Leaking water pump

[oldbloke]

I have a Beta 20 with the Jabsco water pump. It has started leaking. More than the occ drip, less than a gush. It is tolerable in the short term and it would be great if I could finish my trip, Salcombe to The Hamble, which looking at the weather will include plenty of motoring.
Am I liable to suffer a catastrophic failure before I get home

 

[Daverw]

I’ve just overhauled ours, started dripping slowly, never got that bad and when stripped it would not have failed completely just dripped faster, similar pump on 2GM20

 

[Minerva]

No.

There is usually a pair of seals on the shaft, and these go periodically. Easy fix, and the seals are cheap from ASAP supplies ( other shops also). But I find best done when you can take pump off and take home.

Just keep an eye on the engine engine temp, but you’ll be ok for a good few hours worth of motoring.

 

[oldbloke]

Thank you

 

[Supertramp]

The salt or raw pump seal is fiddly but can be replaced without dismantling and carefully pushing it out from behind with an improvised tool. Perhaps more serious if its the engine side seal.

As long as plenty cooling water is pumped through all should work fine.

 

[oldharry]

Watch where it is dripping: on some engines (notably Yanmar GM series) it drips on a steel oil pipe, which can corrode and burst. Sods law always makes it ahppen at the worst possible moment!

 

[MontyMariner]

Worst case scenario - leak gets worse, engine overheats, hot water blows exhaust hose, bilge pump runs continuously.
And it could happen half way across Biscay!

 

[PCUK]

I don't think Biscay is between Salcombe and Hamble - unless he's going the pretty route!

 

[V1701]

Had same on mine, ASAP price was £24 for just the little lip seal. I found a full rebuild kit inc. lip seal, 2 x bearings, 4 x cover screws, O ring, gasket & impeller which, inc. postage from Germany, was £43. I only used the lip seal & found same on ebay or Amazon for £3.99 inc. postage, bought one to have a full rebuild kit available again...

 

[tross]

it is possible to remove the seal by using some selftapping screws - carefully screw them into sel as close to the out edge as possible pull out the seal with a pair of pliers.

 

[PetiteFleur]

I bought seals & bearings online from a bearing supplier - just make sure you you get seals with STAINLESS springs. Bit more expensive but we'll worth it. For a Beta 25. It's now the spare as I bought a new pump from Beta at a reasonable price as I needed it quickly.

 

[scottie]

It will not cure itself so best repair it as soon as possible

 

[LittleSister]

I'm sure it'll be fine from Salcombe to the Solent. Won't fail catastrophically, just leak faster.

 

[Tamar]

Simple fix, take the pump apart plenty of stuff online to help. I replaced the seals on mine about two years ago. I got them off a local specialist seals company by taking the old ones there and comparing like for like. They charged me about £1.

 

[oldbloke]

Thank you all. We survived a long boring motor all the way. Raymarine 2000 autohelm compass packed up so hand steering. Alternator belt tension undid literally in the middle of Portland Race, (voyage started in Lancashire ,so why now). Pump survived but leak worsening, overheating at 1200 rpm.
However, survived and cold beer is good.
NOT CROSSING BISCAY IN THIS BOAT

 

[Refueler]

My Perkins has what I believe is a Jabsco type water pump ..... it has dripped for years ....

This year after winter - it was a steady trickle out of the rear shaft part ... but very soon returned back to its drip state.

I have a service kit ... 40 quid from Parts for Engines guys ... maybe one day I will replace that back seal ...