Alpha ss water pump. What did I screw up???

[Chili 18]

Trouble in paradise it seems…:bawling:

Thinking I managed to screw something up when installing a new water pump in my alpha ss lower.

Thought all went well, but must have missed something… No water going to the engine after start up. However water was pouring out from the exhaust passage and out by the prop. Is that in any way normal, or proof I screwed something up?

On the upper half of the pump housing, Is there suppose to be a seal around the driveshaft at the pump housing? My kit didn’t have one which I thought kind of odd but figured perhaps the impeller was suppose to seal that area.

It did take quite some force to mate the lower back to the upper half which was still on the boat. Again, is that normal, or should it just glide back together?

One last thing, I think I put the impeller with the blades deflected in the proper direction in the stainless chamber of the housing. Pehaps I pointed them the wrong way although thought it was the same as the pump i removed. Looking down the shaft, which way should the impeller blades be deflected?

Can’t wait to drop the drive again grrrrrrrr. Any suggestions appreciated!

Thanks,
Chili

PS I should probably just go buy a manual but not sure how detailed they are on this which should be a simple task.....

[mrfixxall]

sounds like you may have misaleigned the tube going from the water pump to the upper gear case....also check the o rings and hoses in the upper housing they may have a crack in them...
Their should be gasgets on both sides of the ss ware plate that the impeller sits on.

[Chili 18]

sounds like you may have misaleigned the tube going from the water pump to the upper gear case....also check the o rings and hoses in the upper housing they may have a crack in them...
Their should be gasgets on both sides of the ss ware plate that the impeller sits on.
Hi mrfixxall,

Definitely has the two gaskets used sealer also. No, I didnt aligne the tube from the upper. But didnt change anything either. Figured the pump mounted in same position as old one would just be ok. What is alignement process? preassemble before tigntning pump mounting hardware?

[mrfixxall]

chilli theirs a tube that goes from the top of the water pump that goes to the upper gear housing...I usually slide that tube down 1/2'' or so to make sure it makes contact with the hole in the top of the water pump because you cant see the dam tube whyle you trying to put the upper and lower gear cases togrther..

[Chili 18]

so, just bought the seloc book. Should have one anyway... So now ill take it apart and see what went wrong. Thanks mrfixxall for your kind assistance...

[Chili 18]

Figured it out. Biggest lesson... Dont trust the way somethijng WAS assembled as a guide for reassembly.:banghead: It may have been done wrong the last time... Going to put it together the right way now. Details later if successful. Otherwise ill be drinking instead..

[MOP]

Chili it is better to put it in the right hole and sure ain't good if you miss the hole:garfield:

[Chili 18]

Yes mop, what a difference a short distance makes. Always pays to check facial expression to confirm proper alignment. 

Well, what happened here is…. 1,2,3.

1: Previous ‘mechanic’ had installed the thick rubber seal washer on the water inlet tube instead of on the driveshaft over the pump. Of course careful to reassemble as I had disassembled.. I did the same.

2: Previous ‘mechanic’ had installed water pump with two sleeve seal rubbers. The one seated in the pump… and the old one still stuck to the water pipe coming from the upper unit. No wonder it seemed so difficult to mate the drive halves last week… ugggggggggggggg This time I’m guessing the rubber in the pump compressed such that water flow was blocked. Which is sort of related to number three.

3. The pump alignment sleeve for the SS evidently is much shorter than the standard alpha. Apx I inch vs apx 3 inches for standard. Thus I couldn’t figure out last week what the plastic tube in the kit was for. Didn’t match anything I had removed… Which lead me to think that it was for another purpose and not used. I didn’t realize that a rubber seal was still attached on the inlet tube and the short plastic sleeve above it was the ss version of an alignment tube.

Havent run it yet, but am confident all is good now.:yippie: A really simple job when ya know what you’re doing… And again a lesson to have a good shop manual and not rely on the way it was assembled previously.

Can’t wait to get wet…….

chili

[Sam]

Glad to hear you got it all worked out, they do have some weird quarks like sucking weeds ect :bawling:. Switching gears real quick here what prop are you running, I'm still searching for the perfect wheel.

[Chili 18]

Glad to hear you got it all worked out, they do have some weird quarks like sucking weeds ect :bawling:. Switching gears real quick here what prop are you running, I'm still searching for the perfect wheel.


Hi Sam,

I'm spinning a Hydro QIV ot. I had a 23 which was turning the engine a bit above the mfgs power band. Switched to a 27 but havent had the chance to test it yet. May have it labbed a bit to dial things in. Or, could get luckey...:biggrin:

I like the q4 for my boating on Lake Michigan. It seemed to lift the boat evenly. Sort of like a hand lifting you up onto the wavetops, instead of smashing thru them as much. Also more stable feeling than the three blade stainless 23 which came with the boat. Not sure what model that is. Pretty much the standard stainless prop you went with in 87. Brushed finish, really 'swoopy' blade design. That was a bit faster on top but definitly more eh 'squirley'.

Hopefully ill get things going later this week or next for sure and do some tests with the new prop. The 23 QIV was fine with the stock alpha, but the ss changed that a bit...

Havent had weed issues yet although only ran it a few hours late last fall so what do i know. The lake is pretty clean here, but the river in New Buffalo sometimes gets some weed action. Have to keep an eye on the temps and see how it goes this summer..

Sam, what prop are you liking?

Cheers

[Chili 18]

whenever you put the halves together stick a hand or a few fingers in between to guide the copper tube into the upper housing... (i always put the copper tube in the pump housing, not the upper housing) this is a common issue when changing the water pump and reassembling... run into it a few times myself :smash:
JR

Well, If it still leaks, ill try it that way. Nothing like practice to make perfect. shhhhhhhhhh.... It will work just fine.... it will work just fine..... just fine...

Ill start it later this afternoon and know whats up.

thanks!

[Sam]

Currently I'm running a 24.5 Hydro OT. So far it's been the best but I still get a little to much stern lift :mad: