2001 VLX Ballast

[Charlie]

Stupid question - but I've never had to remove my factory 700 attwood center ballast fill pump. Currently there is no ball valve on the thru hull and I'd like to add one for a piece of mind. Apparently the installation of a ballvalve was required from 2004 on...

How is the factory pump installed? Can I just twist it and unthread it from the through hull or? That baby is in there tight if so.

Thanks - Charlie

[Jimmypooh]

Since no one is responding, can you snap a picture and maybe we can give you some insite from looking at the fitting. If it's the same as current through hull fittings, they are threaded on the inside. Here is a picture of the current through hulls.

Keep in mind that corrosion may be so bad that it will break when you try to unthread it. You might want to try a little heat (and I do mean little...hairdryer).

[Chia]

Stupid question - but I've never had to remove my factory 700 attwood center ballast fill pump. Currently there is no ball valve on the thru hull and I'd like to add one for a piece of mind. Apparently the installation of a ballvalve was required from 2004 on...

How is the factory pump installed? Can I just twist it and unthread it from the through hull or? That baby is in there tight if so.

Thanks - Charlie

i had an '01 SS VLX and the MLS pump did not have a valve on it. i assume you have the small red and white rule pump screwed in there. I took mine out and tried to put a shut off valve on it but always had trouble with air lock after that so just went back to screwing the pump directly into the thru hull.

but to answer your question: yes it should just unscrew from the thru hull.

[Charlie]

Since no one is responding, can you snap a picture and maybe we can give you some insite from looking at the fitting. If it's the same as current through hull fittings, they are threaded on the inside. Here is a picture of the current through hulls.

Keep in mind that corrosion may be so bad that it will break when you try to unthread it. You might want to try a little heat (and I do mean little...hairdryer).

Good plan - I'll hit it with the hairdryer. Thanks - Charlie

[Charlie]

i had an '01 SS VLX and the MLS pump did not have a valve on it. i assume you have the small red and white rule pump screwed in there. I took mine out and tried to put a shut off valve on it but always had trouble with air lock after that so just went back to screwing the pump directly into the thru hull.

but to answer your question: yes it should just unscrew from the thru hull.

Yep - that's the pump. I'm hoping I don't have issues with air-lock but I'll give it a shot just to get a valve on there. It makes me nervous being so old and probably brittle. Thanks, Charlie

[skicrave]

Fortunately replacement aerator pumps are quite cheap, so if you do need to get a new one it won't cost you a ton of money and it will actually be a faster pump.

Installation angle of the pump will be the largest contributor to priming issues, so if you encounter that you may need to adjust the angle the pump is installed at (we use street elbows to orient them horizontally).

[Charlie]

Fortunately replacement aerator pumps are quite cheap, so if you do need to get a new one it won't cost you a ton of money and it will actually be a faster pump.

Installation angle of the pump will be the largest contributor to priming issues, so if you encounter that you may need to adjust the angle the pump is installed at (we use street elbows to orient them horizontally).

Coincidentally, I removed the pump to install a ball valve and in doing so found the previous owner had broken the majority of the outlet off the pump and then siliconed it, stuck it on there and wrapped it with rubber tape. I should have been suspicious. It was on the verge of busting off any minute. Thanks for the tips. -Charlie

[skicrave]

Whoa! Glad you got that taken care of before it became a VERY big issue. Hopefully that will also help prevent problems with priming.