Clogged Intake Covers

[RHock]

I have just had the bottom of my 1994 350 aftcabin painted (still out of the water). I discovered that the holes in the covers ("grills"?, "screens"?) for the intakes for the engines, AC, and generator are heavily clogged with paint from this and earlier paintings. For one of them, less than 20% of the holes are open. I haven't noticed any overheating, but this impediment to water flow can't be good.

Can I just take a small nail or drillbit and re-open the clogged holes? There is at least 3/4 inch clearance between the cover and the actual bottom, so I don't see any danger of punching into the bottom by mistake. Seems like an easy fix, but I am new to this and don't want to mess anything up.

Ran

 

[pdecat]

can you post a PIX or find one on the web.

Clearly they need to be open and are usually removable. What does the yard that did the work say????

 

[PascalG]

Yard screwed up, have them fix it! Yes, these holes should be open. It may work initially but with time growth, slime, grass will cover more holes and you will eventually have issues.

 

[RHock]

Bruce and Pascal,

Thanks for your replies.

I caught up with the painters and they readily agreed to clear the vent covers. They punched through the small holes and I think that the water flow should now be normal. Closer inspection showed that the covers for the engine intakes do indeed have a screen that theoretically unscrews and slides out for cleaning but it was easier to just clear the holes than try to get it out.

Thanks Again,
Ran

 

[pdecat]

Those are called south bay strainers. They work well in areas with eel grass that tends to plug up other styles because the water action sweeps off the grass. Barnacles can grow inside that's why the screen is removable to allow cleaning inside

 

[Capt. Bill1]

In the near future or at the time of your next bottom job at least, you need to have the screen removed, cleaned off the old bottom paint properly, repainted and then remounted. Over time as the screens get painted and painted, over and over, the holes get smaller and smaller.

Not removing them this time means the bottom painters did not clean off any growth behind them and up into the thru hulls. Nor did they apply new bottom paint behind them and up into the thru hulls. Which means stuff can grow there and clog your intake even though the screens are painted.