Darn water pump froze up on me...

[KingAirDriver]

Motored over to local restaurant to meet some friends. Also first time out in 2 months. Needed to get some water past the hull.

Well, she was running a bit warmer than normal, moving kinda slow. We know the hull needs a cleaning again. It was windy.

When I throttled back to come to the dock at the bar, belt started to squeal and engine quit. Dead.

Let her cool a bit, restarted, and squeal again. Dove down below, saw the water pump was not turning a bit.

Crap. :cussing::cussing::cussing::cussing::cussing:

Anyone ever have this happen to a Universal M18?

Rebuild or replace?

 

[Merlin Clark]

Sorry to hear this Neal. Put a crimp in a nice evening.
You know about Miller Bearings in Cocoa?

 

[KingAirDriver]

I am gonna yank it out tomorrow I guess. We will see. A new pump from a Kubota place is about 100 bucks, and a pump rebuild kit is about 35...

I might be able to take it apart, free it up at least enough to get back to my slip, then I'll see if Miller bearings can hook me up. Great idea Merlin, thanks!

 

[Merlin Clark]

If it can be fixed, you can do it. You're a ninja at this stuff.

 

[Chris Patterson]

Neal, if you can get a shot of oil up in the weep hole, enough to get it to turn free, you may get back. Old timers would put a "small amount" of motor oil in the cooling water to get an ailing pump somewhere, although the occasion has never been thrust upon me.
And the rebuild; from past experiences I've had better luck out of a professional reman. Not to discourage you at all, you certainly have the skills, but time versus trouble..

 

[KingAirDriver]

Well, I got the pump off the motor this morning before work.

The shaft was canted in the housing, the bearings were, well, how do I say this, ummm, well let's just say they were no longer "Bearings". More like a metallic substance that once might have been round in shape in the past.

Anywho, I will be going to the local Kubota dealer and begging for the rebuild kit, as it appears when I pressed the no longer functioning assembly out of the housing, that the shaft has precision machined grooves that act as the inner race of the bearing, and are sold as an assembly instead of 2 separate bearings.

If unable to procure the kit, I will see if they have the complete pump, if the price is insane, or they don't have it, I guess to the internet I'll go. Found a complete pump on buy-it-now ebay for about 75 bucks.

Keep your fingers crossed for me.

 

[woodster]

look up the flying Dutchman in Oregon and he can probably rebuild it ......his name is tony Cordelia

regards

woody

 

[KingAirDriver]

Thanks Woody, I gotta get this thing going asap. Hopefully the local Kubota guys will have the pump in stock. Prices online are about 60-80 bucks for a new kubota pump. universal direct is over 300.

 

[KingAirDriver]

Sourced a new pump from a local Kubota dealer, after taxes, pump and separate gasket, 98 bucks.

Beats the marine branded one for $309, huh?

 

[Merlin Clark]

Yeah, and you can draw a picture of a boat on the box yourself!