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Hi Cobalt forum. I am usually asking for help on this forum, but tonight I learned a lot after spending 3hrs in my engine bay (Twin 496mag HO’s in a 282) I have had this boat 13 years and I learned a few things.

* exhaust fan hoses = I have always used my exhaust fans after fuel fill ups. Been patting myself on the back for this for years and teaching my teenagers what they should know. Tonight, I was admiring my clean engine bay that my boys scrubbed with “Roll Off”. It was nice until I got everything all dirty again. All my Cobalt hoses and lines look brand new and great as always. I started following all the lines to check connections and making sure all was good. The easy ones, the dryer-vent-hose accordion looking ones looked great and they ran under my engines into a tiered level section underneath the main floor. I decided to pull these ends out to see what they looked like. I discovered the ends of the accordion dryer hoses were flush/flat on the floor. BOTH OF THEM. This means they were like vacuum cleaners stuck to the floor bottom and hardly pulling any fumes out. WOW. I pulled the ends and cleaned them and zip tied them to different locations where they can grab more air. Testing them really proved the difference. They were loud and powerful versus muffled. Now pulling some serious air. This is a huge safety check for all!

Also changed fuel filters and water impellers and gear lube. Learned a lot about what I have been paying the Marina guys to do. Educational.

Good job captain

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Great info 282C....thanks for posting with pics!

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Thanks for the tips! I bet your back is sore today.

Happy to share. And I am sore in all the right paces. Ha!

Thanks Captain.

I may be wrong, but the gas fumes are heavier than air so they settle to the bottom. That’s probably why the hoses are low in the boat. You may be moving more air, but not the right air.

Brokentoy1 wrote: Tue Apr 13, 2021 7:41 pm I may be wrong, but the gas fumes are heavier than air so they settle to the bottom. That’s probably why the hoses are low in the boat. You may be moving more air, but not the right air.

From what I gather is that he did not change the location of hoses, just clearanced them from the floor or wall so they weren't sucking up to the flat surfaces blocking flow and not moving any air.

'Action Andy' very appropriate for this post. Just curious how many seasons and year ago were the impellers and fuel filters changed? Agree on point about fumes settling at lowest point.

Cobalt272! wrote: Wed Apr 14, 2021 9:10 am 'Action Andy' very appropriate for this post. Just curious how many seasons and year ago were the impellers and fuel filters changed? Agree on point about fumes settling at lowest point.

That fuel filter (the disk) looks as bad as I have seen it. Last year mine looked like new so I left it in...plan to do both filters no matter what

Hi guys. Sorry for delay getting back. I’m still learning even when trying to be the teacher. You’re right, I may need to replace hoses back down further to move the right air. Thanks for tip!

Impellers: Mine in pics were used 2 seasons. And it was very little use as I was solo most last year watching bikini’s since kids & wife didn’t come much last summer. I think my used impellers had lots of life left, but it’s great insurance to do every couple seasons. I like to find 70mph often, so it’s important to me for top performance.

282Captain wrote: Mon Apr 19, 2021 12:23 am I was solo most last year watching bikini’s since kids & wife didn’t come much last summer.

Apparently your wife doesn't look at this site either.

on a prior boat. I skipped a year on impeller change and guess what. It failed on Greers ferry. Thank fully we were still in sight of the marina and a dealer there had a replacement in stock.

I will never go into a season with a year old impeller again.

If my fuel filters looked like that I would be changing them more often too. And probably pumping out the tank to see how much trash is in there.

rabiddawg wrote: Tue Apr 20, 2021 9:14 am on a prior boat. I skipped a year on impeller change and guess what. It failed on Greers ferry. Thank fully we were still in sight of the marina and a dealer there had a replacement in stock.

I will never go into a season with a year old impeller again.

If my fuel filters looked like that I would be changing them more often too. And probably pumping out the tank to see how much trash is in there.

I think we looked the gift horse right in the mouth with our first boat. We had it 5 years and I never even checked the impeller - really didnt know I needed to. Hindsight is 20/20 and now that I know better I will never gamble again.

dustinm wrote: Tue Apr 20, 2021 10:30 am

rabiddawg wrote: Tue Apr 20, 2021 9:14 am on a prior boat. I skipped a year on impeller change and guess what. It failed on Greers ferry. Thank fully we were still in sight of the marina and a dealer there had a replacement in stock.

I will never go into a season with a year old impeller again.

If my fuel filters looked like that I would be changing them more often too. And probably pumping out the tank to see how much trash is in there.

I think we looked the gift horse right in the mouth with our first boat. We had it 5 years and I never even checked the impeller - really didnt know I needed to. Hindsight is 20/20 and now that I know better I will never gamble again.

Same here on our first boat's impeller. We got lucky. Biggest problem I've seen with the fuel filters is with ethanol. Since we're not using ethanol anymore, I don't worry as much. But I will change impeller pretty early this season and stock a fuel filter on board.