Honda 50HP Water Pump.. Paint?

[dd716ted]

(1) I bought a Honda 50HP in 2002. In 2006 at the 92 hr mark, I replaced the water pump (impeller, oring, grommet, gasket, plate and pump liner as routine preventative maintenance. The parts removed during the pump overhaul were in good shape. Now it is 2010 and the motor has 142 hours. Is it a good idea to overhaul the pump again at this point or is it OK to wait until it has more hours on it?

(2) The skeg on this same motor was scraped the launching ramp thus exposing bear metal.. I have smoothed it down but what should I prime and paint it with? The local auto paint store tried to sell me a $20 can of special etching primer for bare aluminum but the can was much larger than I needed so I am seeking alternatives. Idea?

 

[gss036]

Re: Honda 50HP Water Pump.. Paint?

There are those who say to replace the water pump impeller every year, I don't buy into with low hours. I ran my original in my 1993 15 HP Honda for about 10-11 years before replacing, it was still working ok, but I figured I might be pushing my luck. The old one looked ok, but was starting to get stiff and formed a shaped to the liner, but still worked. I sold it last year w/about 4000 hrs and it was still doing great.
I think if I were you, I would for another year and then just replace the impeller and gasket,"O" ring unless you are not getting a good strong water stream.
I had scraped the lower end on my big Honda and just bout a $5 can of paint that really matched ok, after all it is on the bottom of the skeg. I think you Honda dealer would have paint, but again as a rule dealers charge twice what the price should be.

 

[Jake Windemere]

Re: Honda 50HP Water Pump.. Paint?

Here in Alaska we run in silty water. Water pumps wear quickly and it makes good sense to replace them every year as annual preventative maintenance, especially if you do it yourself, saving the labor cost.

Knowing how to swap out the water pump quickly means that you can keep your engine in the game when the salmon are running or the ducks are flying.

I don't think that you really need to repaint the skek unless you want to keep it looking sweet or if you leave it in salt water.