Volvo 2030 water pump problem

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by Sid at SailAway

...

Here's my question, I cannot locate the Johnson part number for their pump that fits the 2030. A Volvo pump is 460 bucks. I know the Johnson is cheaper if I had the number. Does anyone have the correct part number? Any help would be appreciated as I really don't want to leave Daytona on one engine..

Just for future reference:

The MD series do indeed use a Johnson pump, but the square base flange is specific to Volvo. You cant buy this specific pump directly from Johson...or any other source I know of except Volvo.

[Sid at SailAway]

Originally Posted by belizesailor

Just for future reference:

The MD series do indeed use a Johnson pump, but the square base flange is specific to Volvo. You cant buy this specific pump directly from Johson...or any other source I know of except Volvo.

Yeah, after a few hours research and calls, it looks like Volvo has us by the short hairs on this item. The good thing is now I know I have to get a gear puller onboard to remove the gear from the pump shaft. I'm glad I found the air leak, I was ready to spring for a new pump. Rebuild kit on the way...

[DougR]

Sid,
Glad you found the cause and the problem is solved.

A few rambling thoughts about rubber impeller pumps and saildrives.........

-All rubber impeller pumps are sensitive to high vacuum on the suction side, and when the level of vacuum on the inlet side of the pump is too high the impellor blades begin to be torn from the impellor hub. This is what you experienced with the original impellor failure.....blocked saildrive water passages and lost impellor blades. It's fairly common on these small Johnson type pumps.

- Other options are to forget the saildrive water pickup and install a standard thru hull fitting and seacock. This has the advantage of being more readily cleanable with the boat in the water, and it can be oversized if you wish.

- if you want to keep the thru sail drive pickup, you should do a thorough cleaning and interior passage painting on your next haul out. When the Volvo saildrives are delivered new, they used to have a coat of anti-foul paint on the inside of the water passages, but after some time that coating becomes ineffective. You should clean the water vents on the front of the drive, and also clean the 10 mm hole on the bottom front of the gear case. You can insert a long dowel rod up into this hole and knock a good bit of interior growth from the inside of the vertical passage. Then blow out or back flush the passages from inside the boat, and allow things to dry. Next use duct tape and tape closed the water pick ups on the front of the drive and also the 10 mm hole. Pour the drive water passages full of aluminum compatible bottom paint from the top, and then remove the tape from the 10 mm hole and allow the paint to drain into a container. Do the same thing on the other drive and you will have a few years worth of anti-foul protection on the inside of the drives.

DougR

[Sid at SailAway]

Originally Posted by DougR

Sid,
Glad you found the cause and the problem is solved.

A few rambling thoughts about rubber impeller pumps and saildrives.........

-All rubber impeller pumps are sensitive to high vacuum on the suction side, and when the level of vacuum on the inlet side of the pump is too high the impellor blades begin to be torn from the impellor hub. This is what you experienced with the original impellor failure.....blocked saildrive water passages and lost impellor blades. It's fairly common on these small Johnson type pumps.

- Other options are to forget the saildrive water pickup and install a standard thru hull fitting and seacock. This has the advantage of being more readily cleanable with the boat in the water, and it can be oversized if you wish.

- if you want to keep the thru sail drive pickup, you should do a thorough cleaning and interior passage painting on your next haul out. When the Volvo saildrives are delivered new, they used to have a coat of anti-foul paint on the inside of the water passages, but after some time that coating becomes ineffective. You should clean the water vents on the front of the drive, and also clean the 10 mm hole on the bottom front of the gear case. You can insert a long dowel rod up into this hole and knock a good bit of interior growth from the inside of the vertical passage. Then blow out or back flush the passages from inside the boat, and allow things to dry. Next use duct tape and tape closed the water pick ups on the front of the drive and also the 10 mm hole. Pour the drive water passages full of aluminum compatible bottom paint from the top, and then remove the tape from the 10 mm hole and allow the paint to drain into a container. Do the same thing on the other drive and you will have a few years worth of anti-foul protection on the inside of the drives.

DougR

Great advice and instructions there Doug. Thanks!