D1-30 Sea Water Pump Repair

[bobgarrett]

My sea water pump on my Volvo Penta D1-30 engine is leaking from the back. I am hoping to be able to replace the seals myself but am struggling to find instructions on how to do this and even the Volvo service manual does not describe this.
I thought I would need to remove the pump by its 4 bolts but have seen one suggestion that this can be done from the front through the impeller housing.
Should I buy the whole shaft kit or just the seals. And is there a seal between the pump and the engine itself to replace.
Has anyone any experience they can share with me? Thanks.

 

[Quandary]

I did it about a month ago, you loosen the four bolts at the back to take the raw water pump out, order two shaft seals and the rubber ring that goes behind the pump, longish circlip pliers to get at the clip (plus impeller and gaskets if due) An articulated long socket drive helped because the impeller access panel in the front engine bulkhead on my boat is not big.The gear wheel was tight on the shaft and I put the pump through a hole in my bench and gave it a sharp tap with a bit of hardwood plus a hammer.
Check the shaft to make sure it is not grooved. The seals are back to back, the rear one keeps oil in the engine the front one water in the impeller, there is a visible space and a spacer washer between them, I got the bits from Keypart but the cheaper aftermarket impeller did not fit, (pin too thick for slot) so get the VP one. Rotate the shaft to engage the gear as you push it back in and do not force anything.
You can get illustrated instructions for a similar though not identical Johston pump if you google 'Compass Marine, how to service a raw water pump'
It was tiresome but not difficult to do.

www.pbase.com/mainecruising/boat_projects lot of useful stuff for most tasks on a boat

 

[alan]

Bob,
If you just want to replace the "forward" seal which is a water seal, then you do not have to remove the pump. I used to have an MD2020 and the first time that I replaced the seal on my pump I removed the whole pump from the engine block - and this took ages as the bolts which secure the pump to the block have to be removed from the "back"!!! If you want to refurbish all the seals and "O" ring and maybe the shaft then you will need to remove the pump from the engine block.
However, if you just want to replace the "front" seal in order to stop the drip, then you don't need to remove the pump from the engine block; you just need to close the seacock, remove the front cover plate, remove the impeller ... and then you will see the seal (which is black rubber object) sitting in the "groove" in the pump body (for want of a better word) around the shaft. This can be prised out using two small blunt screw drivers and levering it out frontwards; they can sometimes be difficult to get moving but once started they usually come out fairly easily. Be careful not to score the shaft nor the pump body especially where the seal sits; the screwdrivers should be inserted in the seal between the inner and outer walls - the seals have a u-shaped cross section with a spring in the "U" which keeps the inner wall tight to the shaft .... if you buy a spare seal first it will give you an idea of the construction and what I am trying express in words!! I think the pumps are made by Johnson (but maybe Jabsco, I don't remember) and the seal costs about 3 or 4 euros. Once you have realised how easy it is to do this job, you will be more inclined to do it every year when you change the impeller whether it is leaking or not. [There was a series of posts and descriptions about doing this about ten years ago on this forum!!!!!] ASAP supplies are a good source for seals if your local mechanic's shop doesn't have any - but they are very common, however there two or three sizes depending on the shaft diameter.

Good luck,
Alan.

 

[sailaboutvic]

Bob I have a D2 40 , if the pump is the same pump be a where , I tryed to do mine , ended up taken it to a machine shop who had to use a press to get the bearing off the shaft , at one time I through the whole lot was about to smash with the presser used ,the job can be done easly but I would suggest doing the job some where that if you can't get them out you are able to take them to get them presses out

 

[bobgarrett]

Thanks for the replies. Very helpful. I have also now found some further similar instructions: http://mantaowners.org/wiki/manta-a.../changing-the-raw-water-pump-seals-on-md2030/
I am going to give a go at replacing the front water seal without taking the pump off but failing that will do the full job.

 

[han34]

Thanks for the replies. Very helpful. I have also now found some further similar instructions: http://mantaowners.org/wiki/manta-a.../changing-the-raw-water-pump-seals-on-md2030/
I am going to give a go at replacing the front water seal without taking the pump off but failing that will do the full job.

I have changed the front seals without removing the pump. The instructions on the Manta link are very good, the seals seem to start leaking every four or five hundred hours and I find that replacing the front seals does the trick.

 

[bobgarrett]

Thanks again. I am still researching how to do this - as I was once told "time spent in reconnaisance is seldom wasted"!
I have now seen a suggestion (for different but similar engine) that the front seal can be removed by poking the right shaped implement into the gap where the water is leaking out. Has anyone tried this and what was used?

 

[alan]

Bob,
It may be possible with something like a small right angled screwdriver; or bend a bit of metal yourself to the desired angle. However, remember that there is also a plastic spacer (with something like a castellated shape) in there as well and I am not sure you will be able to push on the seal itself so easily; however it may be possible (see link in post above and you will see the spacer). I have a spare Johnson pump for my Yanmar and later today I will pop down to the boat and have a look at that to see if it looks possible. My pump may not be the same as yours, but most are quite similarly constructed. I'll let you know.
Alan.

 

[vyv_cox]

Thanks again. I am still researching how to do this - as I was once told "time spent in reconnaisance is seldom wasted"!
I have now seen a suggestion (for different but similar engine) that the front seal can be removed by poking the right shaped implement into the gap where the water is leaking out. Has anyone tried this and what was used?

The approved method for removing a shaft seal from the front without disassembling and without damaging something else is to drill a small hole in the front face of the seal and insert a self-tapping screw into it. If there is a steel back to the seal housing (which you may not yet know) just keep turning the screw, which will drive the seal out. If not, pull on the screw which will pull the seal out.

 

[alan]

Bob,
I have now had chance to look at my spare Johnson pump and I believe it would be possible to push the seal out from behind. With the pump in my hands it looked relatively easy but with the pump mounted on the engine block it may not be quite so straight forward. You will need something bent at right angles and with only a short "end"; there was about 7mm of space between the spacer and the seal on my pump; I think you would need to push the seal from four different points radially separated by 90 degrees if you see what I mean.
But Viv's post above seems like an even better idea! Rather than drilling a hole I would be inclined to insert two larger diameter self tappers (at 180 degrees) in the open end of the seal (where the steel spring is); just enough to grip the inner and outer seal walls; then with two pairs of pliers you should be able to pull the seal out easily. It does not matter if you damage the seal as you will be replacing it anyway. I shall be trying this method either next year on my boat or this year on a friend's boat if they ask me to replace their seal (as they do quite often!!!).

Alan.

 

[bobgarrett]

Thanks again for the advice. The complete shaft kit arrived today so I can see what I am going to need to wrestle with. I will go to the boat next week well armed with alternative methods from a stiffish plastic shirt collar stiffener, some metal ready to bend, some circlip pliers (which I think might be able to insert in the U within the seal from the front, a drill, self-tappers and pliers; and if all else fails, ready to take the pump off!

 

[bobgarrett]

Thanks again for the input. I managed to change the seal successfully in only about 20 minutes. Careful use of a screwdriver and bent wire helped push it forward where I could grab it with some circlips pliers. I cleaned the shaft a little then pressed in the new seal. Problem solved.

 

[trapezeartist]

Bob, pleased to hear all is well. I had a similar problem a couple of years ago. In my case, there was a groove worn in the shaft. As the Volvo price for a new shaft was extortionate (no surprise there, then) I bought a Speedi-sleeve. They're made by SKF, who should know a thing or two about bearings and seals, and the smallest one on the range was the one I needed. Cost was £25 (I think the shaft would have been £180) and asI didnt' have anything suitable for pressing it on, I got the local fitter to do that bit of the job. The rebuilt pump has now done considerably more hours than it did before leaking so, so far, I'm happy.