[phillycincykid]

the second pump in three years i put in was a rule. it was a little more expensive but after the junky walmart special float got stuck up and ran dry for about an hour, decided not to take any more chances.

[gahooligan]

I think mine has been replaced but while I was checking it today I have a question. I have a 99 shabah 202 5.7l. What is the round black thing located recessed in a cutout in the engine bay floor located towards the driver side of the boat. I didn't expect to see a hole cut in that floor with something in it. Also my bilge pump is located more forward in the engine bay and seems to have a very high float level (not that I know any different) Also this weekend after a day on the lake I had water draining for approx. 1.5-2 min out the drain. We did put the tube and wakeboard in the ski locker though after use...

That's more than one question I know. But I am somewhat concerned about the bilge pump. It does run when the float is lifted but the manual switch on the dash does not run it.

[bdbyrnes]

Originally Posted by gahooligan

I think mine has been replaced but while I was checking it today I have a question. I have a 99 shabah 202 5.7l. What is the round black thing located recessed in a cutout in the engine bay floor located towards the driver side of the boat. I didn't expect to see a hole cut in that floor with something in it. Also my bilge pump is located more forward in the engine bay and seems to have a very high float level (not that I know any different) Also this weekend after a day on the lake I had water draining for approx. 1.5-2 min out the drain. We did put the tube and wakeboard in the ski locker though after use...

That's more than one question I know. But I am somewhat concerned about the bilge pump. It does run when the float is lifted but the manual switch on the dash does not run it.

Can you post a photo? This sounds like the attachment that mounts to the compartment - floor - that screens the water and houses the pump. My float level does not engage until there is ~3" of water in the engine compartment; it then runs until the water level is about 1/2". With 750GPH it ran for several minutes yesterday. My Mariah does take on a decent amount of water during a day at the lake and has for the 12 years I have owned it. Saturday I had a full engine compartment and a non-functional pump!

My understanding is that the bilge pump can traditionally be wired one of two ways: 1) On when the bilge accessory switch is on - off when the switch is off. 2) Connected directly to battery and engaging with a float switch.

If you want to bypass the float switch and go to a 'manual' mode it's easy to do. Brown wire off the bilge pump to the brown wire that is labeled 'auto bilge pump' on the starboard side of the engine toward the rear seat. Black wire to any ground source (black wire bundled with the 'auto bilge pump' will work.) In this mode the pump will be manual on-off based on switching the accessory switch at the console.

At the end of the season I may wire the float switch into the 'auto bilge pump' switch but right now my to-do list still has other things on it.

[woodward33]

Originally Posted by gahooligan

What is the round black thing located recessed in a cutout in the engine bay floor located towards the driver side of the boat. I didn't expect to see a hole cut in that floor with something in it.

Gahooligan,

A photo would be helpful for sure, but without one I'll give my 2 cents... My two questions for you would be, does your boat have a transom shower (or wash down) and does it have a factory depth finder? All Mariah's in '99 had a factory depth finder if I remember correctly.

Anyway, my guess is the round black thing you're describing it one of these two things. If there is a water hose or on/off petcock on it, it is for the transom shower. If your boat doesn't have a shower, but the small black round thing has only two or three electrical wires coming out of it, its your depth finder transducer. Many of them weren't thru-hull, so I believe Mariah countersunk them in the hull to allow them to get a more accurate reading.

[gahooligan]

It does have a depth finder and it does look like a transducer I would guess it's about maybe 2 inches across with flat top I see no hoes coming off of it unless the hoses underneath the top level of the engine compartment floor

[woodward33]

You got it, man. The hose would be blatantly obvious -- they didn't route those under the top layer of the compartment floor. Definitely the transducer.