replacing calco pump on 77 johnson 115

[whitejamie99]

I have searched the forum and read nearly everything on the calco pump mounted on the old style 70's style johnson tilt and trim. If I buy a Prestolite pump and motor assembly, will it match up to the existing hydraulics. It looks like it will but would like to make sure. My motor is shot and it appears the pump is bad also as it wont work the tilt cylinder with a drill as the motor (assembly is off the boat).

Any ideas?

 

[RRitt]

Re: replacing calco pump on 77 johnson 115

I am working on exactly this problem.

One path is to rebuild a stringer pump with waterproof field frame. The great thing about the Stringer pump is that it uses the same reservoir and valve body as the outboard. The valve body can be rebuilt to work like new for under $100. (don't listen to mechanics who say the prestolite valve body can't be fixed. It can be fixed good as new if you have the tools, parts, and knowledge). The bad thing with the stringer pump is that it isn't waterproof. It costs almost $200 to rebuild a stringer trim motor with waterproof parts. In the end the stringer with rebuilt valve body and waterprrof motor rebuild is about $350 ... That's about $75 more than my target.

Another path is to fashion a bracket that converts Volvo AQ290 mounting bracket to calco bolts pattern. I am still working on hose/tubing compatibility. My target price of $275ish looks good with Volvo but it isn't ready for prime time yet. I don't even know if it would be in kit form or if the pump itself should be rethreaded with different port sizes.

 

[ezeke]

Re: replacing calco pump on 77 johnson 115

The bottom line is that the Prestolite pumps commonly sold do not include the valve body, and the valve body of the Calco pump will not work on the Prestolite pump.

The Stringer pumps are complete, but have a the ground through the case, so you have to make adjustment for that.

 

[RRitt]

Re: replacing calco pump on 77 johnson 115

The bottom line is that the Prestolite pumps commonly sold do not include the valve body, and the valve body of the Calco pump will not work on the Prestolite pump.

The Stringer pumps are complete, but have a the ground through the case, so you have to make adjustment for that.

The ground is the easy part. The motor actually runs better with ground through case because it eliminates voltage drop across black wire. Those darn 3w motors are so sensitive to voltage drops that every bit helps.
My problem with the Stringer project is that the Stringer motor uses a stamped steel commutator end plate (aka brush cap) with a through frame locator tab. Like most trim motors the inside of Stringer is not painted and would rust quickly. I do not think the stringer motor would last very long in a wet location. Have you ever run across an easy way to waterproof an electric motor? This would be great time for new ideas.

 

[whitejamie99]

Re: replacing calco pump on 77 johnson 115

The bottom line is that the Prestolite pumps commonly sold do not include the valve body, and the valve body of the Calco pump will not work on the Prestolite pump.

The Stringer pumps are complete, but have a the ground through the case, so you have to make adjustment for that.

..
What more is there to the pump than the valve body? The Prestolite pumps that I saw on Ebay looked complete. I wonder if I'm missing something.

BTW HAPPY FATHERS DAY TO ALL

 

[RRitt]

Re: replacing calco pump on 77 johnson 115

..
What more is there to the pump than the valve body? The Prestolite pumps that I saw on Ebay looked complete. I wonder if I'm missing something.

BTW HAPPY FATHERS DAY TO ALL

Motor + valve body = pump assembly

The stringer pumps on ebay usually are complete and running. But - if it doesn't bleed down then it was just a lucky buy. And - the motor is probably in great shape because it ran in a dry location. It won't stay that way for long bolted onto the outside of your transom. It will need to be made waterproof.

 

[ezeke]

Re: replacing calco pump on 77 johnson 115

Here:
http://home.comcast.net/~netsvc/Items/VB_ETR.htm

 

[whitejamie99]

Re: replacing calco pump on 77 johnson 115

I tried to test the calco pump by turning it with a drill. The ram in the tilt cylinder did not move. You can pull it by hand and there appears to be suction. Tilt cylinder is very loose with no friction. I have the unit off the transom and in a vise.

 

[RRitt]

Re: replacing calco pump on 77 johnson 115

I tried to test the calco pump by turning it with a drill. The ram in the tilt cylinder did not move. You can pull it by hand and there appears to be suction. Tilt cylinder is very loose with no friction. I have the unit off the transom and in a vise.

completely depress the cylinder. use brass plugs from NAPA and hardware store to seal both intake and exhaust ports. hang unit upside down in vice with weight attached to piston eye. go eat dinner.

if, after dinner, the cylinder has leaked out and become extended then it needs rebuilding. If it has not, then not.

 

[RRitt]

Re: replacing calco pump on 77 johnson 115

Got it! If I rethread the ports then I can get them to line up with existing tube/hose. That kind of kills the kit idea but keeps me close to target. Now I need to find a machine shop that can make small quantities of aluminum parts for affordable prices. Any of you guys work in machine shops?

 

[whitejamie99]

Re: replacing calco pump on 77 johnson 115

ebay rebuilder does not work with calco pumps. RRitt I would love to beta test your adapter but I dont work in a machine shop. On testing the tilt cylinder when you said to plug the intake and the exhaust ports that you mean the intake being the ports where the tubing connects on the bottom and the exhaust is the hosed connection that goes in the top of the cylinder near the eye. Correct? The theory is to isolate the tilt cylinder from the pump assembly and see if the seals hold the pressure?

 

[ezeke]

Re: replacing calco pump on 77 johnson 115

..
What more is there to the pump than the valve body? The Prestolite pumps that I saw on Ebay looked complete. I wonder if I'm missing something.

BTW HAPPY FATHERS DAY TO ALL

May be I should have stayed out of it, but, my point was that most of the replacement pumps for the Prestolite assembly that you see advertised do not include a valve body. http://www.iboats.com/mall/partfind...gd_poid=187583&gd_row=71&**********=643555714

The Calco valve body will only fit the Calco pump.

The parts for the Calco pumps are virtually non existent, but there is a company that will rebuild them if you send yours in. I think that iboats is a contractor for them but you would need to check with their sales department.

 

[RRitt]

Re: replacing calco pump on 77 johnson 115

that's me doing the EJ PTT valve body rebuilds. I did a few Calco over the years. It was a trendy idea to go rotary back when Mazda first introduced the Wankel. I think that's why Calco went the way they did. IMO, it's a square tire with deluxe ride compensators.

at any rate - frankenpump is done. I'm actually logged in to post pics and instructions.

 

[whitejamie99]

Re: replacing calco pump on 77 johnson 115

OK so I have to get rid of the calco pump. If I buy a Prestolite motor with a Prestolite valve body/pump will it fit to my existing manifold? Since I need a motor anyway I might as well replace the whole thing. I dont want to spend the $ if it wont match up. I would then scrap the whole Calco mess.

 

[RRitt]

Re: replacing calco pump on 77 johnson 115

yes. only problem with prestolite is $$$. The stringer version is relatively inexpensive but not waterproof. To redo it waterproof style using genuine parts is expensive. Maybe a good coat of fiberglass resin would do the trick?

Buying a new prestolite is just silly. $300 on the motor plus $300 on the pump? No thank you. It wasn't the greatest pump since sliced bread in the first place. If You're going to spend that much money then at least make it an upgrade ... like a 2w pump with mercury wiring harness (3w motors suck down more amps and do not tolerate corroded connections as well as 2w).

Read my thread on the Volvo AQ290 frankenpump. I would say either slather a stringer pump with fiberglass resin or go with the aq290. If you can't find a stringer pump for $100 bucks or so then i think new Volvo is the ticket. The brass adapters are all Eaton-weatherhead off the shelf standards and put your ports within 1/4" of original location (well, I think 1/4". It is still a prototype).