Raw water strainer leaking

[nattydread]

I've got a '97 Express Cruiser and I'm getting a slow, but constant drip from my port water strainer. I shut the valve and removed the canister only to find that the shutoff itself wouldn't completely stop the water. I replaced the cork gasket with a new one...the leak remained. I tried using some gasket maker, but since the shutoff was leaking I had to let it cure unassembled. It slowed the leaked, but it continues. Any suggestions?

 

[Golfman25]

I would first work on getting your shut off to work. Probably some exercise and maybe a little water proof grease in there to free it up?

Then you can take the strainer apart and make sure all the surfaces are flat and good, so you can get a good seal.

 

[nattydread]

This probably sounds like a stupid question but if the water is still leaking when I close the shutoff, how can I get the grease in there?

 

[BlueYonder]

Some seacocks have a zerk fitting on them to allow greasing.

 

[Golfman25]

This probably sounds like a stupid question but if the water is still leaking when I close the shutoff, how can I get the grease in there?

A am assuming you can't get the valve 100% closed. So, absent what Blue Yonder mentioned, I would close it as much as possible, see if I couldn't get some grease in there with a long tool of some sort, and then wiggle the thing until it hopefully freed up.

 

[dwna1a]

Remove the drain and replace it with a fitting. Be very sure to use grease suitable for you seacock

 

[nattydread]

Thx everyone. I'll give it a shot and let you know how I make out!

 

[my3sons]

I don’t know the layout of your engine room but my strainer is low in the bilge below the waterline Took me a little while to figure out that my seacock leak wasn’t really a leak. When I closed the seacock and removed the top of the strainer, the water coming out was siphoning/ flowing back through from the raw water circuit of the engine fed from the shaft seals and would trickle water until the aftercooler and sea water pump and associated hoses were empty. At least check that out before going all in on repair or replacing the valve.

 

[nattydread]

I've got a ‘97 express cruiser (if that helps for you knowledge), but that does seem 100% plausible as my engine room is laid out as you described and I imagine this is what is happening to me as well. I'll let you know how I make out!