Yanmar Raw Water pump

[rfarley]

I am getting ready to head down the waterway this fall. I have a Yanmar 2GM20F and was wondering if I should get a spare water pump">raw water pump. Cost $431.00. I have about 2,500 engine hours on the motor. The pump seems fine but was wondering if this would be a good investment in my spare part kit?

Thanks Ron

[Noname]

Originally Posted by rfarley

I am getting ready to head down the waterway this fall. I have a Yanmar 2GM20F and was wondering if I should get a spare raw water pump. Cost $431.00. I have about 2,500 engine hours on the motor. The pump seems fine but was wondering if this would be a good investment in my spare part kit?

Thanks Ron

Nice to have spares, but what if the fresh water pump conks out?? Buy BoatUS towing, if the worst happens, get towed to the closest place for repairs, and then buy the part needed. (My freshwater pump died on the ICW in 2010; I did have a spare alternator though.)

[Intentional Drifter]

Well, Ron, buying a spare and putting it on the boat is the surest way I know to keep the original from failing!

ID

[Vasco]

For a trip down the waterway or cruising the Bahamas I would not bother. Help and spare parts are a phone call away + shipping. But if you do get one swap it out right away. That way you'll know that it's the right part. I had two spare impellers for my 3GM30F. The impeller went on me, I went to install the spare..... no joy. My 3GM30F (installed in Canada, bought from a big US distributor) was a European model that took a different impeller from most of the North American sold engines. My spares were for the North American model. Luckily I was in my home slip in Toronto and got the correct impeller fairly easily.

[djmarchand]

Here is a tip:

Older 2,3gm engines were delivered with one pump and later ones were delivered with another. They both fit exactly the same on the engine, but the later one is $150 cheaper.

Ask your Yanmar parts guy. He might not admit it, particularly if they are a big stocking dealer and they need to sell the old stock at the higher price, but it is true.

The later pump does use a different impeller.

David

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by djmarchand

Here is a tip:

Older 2,3gm engines were delivered with one pump and later ones were delivered with another. They both fit exactly the same on the engine, but the later one is $150 cheaper.

Ask your Yanmar parts guy. He might not admit it, particularly if they are a big stocking dealer and they need to sell the old stock at the higher price, but it is true.

The later pump does use a different impeller.

David

Or call Depco Pump (Depco Pump Company)

The major difference between the EU & NA versions is the EU pump does not have a changeable cam, and yes, a different impeller. I would stick with the EU version as it's more likely to have parts in stock outside NA. The EU pump costs ~60% of the price of the NA version.

Obviously when you are buying spares, you need to know which pump you have.

[Canibul]

Originally Posted by Vasco

For a trip down the waterway or cruising the Bahamas I would not bother. Help and spare parts are a phone call away + shipping. But if you do get one swap it out right away. That way you'll know that it's the right part. I had two spare impellers for my 3GM30F. The impeller went on me, I went to install the spare..... no joy. My 3GM30F (installed in Canada, bought from a big US distributor) was a European model that took a different impeller from most of the North American sold engines. My spares were for the North American model. Luckily I was in my home slip in Toronto and got the correct impeller fairly easily.

I recently read, somewhere, an interesting sort of attitude about spares. Whomever I was reading said that when he bought a spare, he immediately put the new part on the engine and kept the working original as the spare. His logic was that this way, he knew the spare was going to fit, was working, had all required parts, and he knew that he had the tools and experience to replace it at sea, since he'd already done it once.

I've been thinking about that approach. I think I like it, although to be honest I haven't started doing it yet. But I bet a lot of us have opened up a new spare in a dire situation and found out that we needed manual to install it, or a tool we didn't have, or that it needed another part like a gasket, coupler, or fitting to work.

[SailorHarry]

If you are going to buy something, buy the entire pump and not the rebuild kit, as you will need a host of special tools to take the pump apart and remove the snap rings and bearings and drive gear. See my recent article on rebuilding raw water pump in Ocean Navigator magazine. Good luck, Harry Hungate. PS send me a pm with your email address and I will email the article to you

[LeaseOnLife]

Originally Posted by SailorHarry

.... See my recent article on rebuilding raw water pump in Ocean Navigator magazine. Good luck, Harry Hungate. PS send me a pm with your email address and I will email the article to you

Why not share it with all of us here, the article is available on the web:

Seawater pump impeller replacement - Ocean Navigator - November/December 2011

[DotDun]

Originally Posted by SailorHarry

If you are going to buy something, buy the entire pump and not the rebuild kit, as you will need a host of special tools to take the pump apart and remove the snap rings and bearings and drive gear. See my recent article on rebuilding raw water pump in Ocean Navigator magazine. Good luck, Harry Hungate. PS send me a pm with your email address and I will email the article to you

Snap ring pliers, crescent wrench, small hammer, and a block of wood with a hole in it. No drive gear on this pump, not difficult, just remember that the front shaft nut (under the pulley) is left-handed thread.

Rebuild kit ~$60, new pump >$200 (depending on model). The housing will last thru dozens of rebuilds.

YMMV

[jeremiason]

Yanmar is a very common engine and parts are usually available any where you go.

You should probably change the impeller before you leave and also carry a spare.

More importantly would be to carry extra oil, oil filters, fuel filters, Coolant, fan belts and some spare water hoses with appropriate sized hose clamps. You find these items are much more valuable and need than a raw water pump.

On the other hand if you haven't had a major service on your engine, I would recomend you think about that.

Last year, our Yanmar 4JH3 reached its 1000 hour mark and among other factory recommendations, the Yanmar Service Tech rebuilt the raw water pump and cleaned both the Heat Exchanger and Oil Cooler, as required by factory recommendations.

I though most of this was probably overkill, but after seeing how difficult it was to get the raw water pump out, I was glad the tech did did the work instead of me.

Also both the heater exchanger and the oil cooler did have some gunk in them, even though the engine was only 5 years old and had 1000 hours.

I think NONAME gave some great advice... If you are traveling in US Waters, buy a Tow Card and if something fails have them tow you to a dock or service yard where you can buy parts or hire someone to fix your problems.

We have been cruising for two years and have found carrying major components in most areas is not necessary and takes up a lot of room. Other cruisers we have know with major spare parts, like water pumps, injectors and starters either sold them or gave them away after a coupleof years.

The reason is smiple... you can have anything shipped to you in most areas.

Also we have found that most third world countries tend to be really resourceful and can rebuilt electric motors and pumps quickly. Places like Central America and Mexico also have the ability to machine or fabricate just about anything you need or at least a temporary fix, until a part can be shipped.

OK and before I get flamed, yes, if I was going to someplace like the South Pacific, where shipping takes 4-6 weeks I would carry a spare water pump and injectors, but probably not many other places in the world.