TIL I was flooding my own helmet because of a bad valve check

After 16 years of diving in the Gulf off Louisiana, I was doing a routine pipeline inspection and kept getting water in my helmet. I finally noticed the leak was coming from my own bailout valve - I had been checking the valve in the wrong position before every dive. What simple habit do you realize you had wrong for years?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_oscar2mo agoMost Upvoted

Bet you weren't checking the exhaust valve either, were you?

vera3082mo ago

Did you even think to check the oil pickup tube screen (if this engine has one)?

murphy.blair1mo ago

Saw a thread on another forum where a guy had his engine seize up on a logging road. Turned out the pickup screen was completely clogged with sealant from the oil pan gasket. Thing was, the previous owner had used RTV silicone instead of the proper gasket. Bits broke off over time and just got sucked right onto the screen. He only had 80k miles on a rebuild too. Worth a look if you're poking around down there.