Whats caused all this white stuff then?

[RIN]

Finally got to the boat, first time since January and found the starboard impeller housing had white stuff all over it.

Is it mould or some sort of electrolysis?

How do I stop it? Port engine fine

I guess I'll have to be really careful when I take the plate off

 

[STEVEDUNSTABLE]

im NOT an expert BUT i think its salt crystals.....the way to stop that happening is to blast the whole green thing in wd40 or duck oil....mine has the stuff vertually poured on it, under it, over it, through it, etc etc etc !!!

 

[andy59]

Looks like either salt deposits or just dried out deposits of water , a pound to a penny there is a very slight leak and the pump housing has dried out . Plus you have that nice heater there keeping it nice and toasti .
PS , must type faster than Steve .

 

[gravygraham]

im NOT an expert BUT i think its salt crystals.....the way to stop that happening is to blast the whole green thing in wd40 or duck oil....mine has the stuff vertually poured on it, under it, over it, through it, etc etc etc !!!

Isn't there a rubber(ish) seal on that? WD40 or similar will attack the rubber won't it?

 

[STEVEDUNSTABLE]

Isn't there a rubber(ish) seal on that? WD40 or similar will attack the rubber won't it?

on MY pump which is a kad32 the part nmbr6, http://www.marinepartseurope.com/en/volvo-penta-explodedview-7738870-26-3400B.aspx, is an ordniary O ring which sits in a small groove in the plate which i plaster in vasaline then do the brass screws up equaly so that the plate is against the casing..(the o ring is very thin so its not being crushed or deformed)..i dare say volvopaul will passby and give me a vertual slap but thats how I do it.

 

[DAKA]

Paper seal ? Very slow leak, it dries as it leaks just leaving pure salt. ignore perhaps seal has Been reused, which is alright but need to smear with vasealine next time.

 

[[2068]]

No no no, don't use the paper seal.
Rubber o-ring only, correctly positioned, with some glycerine lube.

Problem is probably just some gunk in the groove the seal sits in.

 

[Jim@sea]

Over the winter I now remove my impeller so that the rubber blades are not compressed into a closed position. With you having that small heater adjacent and with the dried salt shown on the face of your impeller housing you could assume that the area around your impeller has dried up, the rubber blades will have dried and started to delaminate, so that when you go out on your first sea trip it will shred.
Which happened to me. So obviously you are going to have to check.
Not only do I remove my impeller over the winter I keep it as a spare, refitting with a new one at the start of the season.

 

[RIN]

I did replace that impeller last year and I did use the paper ish gasket that it came with.

I will take the impeller out and check it then use Vaseline over the O ring as suggested.

I would like to take the impellers out but that would make it a chore to use the boat in the winter

 

[Tranona]

Take the cover off - gives you a chance to check the impeller and seal - clean all the salt crystals off, spray the cover with Volvo green paint (or remove all the paint and polish it) and it will look smart and clean again. A little bit of salt water on hot metal leaves a lot of salt deposits.

 

[rlw]

The paper seal worked for me in the past but I alway coated both sides in whaterproof grease before assembling.

Rob

 

[DAKA]

Agreed paper seals work well when coated in vasiline or similar and dont drop out in the bilges while rolling around at sea.

I presume you tighten and then retighten
1 oclock
6 oclock
11 0clock
4 oclock
8 oclock
2 oclock
1 oclock
6 oclock

to be honest salt crystals there are nothing to worry about, its clear the leak is evaporating before dripping anywhere that matters, its good quality metal that will wear away from the inside before it corrodes.