me worry ? raw water pump leaking

[George DuBose]

Does anyone believe in preventive maintenance? PM? Best time to fix a leaking pump is before it leaks

[MarkSF]

Originally Posted by George DuBose

Does anyone believe in preventive maintenance? PM? Best time to fix a leaking pump is before it leaks

What a brilliant idea. I hadn't thought of that. I've had pumps start leaking after 1 year, and at other times, fine for 10 years. So what should be the interval? The parts to rebuild a Sherwood or Oberdorfer are about $150. If you want to do that once a year, go for it.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by George DuBose

Does anyone believe in preventive maintenance? PM? Best time to fix a leaking pump is before it leaks

So.....What is the PM interval on an Oberdorfer 202M?

[Mithril Bham]

Fix it.
Should be easy rebuild but not necessarily. Have had problems with shaft extraction then shaft shattered etc. Probably lip seal.
Like idea of buying new one and rebuilding old as spare but, then again, how many spares do you have room for on a sailboat? I have a garage full of spares.
Very common problem.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by MarkSF

What a brilliant idea. I hadn't thought of that. I've had pumps start leaking after 1 year, and at other times, fine for 10 years. So what should be the interval? The parts to rebuild a Sherwood or Oberdorfer are about $150. If you want to do that once a year, go for it.

If the bearing is OK, the seals are like $20.

Originally Posted by Sailmonkey

So.....What is the PM interval on an Oberdorfer 202M?

First pump: 1,000 hours. Second pump: 500 hours. Rebuilt pump (in my link), still working 500 hours later.

It's NOT a pm thing. It IS a: "Look at your engine while it's running, and do so often" thing.

Weep holes, when kept clean, are to allow you to see the leak Heck, if the seals lasted 1,000 hours I'd be very happy. Maybe the PO changed it out before I bought the boat, but I doubt it. It had 888 eh when I bought it in 1998. 3300 now, one new pump, one seal replacement. Not too bad.

[Squanderbucks]

Fix it right away. I carry a spare pump with all the elbows to the hoses fully fitted so a quick change out is what is done while cruising.
I also made up from a PVC pipe end cap and a couple of machine screws, wire and a sounding buzzer as a water pump seal leak detecting kit. Attached the modified end cap under the pump and when a seal first starts leaking the salt water into the cup it competes a circuit in the ground wire and the buzzer goes off. I want to detect the failed seals as soon as possible before further damage occurs.

If detected early the pump bearing(s) can be protected from the salt water. Any slight water intrusion and the bearing are toast for much more that a quick ride to closest port. When installing the seals and bearings I coat the faces of the bearing with a waxy, sticky grease such as Triple Guard Grease. It will keep out water for a while. Long enough to allow a timely fix of the seals with not having to replace the bearing every time. Also if a bearing is allowed to run with water in it for even a short time and then fails by seizing up the pump shaft and housing can be damaged to the point that repair is more costly than replacement with a new pump. The individual parts are more that a whole new one.

If it is a pump that is directly bolted to the engine and not run by a belt you also have the possibility of getting saltwater into your engine block. Not Good.

[Squanderbucks]

As for how many spares do you have room for? Well it is certainly a lot less hassle to carry a few more "essential" spares than some extra groceries.

Depends on how far from home you will be traveling and the availability of parts in your cruising area AND making up a list of the most common items to fail and/or what items could fail that are field repairable and not cause an abandonment of the rest of your trip.

A starting list might include:
Spare fuel and oil filters for each engine or generator on the boat (1 change minimum for oil and two changes for fuel).
Water pump impellers, seals, belts for each pump on the boat.
Alternator belts.
Fuses, assorted wire crimps and tools.
Possibly a spare bilge pump if only one or two are installed.
Spare lengths of hose in the sizes that fit the water pumps.
If your boat has a generator don't forget the same type parts for it as well. Mine has a computer board that I carry a spare for it as well. Smaller than a can of sardines. Actually most all of the items listed are pretty small with the largest being the filters.
Gasoline engines can add a few items such as spark plugs, etc.

I'm sure that others can add to the list - maybe take away an item or two if not straying far from home. I carry a lot more for cruising the Bahamas all organised in various size Tupper Ware containers or small tackle or Tool boxes.

It seems that no matter how much I prep before a trip there is hardly a trip where something doesn't have to be attended to before returning home.

Just try and envision what are the consumable items on the boat or what items fail the most often and include those parts.

[Sailmonkey]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

If the bearing is OK, the seals are like $20.



First pump: 1,000 hours. Second pump: 500 hours. Rebuilt pump (in my link), still working 500 hours later.

It's NOT a pm thing. It IS a: "Look at your engine while it's running, and do so often" thing.

Weep holes, when kept clean, are to allow you to see the leak Heck, if the seals lasted 1,000 hours I'd be very happy. Maybe the PO changed it out before I bought the boat, but I doubt it. It had 888 eh when I bought it in 1998. 3300 now, one new pump, one seal replacement. Not too bad.

Kinda my point!

Our pump is @ 1865 hrs and still no drips through the weep hole!

[boeing1]

you can get a rebuild kit for your pump at most marine parts stores, and it is not difficult to rebuild , however you can have it rebuilt,by
the flying dutchman in Selma OR does really good work

[stormalong]

I have rebuilt the raw water pump on by Beta 50 (BV2203). Don't delay. before you get a "catastrophic" failure you will be spraying sea water all over the engine space on to your alternator and anything else in the disc of the spray.

Rebuilding is easy. You will find that the seal has worn a groove in the pump shaft. Although you can use a speedy sleeve on the groove it is had to get it right. Bite the bullet and get a new pump shaft. My pump lasted about 3000 hours and eight years before needing the rebuild. At the first sign of leakage rebuild it.