2007 290 SeaRay DA - Water Pump Issue

C

CSMady

New Member
Sep 13, 2014
49
On local Rivers & lakes
Boat Info
290 Sundancer 2007
Engines
(2) 4.3L Mercruisers w/ Bravo III Outdrives dual props


Fellow boaters,



Over this past weekend, I lost water pressure to my starboard engine causing the high temperature alarm to go off. I shut that engine off immediately and located the nearest marina to my location. Unfortunately, I was about fifty miles from home. After opening the engine hatch, I noticed a stream of water coming off of the bottom of the pulley for that water pump. I stayed overnight at this fishing marina and cruised back home on the portside engine the next day. Can anyone that has experienced this same problem tell me if just replacing the o-ring and the impeller will fix this problem or it is best to bite the bullet and purchase a new water pump? Is it best to purchase a Mercruiser water pump for $350, for I am hearing that it may be possible to purchase a Chevy 4.3 liter V6 water pump from AutoZone for about $50 that will work just as good. Also, it appears that the pulley will have to be removed with a puller. Can you purchase a new pump with the pulley already attached? Any comments will be greatly appreciated.




CSMady

 
That's the circulating water pump, water leaking out is a sign the seals are gone. Replacing just the seals usually doesn't work for long because the bearings are usually gone also, especially in a raw water cooled engine. If you take off the belt and turn it by hand it probably will not be smooth. When mine failed the same way, I bought a Sierra replacement - have had no problems. An automotive one from Autozone etc will work, but probably will not have a bronze impeller probably won't last as long in a raw water cooled engine. If it is a closed cooling engine, I would say go with the automotive one and save some $$. As far as the pully, you should not need a puller, 4 bolts usually hold it one - easier to remove the bolts before you remove the belt.
 
Bill,

I was thinking that this was going to be a pump replacement, but wanted to hear it from someone that has experienced the same problem. My pulley does not have four bolts. It would be nice if it did. It appears to be pressed on. Do you know a vendor that would possibly sell the pump with the pulley attached? I do have a raw seawater pump, so I do not mind spending more $$ to purchase a better quality pump. I appreciate the information that you have provided.

CSMady
 
So when I replaced mine, the Sierra seemed like a good alternative to the OEM Mercruiser, it about 20% cheaper and is still a marine pump with a bronze impeller. I've used a lot of other Sierra parts with no issues and this was no different. As far as the pulley an option is to borrow a puller from Autozone and switch it to the new pump, I've never messed with one, but pretty sure it is press fit - I don't think it would be hard to switch the pulley. Also would guess you could buy a pump with the pulley - maybe a call to someone like Wholesale Marine or Lighthouse Marine and ask about a pump with a pulley I have found both places to be good about answering questions.
 
Bill,

Like you, I never had the need to remove a pulley with puller. I guess my biggest concern would be putting it back on and having it perfectly aligned back on the new pump shaft. I know that if were to be slightly off that it would sling the new belt off. I will first start with getting the broken pump removed and see how difficult it will be with getting the pulley off of the shaft. I will contact the marine vendors that you have mentioned to get their recommendation as well. Thank you for all of your help.


CSMady
 
Here is a picture of mine that might help - notice how the pulley on the water pump is smooth, while the others are grooved to fit the serpentine belt.

IMG00219-20120422-1430.jpg
 
This is a no brainer, no puller needed and impossible to screw up. It centers on the water pumpshaft, and bolts directly to it.
 
My configuration is different. My pump is in the lower bottom left below my alternator. My pulley looks like the pulley in your upper right of your pic and is grooved. Is this a 5.0 liter engine that I am looking at?
 
scoflaw said:
This is a no brainer, no puller needed and impossible to screw up. It centers on the water pumpshaft, and bolts directly to it.
Click to expand...

Hey, scoflaw,tried to message you about a post about your 280 in 2011 and it said yor mailbox was full.
 
CSMady said:
My configuration is different. My pump is in the lower bottom left below my alternator. My pulley looks like the pulley in your upper right of your pic and is grooved. Is this a 5.0 liter engine that I am looking at?
Click to expand...

that"s the raw water pump , and you will need a puller for that. The shaft and seal assembly is walking out of the pump body. Depending on how grooved up your brass pump body is will determine if you need to buy the water pump repair kit #8m0050018 or need to purchase the whole pump.
 
The pic is of my 4.3 v6 - I've assumed you were talking about the circulating water pump since you mentioned purchasing an automotive version - the circulating pump is the one in the center with 4 bolts on the pulley. I have an Alpha outdrive, so my raw water pump is in the drive. With a Bravo III the raw water pump is bottom left (looking at front of engine) and there is a rebuild / service kit as mentioned by scoflaw. There is not an automotive version of this pump. Sorry for the confusion, but sounds like you are on the right track now.
 
scoflaw said:
that"s the raw water pump , and you will need a puller for that. The shaft and seal assembly is walking out of the pump body. Depending on how grooved up your brass pump body is will determine if you need to buy the water pump repair kit #8m0050018 or need to purchase the whole pump.
Click to expand...

My brother in law has the 5 0 liter and his pulley was bolt on like your pic. Based on how much mine is leaking, I think best to spend the extra $$'s and purchase a new pump. I would not want to take the risk of a repair kit and get stranded again,
 
Truth be told, you could do a better job of staking the new shaft assembly into the pump than Merc does. Some of these new units have been known to fail in as little as a couple hundred hours. If I bought new, I would definitely be looking over that area, and adding wear plates from day 1.
 
I thought from the beginning that I mentioned that this was my raw seawater pump that was leaking, but if not than sorry for the confusion. I removed the entire pump which was a little more difficult for someone put a winterizing kit on both of the engines that is really not necessary, since we are in southeast Louisiana. Needless to say that say, to replace what I have would cost $600. I am going back with the original pump that is half the cost. The only other problem that I have is that my tensioner would not release when I loosened the bolt with a 5/8" wrench. Is it possible that the gear has gotten frozen in place? I suppose I will try spraying some WD-40 on the gear behind the pulley and see if this does the trick. Let me know or if anyone else out there is reading comment as well. Thanks for the information that you have given, for it has helped make my decisons.
 
The tensioner is held with 2 bolts. the 5/8" loosens it and the inner 5/16" controls its movement.

metalartetc.com has the SS wear plates for that pump
 
The utube video that I watched showed when the 5/8" nut is loosened the tensioner should retract forward. To re-tighten after putting on the new belt you would push the 5/16" the opposite direction and then tighten up the 5/8" nut to keep the belt tight.
 
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