Ranger 488vs help

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Freefall
Posts: 319
Joined: Sat Feb 27, 2016 5:19 am

Ranger 488vs help

Post by Freefall »

Good afternoon,

I’m using a Ranger 488vs and I had something interesting happen with the live wells that I can’t figure out.

The levers are on EMPTY yet they ended up half full today. I never pumped water into them and the pumps wouldn’t push the water out. I had to pull the plug to drain it at the end of the day.

How would water end up in the wells without filling them?
Fear does not prevent death, it prevents life.

You've never lived until you've almost died and for those who have fought for it, life has a whole new flavor that the protected will never know....
MichaelB
Posts: 432
Joined: Sun Aug 07, 2016 6:48 am
Location: Modesto, CA

Re: Ranger 488vs help

Post by MichaelB »

gabuelhaj
Posts: 507
Joined: Sat May 07, 2005 8:21 am
Location: Manteca

Re: Ranger 488vs help

Post by gabuelhaj »

Maybe the rubber flappers in the valve body needs to be replaced. Go to flow-rite.com and bassboatcentral.com.

Good luck!
Glenn Abuelhaj
Baseball
Posts: 63
Joined: Sat Nov 09, 2019 3:02 pm

Re: Ranger 488vs help

Post by Baseball »

I have a Ranger 518 and the wells always fill up with water, when the valve is on empty. Not draining when on plain and the drive home? That I don’t understand.
Dave Brabec
Posts: 241
Joined: Wed Dec 26, 2018 10:58 am

Re: Ranger 488vs help

Post by Dave Brabec »

Every boat ive owned would fill half way if lever on empty. put it on auto
sdavis24
Posts: 55
Joined: Mon May 19, 2014 7:18 pm

Re: Ranger 488vs help

Post by sdavis24 »

I thought the empty position opens the connection to the outside and the livewells will fill to the same level as the water outside the boat.
Freefall
Posts: 319
Joined: Sat Feb 27, 2016 5:19 am

Re: Ranger 488vs help

Post by Freefall »

sdavis24 wrote:I thought the empty position opens the connection to the outside and the livewells will fill to the same level as the water outside the boat.

Thanks , I’ll try the opposite direction & see what that does.
Fear does not prevent death, it prevents life.

You've never lived until you've almost died and for those who have fought for it, life has a whole new flavor that the protected will never know....
Bassfishman
Posts: 99
Joined: Sat Jan 23, 2016 9:50 am

Re: Ranger 488vs help

Post by Bassfishman »

sdavis24 wrote:I thought the empty position opens the connection to the outside and the livewells will fill to the same level as the water outside the boat.
I agree with this - in the EMPTY position the valves are open so water can back fill into the livewells. If you dont want any (or very much water) to come into the livewells you need to put the selector switch in the RECIRC position - this basically shuts the water from the lake off from coming into the livewell. Even then, some water may come in. The flappers arent perfect especially if your valve is old.
gabuelhaj
Posts: 507
Joined: Sat May 07, 2005 8:21 am
Location: Manteca

Re: Ranger 488vs help

Post by gabuelhaj »

From the flow-rite literature:

The “EMPTY” position is, of
course, used for draining the
livewell. It is, however, much
more than just an open drain
position. When placed in the
“EMPTY” position, the control
valve allows water to exit the
transom drain, but not enter.
This check feature is most appreciated by the tournament angler, who in
the wee hours of the morning, does not have to remember to close a
livewell drain prior to launching as the control is already in the “EMPTY”
position. Water will automatically be prevented from entering the
livewell as the boat is backed into the water. No more blast-offs with
hundreds of pounds of unwanted water in the livewell.

Good luck!
Glenn Abuelhaj
DaLa
Posts: 101
Joined: Wed Jan 06, 2010 2:07 pm
Location: East Bay, CA

Re: Ranger 488vs help

Post by DaLa »

I had a 461

Replaced the valves and :..


From the flow-rite literature:

The “EMPTY” position is, of
course, used for draining the
livewell. It is, however, much
more than just an open drain
position. When placed in the
“EMPTY” position, the control
valve allows water to exit the
transom drain, but not enter.
This check feature is most appreciated by the tournament angler, who in
the wee hours of the morning, does not have to remember to close a
livewell drain prior to launching as the control is already in the “EMPTY”
position. Water will automatically be prevented from entering the
livewell as the boat is backed into the water. No more blast-offs with
hundreds of pounds of unwanted water in the livewell.

They worked like they are supposed to. the valve flap had shrunk quite a bit so was not functioning at all.
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