with a 30K motor?

Brian
 
#35 ·
Another thing to check for FYI are streatched,clipped or other wise modified t valve springs . Also found some broken springs on occasion ,I belive Paul (Bassett) once told me a few years back they redesigned the bevel in the T valve cap do to a oscillation/vibration/chattering problem (causing spring havoc) All Header water systems IMO need a positive shut off valve as well as a t valve for positive water control Tom
(above the temp guage)
 
#36 ·
Wow, I'm starting to get confused.:confused: All of the posts are starting to run together. I don't know what to do anymore. No shut-off or yes shut-off. Dump before or dump after the engine. Thermostat or no thermostat. This plumbing shit isn't seeming so simple anymore. It's starting to sound just like wiring, which can really get my head spinning. Here's how I'm going to do it.
  1. I am going to run the dump valve before the engine to lessen the amount of tubing that I have to buy. And so I can shut the water off in-case anything should happen, where (God forbid) excessive amounts of water starts coming into the boat. And to lower the pressure of the water going into the block to keep from blowing a head gasket and getting water into the working parts of the engine and the oil.
  2. I am not going to buy a thermostat for the truck block, that is just something else to complicate things even more. And I don't think I need it for my application. I don't think my low RPM engine will get it hot enough to open and I've seen and heard of plenty of other jets that run just fine without on.
  3. I will have 1 line coming out of the thermostat housing.
  4. Then it will go into the Bassett T-Valve, which I am sure is assembled correctly (I've checked).
  5. The 2 lines coming out of it will go to each header.
  6. I am going to mount a pressure gauge into the second thermostat fitting. To monitor water pressure inside the block.
Does this sound like it will work for my application. Or am I missing something important here. Thank you everyone, really appreciate all your help and for looking at my pictures closely and pointing out that I was doing something wrong.:D
 
#37 ·
1) Run that valve as close to the pump as possible. I have a 3" long pipe that comes out of my pump and goes right into my valve. I used a gas valve which if you read carfully say they can be used for liquid too. I did this because the handle to turn it on and off is alot shorter and it wont hit the pump. Dont use this valve to control pressure, thats not what it's designed to do, your just restricting flow! Buy a pressure regulator, they arnt that expensive.

2) I agree i dont think you need one but if you did have one it would get hot enough thats how it works. The bypass lets water bypass the system until the motor heats the water to get hot enough for the t-stat to open and flow.

3,4,5) sounds correct

What about your dump line? You still need one more line from your t-stat or manifold that goes straight out the back of the boat!
 
#38 ·
Oh, I guess I still need that one too. Otherwise the water will have nowhere to go until the Bassett valve opens up at about 2000 RPM. Does the valve coming out of the pump also need a dump line, to lower the pressure going into the engine? Meaning I would have 2 dump lines. Thanks.
 
#41 ·
This setup would run cold water through the headers, so it would be able to cool them better. Thanks.
 
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