Fisher Panda Bearing Replacement

[ice breaker]

There was a thread back around Xmas that spoke to the undocumented fisher panda bearing needing to be replaced at 1000 hours. I spoke with FP and it is true. On my 2004 genset with 700 hours on it, I was noticing clear oil in the bottom of the locker around the genset. It was not diesel nor was it old engine oil. I just kept wiping it up and wrote it off as engine oil that was spilled when changing the oil. I was wrong. It was 80-90 gear oil, that was leaking out of a shaft seal in the back of the motor. On my 41 you need a mirror to check the site glass on the forward end of the gen set. At launch this year there was NO oil visible.

Changing the bearing is a bout a 3-4 hour job for an experienced mechanic. The kit costs about 150 from FP and includes a bearing, seal, new o-rings and oil. I really only needed a seal, as the bearing was fine, but to get to the seal everything needs to come apart so you might as well change the bearing too.

If you have a FP genset, make sure that there is oil visible in the sight glass on the end of the generator. In the December thread someone had said that their failed bearing destroyed the generator side and was quoted over 7000 for just those part.

 

[Velero49]

Where is the bearing located?

 

[ice breaker]

it is located in a bearing and seal retainer that is located under the end plate with the site glass in it. If you look at the pdf that I included, you can see the parts explosion.

 

[Rick486]

There was a thread back around Xmas that spoke to the undocumented fisher panda bearing needing to be replaced at 1000 hours. I spoke with FP and it is true. On my 2004 genset with 700 hours on it, I was noticing clear oil in the bottom of the locker around the genset. It was not diesel nor was it old engine oil. I just kept wiping it up and wrote it off as engine oil that was spilled when changing the oil. I was wrong. It was 80-90 gear oil, that was leaking out of a shaft seal in the back of the motor. On my 41 you need a mirror to check the site glass on the forward end of the gen set. At launch this year there was NO oil visible.

Changing the bearing is a bout a 3-4 hour job for an experienced mechanic. The kit costs about 150 from FP and includes a bearing, seal, new o-rings and oil. I really only needed a seal, as the bearing was fine, but to get to the seal everything needs to come apart so you might as well change the bearing too.

If you have a FP genset, make sure that there is oil visible in the sight glass on the end of the generator. In the December thread someone had said that their failed bearing destroyed the generator side and was quoted over 7000 for just those part.

Good heads up. A good friend of mine went the full trip on this when the bearing failed for several thousand dollars. BTW, there was a FP recall on this. Did your FP guy mention that? I check this thing every time I remove the sound shield and the oil does disappear even though I have had the seal fix done on my generator on the recall. I find I add oil to the bearing 2-3 times a season putting maybe 100 hrs on the generator.

 

[ice breaker]

Good heads up. A good friend of mine went the full trip on this when the bearing failed for several thousand dollars. BTW, there was a FP recall on this. Did your FP guy mention that? I check this thing every time I remove the sound shield and the oil does disappear even though I have had the seal fix done on my generator on the recall. I find I add oil to the bearing 2-3 times a season putting maybe 100 hrs on the generator.

I was not informed of any recall. The FP guys in Florida, have been very unresponsive. I pretty much had to beg them to sell me a kit. And it took 2 months to get the PDF parts explosion. That said I still very much like the panda.

So what were the terms of the recall? when I bought the boat in 2009, I registered it with Hunter, and the FP was Hunter installed.

 

[Rick486]

I was not informed of any recall. The FP guys in Florida, have been very unresponsive. I pretty much had to beg them to sell me a kit. And it took 2 months to get the PDF parts explosion. That said I still very much like the panda.

So what were the terms of the recall? when I bought the boat in 2009, I registered it with Hunter, and the FP was Hunter installed.

I bought my boat in late 2007. Commissioned in 2008. My Panda was probably a 2006 or 2007 build. When we called in around 2011 to get the kit after my friend's Panda issue, we were informed of the recall and FP paid for the parts and install by the dealer in my generator. I have gotten quite good response from Panda US service but I'm not sure where they are. On the other hand, I have had pretty unpleasant conversations with the Panda people at the boat shows. I think they are in a bad mood going in because of the volume of complaints. Like you, I like my Panda 6kw mini and I have had good luck with it for over 600 hrs. But I'm here to tell you that I maintain it scrupulously and say a short prayer over it each day we are cruising. Some other areas to be aware of are:
1. Exhaust elbow and hose leading from same. Failure common.
2. Watch the raw water pump for leaks. They leak after 50-100 hrs and need to be rebuilt. I own 2 of them and swap them out each spring and rebuild the outcoming.
3. Watch the oil level in the rear bearing.
4. Always carry:
Impellers
Fan belts
Spare exhaust elbow and hose
Relays
Fuzes
Fuel filters
Plastic fuel filter case
Probably more but these are the main ones.

 

[ice breaker]

I bought my boat in late 2007. Commissioned in 2008. My Panda was probably a 2006 or 2007 build. When we called in around 2011 to get the kit after my friend's Panda issue, we were informed of the recall and FP paid for the parts and install by the dealer in my generator. I have gotten quite good response from Panda US service but I'm not sure where they are. On the other hand, I have had pretty unpleasant conversations with the Panda people at the boat shows. I think they are in a bad mood going in because of the volume of complaints. Like you, I like my Panda 6kw mini and I have had good luck with it for over 600 hrs. But I'm here to tell you that I maintain it scrupulously and say a short prayer over it each day we are cruising. Some other areas to be aware of are:
1. Exhaust elbow and hose leading from same. Failure common.
2. Watch the raw water pump for leaks. They leak after 50-100 hrs and need to be rebuilt. I own 2 of them and swap them out each spring and rebuild the outcoming.
3. Watch the oil level in the rear bearing.
4. Always carry:
Impellers
Fan belts
Spare exhaust elbow and hose
Relays
Fuzes
Fuel filters
Plastic fuel filter case
Probably more but these are the main ones.

I carry most everything you have listed....but I am on fresh water so the mixing elbow is still fine. Without a gen set my season would get very short. On Lake Superior the shoulder seasons need plenty of heat. Water temp last weekend was mostly high 30's.

As per the recall, I bet you were still within the 5 year warranty. I am sitting at 11 so I guess I am on my own. Thanks for the parts list.