livemusic Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 Too small for a dirt dauber wasp. This happened both of my bass boats recently! First motor was a 40hp Tracker/Mercury. I was just running it for maintenance and it would not pee. I finally saw that the pee hole was stopped up, stuck something in there and it was dirt and it came out easily. Just looked like dirt/sand. A few days later, decided to run my bigger boat with Yamaha 115hp 4-stroke. I did my usual pre-launch, unloaded and it cranked right up. Warmed up a minute or two while I parked the truck. Noticed no pee. Decided I needed to rev it some. Didn't work. Decided maybe I need even more, took off at low speed, ramping up to medium while looking at peehole. Nothing. I shut down and turned around and went back. Had to load boat, no way to get to the pee hole while in water. Same, identical thing, found dirt! And it came out like the other did when I poked something into it. Launched the boat and it ran fine and quickly, water was coming out the hole. Ran it around the lake a bit and went home. My location is loaded with dirt daubers, they build their mud nests all over my garage and in my sheds and barn. But these pee holes are small. Like weedwhacker line small. No way can a dirt dauber do that far as I know. I wonder if it is ants. I am also plagued by ants. I will add that dirt daubers WILL get into a motor, up under the hood through any opening big enough that a wasp can crawl into, and then build nests inside. I have seen that a lot. But I am talking about the pee hole, the telltale. Think this was ants or is there some other bug known to do this in a tiny orifice? I have added another item to the pre-launch mental checklist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woody B Posted August 22, 2023 Share Posted August 22, 2023 I had a small orifice stopped up in a gas port in the furnace in my motorhome years ago. Someone said it was some kind of spider that done that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User A-Jay Posted August 22, 2023 Super User Share Posted August 22, 2023 Not sure what type of insect or spider might have ventured up there. But I'd be trimming a little length of something foam to temporarily 'pug' it between trips. Goes in when I pull the boat and comes out before I back down the ramp. Think foam ear plug, half way sticking out for you convenience. A-Jay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livemusic Posted August 22, 2023 Author Share Posted August 22, 2023 Yep, I have been contemplating that very thing, even duct tape! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airshot Posted August 23, 2023 Share Posted August 23, 2023 Or a tapered wood dowel....yes spiders do like propane orfices as does mud daubers! Had issues with them in my motorhome! You need to use your toys more often to prevent these...at least that is what I tell my wife !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Global Moderator TnRiver46 Posted August 23, 2023 Global Moderator Share Posted August 23, 2023 You found dirt yet claim in ain’t a dirt dauber…… dirt daubers are well know to clog the pee hole on boats across the US and your area is littered with them, they can get small in the end it doesn’t matter what did it just clean it out. I keep weedeater string in the boat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User J Francho Posted August 23, 2023 Super User Share Posted August 23, 2023 Does it matter what critter did it if you block the hole moving forward? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livemusic Posted August 23, 2023 Author Share Posted August 23, 2023 Why does it matter if I ask if anyone knows what critter does it? Love nature, simply curious. I have never seen any dirt dauber so small it could fit in a hole the size of weedwhacker line and would love to know what critter does it. You guys sure seem uptight. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User J Francho Posted August 23, 2023 Super User Share Posted August 23, 2023 My mistake. I thought you were seeking a solution. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Darth-Baiter Posted August 23, 2023 Super User Share Posted August 23, 2023 love the use of "orifice". hahah..(my brain is still in 4th grade) it is amazing that there isn't enough water pressure to blow out a bug turd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Bird Posted August 23, 2023 Super User Share Posted August 23, 2023 Never heard them referred to as " dirt " daubers but I'm pretty sure it's the same thing as we call mud daubers. We have them everywhere around the house. What I've had block the propane orifices on RV's is a miniature version of a yellow jacket, don't know the scientific name but could be what's stopping up your outboards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User Way2slow Posted August 24, 2023 Super User Share Posted August 24, 2023 I was probably 20 years old before I ever heard them referred to a mud dauber. They were dirt daubers. Just depends on where you live. Also, there are two different types in my neck of the woods. The big one that looks like more like a wasp with and extended tail, and then a small one that has a small slender body not much larger than a fly. The smaller ones are the ones that cause the most problems because they love even the smallest ready-made hole. Every time I pick up and air tool, I have to check to see if the fitting is clear. Recessed screw holes in tools/equipment are constantly getting filled in. Pee holes on outboards have to be kept plugged with a peg, nail or something or they will get plugged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Global Moderator TnRiver46 Posted August 24, 2023 Global Moderator Share Posted August 24, 2023 Ok I’ll put it this way: there isn’t a boat telltale/pee hole on this planet than a mud/dirt dobber can’t fit in……. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User MickD Posted August 24, 2023 Super User Share Posted August 24, 2023 One easy way to prevent is to put a piece of blue masking tape over the hole. If you forget it, it will easily blow off when the motor starts pushing water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livemusic Posted August 25, 2023 Author Share Posted August 25, 2023 22 hours ago, MickD said: One easy way to prevent is to put a piece of blue masking tape over the hole. If you forget it, it will easily blow off when the motor starts pushing water. That might be a good solution except getting it to stick... on the 40hp Tracker/Mercury... the line itself is small. Whatever the critter is, again, it has to be able to fit into an ID the size of weedwhacker line. Another example is the red tube that comes on a WD40 can... that tube stuck perfectly up inside the water telltale line. I am not aware of any dirt/mud dauber that small, maybe there is one. But ants could sure do it. Ants are driving me nuts right now inside my house; we are in a 2-months-long heatwave from hell. Might set records for days over 100. So, it is dry, and it seems ants come into my house in a drought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User MickD Posted August 25, 2023 Super User Share Posted August 25, 2023 Just now, livemusic said: That might be a good solution except getting it to stick It just has to stick in storage. If it won't stick use regular masking tape. I expect the water pressure will blow that off , too. I'm not sure what is meant by "the line." I was thinking of taping the water outlet which is a boss on the housing on most engines. I'll take a look at mine. Luckily I've not had a problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User WRB Posted August 25, 2023 Super User Share Posted August 25, 2023 Spiders do the same thing plugging up tiny orifices. The spider or wasp sticks something they want to save in the hole then cover it so ants can’t get it. The result is the hole is plugged! Clean out the Pee hole then clean area with alcohol and put piece of blue tape over it. The pee hole is just a visual indicator the water pump is working. Tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User MickD Posted August 25, 2023 Super User Share Posted August 25, 2023 I checked my Merc 60 four stroke today and the pee hole is in the middle of a flat boss about 1/2 inch across. Would be easy to just place a piece of tape over it. This is not rocket science. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VolFan Posted August 25, 2023 Share Posted August 25, 2023 You could also just tie a knot in a piece of weed eater twine and stick that in the pee hole. The knot will keep it from going too far in and the memory of the twine should hold it in we’ll enough but let it get blown out if you forget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Global Moderator TnRiver46 Posted August 28, 2023 Global Moderator Share Posted August 28, 2023 On 8/25/2023 at 4:58 PM, MickD said: I checked my Merc 60 four stroke today and the pee hole is in the middle of a flat boss about 1/2 inch across. Would be easy to just place a piece of tape over it. This is not rocket science. I’m sure the insect is really getting a kick out of all these posts 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super User A-Jay Posted August 28, 2023 Super User Share Posted August 28, 2023 14 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said: I’m sure the Bug Monkey is really getting a kick out of all these posts Fixed that one for you. Who knew ? ? A-Jay 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.