Westerbeke Raw Water Pump

I've noticed my raw water pump is leaking water through the weep hole indicating a seal failure. I called the supplier I've used in Tampa and he said it can be rebuilt for about $40. Problem is we're cruising in North Carolina and he said if I keep using it, it will eventually distroy the bearings and it won't be rebuildable, then costing >$400 to replace.

So tonight we'll be at an anchorage near Wrightsville Beach NC, tomorrow in Southport NC and early next week in Barefoot Landing Marina near Myrtle Beach SC. Anyone know where I can get the pump rebuilt in any of these places. I willl remove the pump myself.

Send a message to Eric Rydzewski, who goes by the handle Ski in NC on this forum. I am sending you his contact info by PM.


David

Timejet

When mine (12.5 BDT) started leaking I installed a new and better designed one - so they say. The Westerbeke guys in Seattle said lack of use and sitting is the key reason for failure. Following retirement I now run my genset a lot more, hope it helps. And I have a new spare, the rebuild was not cheap enough to justify. I paid about $340 for an OEM.

One hint, clean the faces really well, the OEM gaskets are like super bondo and tough to get off.

I buy the seals from Amazon for peanuts and make my own gaskets.

Some Westies use lip type seals that really do not last. Most can take an upgraded pump that uses a ceramic/carbon mechanical seal which is the industry standard. The mechanical seal pump should last the life of the gennie.

I'm in the middle of building a new house and am in quite a rush as we have a weather window to do the foundation. Not doing much work on engines now. But if you got me the pump and seal, I can fix it, probably. I don't have any of the seals on hand.

I have a 12.5kw with the same problem. I had the pump rebuilt and thought all was good. Six months later, the bearing failed and the water pump pushed water into the oil pan. Then I had to replace pump with a new unit and clean out the oil with seven oil changes to get the water all out.


Good luck.

Thanks guys and especially Ski for your kind offer.
We need to get past 2 ICW trouble spots by Sunday and if we wait we'll be stuck here for a week. Problem is hi tide is mid to late afternoon on Saturday and I want to pass by these spots at hi tide. So once we get to Myrtle Beach the worst of the trouble spots are over for a while. Barefoot landing our intended stop over there has nothing that can help us but out next stop is Georgetown SC and I think I should be able to get parts and help there.

We really don't need the gennny right now since we're moving every day and with the cooler weather the fridge is not running enough to deplete the batts at night.

They are easy to rebuild. I did mine about 12 years ago for about $30. Any auto or machine shop can press new bearings and seals on in less than 10 minutes. If you can't find a shop a couple of pieces of 2x4 and a hammer is all you need to do the job yourself. The bearings and seals are nothing special. However, Westerbeke will send you new bearings and seals in a couple of days. westerbeke.com

TDunn said:

However, Westerbeke will send you new bearings and seals in a couple of days. westerbeke.com

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Westerbeke changed pump design about 4 years ago on some models. Same mounting pattern but internals may be different. I know the impeller and exterior shape is different.

timjet said:

Thanks guys and especially Ski for your kind offer.
We need to get past 2 ICW trouble spots by Sunday and if we wait we'll be stuck here for a week. Problem is hi tide is mid to late afternoon on Saturday and I want to pass by these spots at hi tide. So once we get to Myrtle Beach the worst of the trouble spots are over for a while. Barefoot landing our intended stop over there has nothing that can help us but out next stop is Georgetown SC and I think I should be able to get parts and help there.

We really don't need the gennny right now since we're moving every day and with the cooler weather the fridge is not running enough to deplete the batts at night.

Click to expand...

Not to insult your intelligence or experience...

I usually advise people travelling the shallow NJ Intracoastal to travel to hit trouble spots, around mid - flood tide. Very little water comes in in the last hour of the tide anyway...and if you bump in the fourth or fifth hour of an incoming tide and can't back off...usually you can in just a few minutes because of the added water. Go aground right at the highest of the flood and you could be stuck for a very long time... especially if you went aground on the higher of the 2 highs for the day.

Not sure about the whole leg...but Wilmington is only having 4 foot tides now...so a couple hours of tide isn't really all that much water to gamble on...just make sure you use it to advantage. I certainly wouldn't let the tides freeze my trip with the drafts of our boats.


The trouble spots are really not all that bad...the one at Browns inlet is fine if you follow the marks...many people see the lined up marks and get scared that the marks are wrong.

Good advice for someone that can afford to "bump". If we bump we're done. Props and rudders don't take bump well. The price we pay to go fast.

We passed Browns Inlet 35 min before hi tide with no issues. However passing the New River iinlet at 25 minutes after hi tide I was surprised to see 7.5 ft at marker 74.

Carolina Beach inlet is a trouble spot for today. We'll pass at 14:00 about an hour before hi tide and anchor at the key hole in Southport if it's available or go to one of the marina's.

bumping and slamming are a bit different...at 5 or so knots...very few grounders with exposed props that I unground have issues.


It's the guys that hit at 12+ knots and hard sand or harder that often wind up with a wobble.


Just go slow behind those inlets or trouble spots and while settin no record...you can still keep moving.


But I understand your caution and with no hard schedule...stay put and enjoy where you are... kinda what cruising is supposed to be..

Ski in NC said:

Some Westies use lip type seals that really do not last. Most can take an upgraded pump that uses a ceramic/carbon mechanical seal which is the industry standard. The mechanical seal pump should last the life of the gennie.

Click to expand...

Can I order the ceramic/carbon mechanical seal for my existing pump or is that type of seal only available for the upgraded pump? The Westie is a 1997 7.6 KW BTD ser# 59791 D-704.

I plan on ordering the seal and bearings to be delivered to Hazard Marina in Georgetown SC.

Thanks for the info psneeld (is it Paul?)

About a year after buying this boat I replaced one of the rudder stuffing boxes. In doing so the rudder had to come out and I took it home to clean it up a bit. After cleaning I noticed a hair line crack where the ss rudder post enters the rudder. I took it to a prop shop and the guy rebuilt it and said it was lucky I found it. Of course the other rudder was inspected and found to be in the same condition.

The point being although a soft grounding may not appear to have damaged the boat I would be suspect. No inspection of the rudder while installed on the boat would have discovered this crack unless you were specifically looking for it.

And like you say, we're in no hurry.

Tim, the mechanical seal pump is a different design. The mechanical seal takes more room inside the pump than the lip type, so pump bodies are different. If you post a pump photo I can ID the type seal you have. If you have the lip type, just order a whole new mech seal pump and be done with it.

You can replace the lip seal, but they don't really last. In my Northern Lights, I have put like three seals in the pump and it's leaking again. I should follow my own advice and replace the pump to mech seal, but the Norwegian blood in me makes me too cheap to do it.

Somewhere south of 90 the icw markers are shifted well to the mainland side and look out of place. Believe the markers!! Not exactly sure of location, I think near Topsail creek.

Same around Mason's Inlet, green can has you go close to the docks, again, believe the marker, it's right.

Pump Source

Excellent source for all types of marine pumps and rebuild kits:
Depco Pumps (Florida)
800-446-1656

I checked my purchase survey and noted the raw water pump was leaking and subsequently rebuilt by the PO at 450 hrs. It now has 850 hrs so it's getting about 400 hrs per seal. I think I'll just rebuild the pump and hope to get another 400 hrs. Of course that depends on how much a shop charges to rebuild it.

I'm pretty sure it"s the old pump with the lip seal since it's a '98 model. Picture below.

We're in Southport now and will poke around a little to see if anyone can help me. I doubt it since it's Sunday. I called Hazard marina in Georgetown yesterday and haven't heard back from them. That would be a convienent place to fix it if I can get parts to them.

Anyone know the part number for the seal kit?

Man...if I was only getting 400 hrs between a medium maintenance item like a pump rebuild...I think I would go electric pump like some here have successfully changed to.


Good luck... but 400 hrs is a pretty low time BMOH....

Jet

My guess is marine age nailed your pump. If me I'd buy a new pump and rebuild the spare if cost effective. Yours has been leaking for some time it would seem, not good to have salt water flying around a genset.

Individual parts for your pump (bearings, seal, gaskets, etc.) will cost about $50. A complete rebuild kit with new shaft, bearings, seals, gaskets, cover plate etc. is $177.40. This link takes you to the specific parts page at Westerbeke.

- Westerbeke

If you take the pump in to a shop it should take 1 hour labor at most for the repair if you supply the parts. If they try to charge more they are robbing you.

Hard to tell from the photos, but sure looks like the lip type seal pump. Pump cover usually has the Johnson pump model number, you can use that to order parts or select an upgrade.

Depco has a catalog on line that has lots of good info.

If you put a new seal in, polish the shaft very well where the seal rides. The shaft often gets pitted there and that shortens the new seal life.