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RAW WATER PUMP LEAK


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I have a 2001 RLX with 700 hours. After skiing yeaterday, I noticed the rear of the raw water pump leaking. Should I replace just the seal or replace the whole pump? Also, is DIM the best place to buy the pump?

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Same thing happened on my old boat, 1999 WS. Dealer told me to replace the pump. It's an easy do it yourself job. Don't let it go to long, your engine components will rust and corrode quickly as the water drips out and is slung all over by the belt.

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I've always heard that if that seal goes, you're better off replacing the whole pump.

That's what'd I'd do. I guess I'd have to pay someone to do it. I'm just a dope. :blush:

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The raw water pump is an inline pump where the water is sucked up from the lake. It kinda sounds like your referring to the engine's water pump, which is between the impeller housing & the front of the engine.

Regardless of which pump your talking about, then it probably needs to be replaced. The raw water pump is a sealed unit, not really serviceable by the user. But if your referring to the engine's pump, heres some basics..... inside the pump, there is an impeller looking wheel that propels the water along, a shaft to the outside of the engine/pump, and a wheel for the belt to drive the pump from. The only thing that can really go wrong with them is the bearing where that shaft is located will wear out. So the manufacturer has it made so that when that bearing starts going bad, water will begin to leak out of a "weep hole" on the bottom side of the pump. So the leaky pump is your indicator that the pump is due for replacement. Being on an RLX, you may be able to see that weep hole on the bottom of the pump.

I don't believe there is any real difference in the pump from a car or boat engine. Being in a marine environment, I'm sure they need to be painted (I've never seen a car pump painted). So you should be able to pull the pump out of the boat, take it into your local Napa (or whatever auto parts store), and get a direct replacement. They are also available thru your local dealer, virtually any Indmar dealer, marine shop (West Marine) or boat site (skidim.com).

It's a really easy replacement on a direct drive that only requires some basic hand tools (and maybe 2 beers). And definitely do the gasket & impeller while your tearing into it. :rockon:

Edited by Bill_AirJunky
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I've seen the replacement seal, nothing looks to complicated for a replacement.

For the cost of the seal vs a new pump seems like its worth trying to replace that radial shaft seal in there, just make sure to handle the seal with care and use an appropriate o-ring lubricant to insert the seal.

-Chris

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  • 1 month later...

I've seen the replacement seal, nothing looks to complicated for a replacement.

For the cost of the seal vs a new pump seems like its worth trying to replace that radial shaft seal in there, just make sure to handle the seal with care and use an appropriate o-ring lubricant to insert the seal.

-Chris

What is an appropriate o-ring lubricant??

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Silicone Grease for buna-n o-rings (nitrile rubber) which I believe those seals are.

Different materials like PTFE, Viton, etc have different requirements.

-Chris

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I have the same leak as you do--called Skidim and they told me not to replace the pump. Only needed the seal. New seal in the mail today, will replace Sunday and will post the result. Should take about 5 minutes on a DD.

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I've always heard that if that seal goes, you're better off replacing the whole pump.

That's what'd I'd do. I guess I'd have to pay someone to do it. I'm just a dope. :blush:

I agree with Pete. Water was leaking out of my pump and I got a new seal from SKIDIM. Well it turns out the bearings in the pump were going bad causing the shaft of the pump to damage the seal. Putting a new seal didn't work the shaft movement from side to side just ruined the new seal. Buy a new pump.

Edited by OLDGUY
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i have seen many pumps over the years and hundreds of hours do this. its not just the gasket/ seal. alot of the times its the bearings. i would for sure change the complete pump.

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I have the same leak as you do--called Skidim and they told me not to replace the pump. Only needed the seal. New seal in the mail today, will replace Sunday and will post the result. Should take about 5 minutes on a DD.

The seal seemed to do the trick for me. It took longer than necessary mostly because we didn't know what we were doing. Got it all back together though and no leak and the temperature was good.

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I have a 2001 RLX with 700 hours. After skiing yeaterday, I noticed the rear of the raw water pump leaking. Should I replace just the seal or replace the whole pump? Also, is DIM the best place to buy the pump?

The fact that the seal is leaking may indicate that the bearings are bad. The job is doable if you have some patients and basic mechanical skills. A good check of the bearings should be done before simply replacing the seal. Everything is pressed together but can be taken apart with basic tools. If the housing is worn to the extent the bearing or seal do not have a pressed fit, then replace the pump. If money is an issue, then try rebuilding it. The worst you will have to do is replace the whole thing anyway. Pay attention to the orientation of the seals(front and rear. Never pay for something you can do yourself!

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Well y'all must've jinxed me cuz now mine is leaking at that seal.

No bearing noise but I think I'll replace the whole pump just the same - just over 500 hours.

3 weeks ago we smelled something like burned rubber and I thought the impeller was going out but when I went to change it was still in perfect condition.

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Changed the pump last nite.

Dang that thing was stuck on hard but a couple of raps with a mallet and it finally popped off.

Did not hafta remove any other parts but was a little tricky to get it around the exhaust.

Empty trunks and removed engine walls are a must - no hard tanks made this access real ez.

30 minute job for 2 guys.

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  • 1 month later...

Finally got around to replacing the seal in the back of the raw water pump today. Getting the old seal out was tough!! I am sure there is a tool, but I didn't have it. It was easier to remove the pump from the crank to be able to get to the washer. After tearing out the old rubber part of the seal, I had to take a small screwdriver and pry out the metal part of the seal. Once out, it was a 5 minute job to replace, put the pump and impeller back together and bolt to the crank.

I tested it on a fake a lake in the driveway and it is water tight so far. Hope to get to the river this afternoon for a on water test, but I think it will be fine. It used to leak on the fake a lake, and doesn't now.

$18 bucks or so for the new seal and gasket rather than $163 for the entire pump. I will update after the full speed test.

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  • 9 years later...

@River Rat I'm in the middle of the same process here. New seal should arrive this week. Picked out the old seal with pump in place. That was a pain. Hoping new one goes in smoothly. Bearings seem good on mine. No play or roughness.

 

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1 hour ago, UWSkier said:

@River Rat I'm in the middle of the same process here. New seal should arrive this week. Picked out the old seal with pump in place. That was a pain. Hoping new one goes in smoothly. Bearings seem good on mine. No play or roughness.

 

I'm pretty sure you didn't pick the seal out with the pump in place, but even if you did you'll have to pull the pump to put the new one in.

The seals are a very common 16x28x7mm.  I bought a sack of ten as a lifetime supply for my buddy and myself.  We keep a third pump (he bought a new one before he learned that I could change the seals) between us, and it's always ready to go.  The bearings rarely go bad.  The shaft on one of them is getting grooved a little, so I just moved the seal out a little when I rebuilt it.

The seal is in the impeller housing (the end with the yellow caps).  From the left in the photo you see the pulley flange, then the flange tapers down to the shaft, and next is the bearing housing (with two sealed ball bearings stacked together), then a gap with an o-ring to help make sure leaking water from a bad seal drips away instead of getting in the bearings, then the seal in the impeller housing (at the right side of the gap), then the impeller inside the housing, then the brass cap with four brass screws.

The easiest way I know to change the seal is to remove the pump (and impeller), grab the bearing housing *very gently* in a vise (with the pulley down), and drift the pulley and shaft out (with the bearings) with a 1/2" drift punch.  Heck, even a wood dowel should work.

Once you have the shaft and bearings out it is pretty simple to use your drift punch to drift the old seal out and drift a new one back in.  You can use the correct sized socket from your wrench set to make sure the seal is flat in its seat, but basically it will stop when it's seated, and you'll know it. 

After that, use a mallet to knock the pulley and shaft with the bearings back into the housing, but remember to check the o-ring in between the bearing and the seal.. 

Install the pump and impeller, and you are on your way.  Total time on the bench after the pump is in your hand is about five minutes.  I have not seen the shaft come out without the bearings on three pumps, so hopefully yours is that way as well.

uKCxlrf.jpg

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1 hour ago, UWSkier said:

You can pull the seal out and press on a new one without removing the shaft. Think @85 Barefootmentioned doing that in another thread. 

Why wrestle it with the shaft in when it comes out so easily? 

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