Oil Leaking from Raw Water Pump: Help!

[phantomtom]

What could be causing oil to leak out of the seawater pump on my Westerbeke 4-108? This is a mechanical drive Sherwood water pump">raw water pump, driven by the cam gear slot. Had the water pump rebuilt, I put in a new timing cover front oil seal, so no longer drips there, but drips from the slot in the raw water pump body. Is there an oil seal at the cam? Anywhere else behind the gears inside that timing gear cover that can be replaced. I don't see any pictured in the manuals I have. I just don't understand where this could be coming from. No oil in the fresh water, no water in the oil or out the stern. No oil in the raw water pump impeller housing when I remove the cover plate and look at the impeller. Just dripping out the shaft of the raw water pump, about 2 table spoons/hr. Where could this be coming from? Anyone out there know? Thanks much. Tom

[NCboatrx]

Your pump has two types of seals, one keeps the raw water in the impeller side of the pump and the other keeps the oil in the lubrication side of the pump. For oil to leak through the weep hole, it must pass the bearings and a lip seal so something is not quite right with the rebuild.
Regards,
Stanley

[captain465]

Raw water pump oil seal is put in backwards...........

[phantomtom]

Thank you for the reply. I appreciate the input, I hate oil leaks and changing the "diaper" after every couple sails. I will remove the pump and take it back to the mechanic with the comments. Will check if oil seal was put in backward, or maybe the sealing compound, Permatex brown, didn't dry first. Still, should there be that much oil moving around inside the timing case cover? I hope so. Thanks again, TOM

[Blue Stocking]

Phantomtom,

I don't know if yours is the W-46 model, which I have in my Rhodes Reliant. If it is, it is critical (there is a Westerbeke service bulletin on this) that the pump, when re-installed, not be tightened down against the gasket right off. Install finger tight nuts, rotate engine 2 or 3 times (careful it doesn't fire up), to allow pump drive spline to align in cam end slot. THIS IS CRITICAL--, tighten nuts to correct torque.
I ruined 2 sets of seals before learning of this requirement.

[phantomtom]

Thanks Blue. I know about that. Mine is a Westerbeke 40 1989. The Sherwood pump tech was stumped and said maybe the mechanic that rebuilt the pump used the wrong rebuild kit, other than that he was stumped. Said there is no oil pressure there, just splash oiling. I now have an email in to Westerbeke teck support. Appreciate the input. By the way, I know the Rhodes Reliant-- nice classic. Bests, Tom

[phantomtom]

OK. All figured out. Just in case anyone else ever has this problem. The raw water pump on this Westerbeke 40 is splash oiled; i.e., not under pressure. Pump was leaking because mechanic did not use Permatex sealant on the outer surface of the sealed bearings on the oil side of pump. When I removed the pump this was very obvious. Once I took the impeller out and turned the pump shaft by hand I could see the entire bearing moving ever so slightly in the pump body along with the shaft. Oil was able to work its way through that edge and then drip out of the weep hole in the pump body. All seems fine now. Thanks again to everyone who replied. Tom