SpeedSeal Life users.. Survey requested

[DougM]

There is probably no huge advantage to the Speedseal other than the use of an o ring rather than a gasket and the use of thumb screws on the cover. With the smaller Yanmar engines, there are two different raw water pumps used depending on where the engine was manufactured. The Japanese build has the water pump with the paper gasket, and the european build uses a Johnson pump which has a cover plate with an o ring (the parts are the same as the Westerbeke). Because the pump is mounted with the cover screws facing aft, removing the screws to change the impeller is a pain. Consequently, the easy way out becomes removal of the pump from the engine and changing the impeller at the workbench. Just replacing the original screws with thumb screws might make the job easier provided the impeller comes out without difficulty.

 

[walmsleyc]

While I don't think this would fit in my engine compartment, this solution addresses a number of issues:

http://www.tmarin.com/rotate-and-relax.html

Chris

 

[Jim 5757]

I guess the takeaway from this discussion is that for those of us who have easy access to the pump cover this product isn't worth the expense.

 

[Justin_NSA]

I guess the takeaway from this discussion is that for those of us who have easy access to the pump cover this product isn't worth the expense.

Or, heaven forbid, you don't have the tools when you need them. I.e. they are not in your dock box when an impellor fails during a sail. You're right though. Generally speaking, if you have good access and there's no chance you run the engine dry i.e opened the freshwater valve , it probably isn't necessary.

 

[Rich Stidger]

There are enough jobs on a boat that are hard to do and anything to make it easier is good. Maybe not worth the price, but still good.
THE REAL REASON TO USE a Speedseal Life is to reduce the friction, extend the life, and, most importantly, to stop the self-destruction of the impellers. If your engine or genset does not eat impellers and access to change is easy, then you probably wouldn't want to buy this.

 

[MitchM]

over the past 30 years we have had 2 of the original design Speed Seals (not 'Life' models) (1 on each engine, a Myanmar 2GM20F and 3JH4E.) they functioned faultlessly. i am not going to replace the current Speed Seal with a 'Life' any time soon...