99 VP 5.0GL Sea Water Pump Question

mikeneal

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jan 28, 2004
Messages
710
I have a 99 5.0GL VP and I had a HUGE brain fart over the weekend and killed the water pump impeller. I recently added a "T" to the raw water supply line so I can flush the boat while it is in the water. I did that Saturday night (we were outta town on vacation and took boat). I forgot to cap the flush "T" and Sunday morning I started the boat and of course it didn't pull water, just air and impeller ran dry. I shut it off before got hot etc. but for sure the impeller is toast. Took it apart tonight and the impeller is toast but still intact. (whew, not fishing debris out of the power steering cooler). While I had it apart I noticed the pump body is bronze and the inlet and outlet tubes are thermoplastic. The tubes spin in the the body. They must had a lip molded and O-ring because I could not remove them, nor do they leak. (at least on flush muffs). Anyone ever notice this ? My concern is maybe I overheated the pump and thus damaged it? I bought a used pump on eBay about a year ago as a spare and I was going to just use that body and low and behold does same ting. Do they all do this and I just never noticed when I was doing previous impellers?

Also anyone know of an in-line sea-**** valve I could add, then I could take spare water pump impeller on trips. As it is from factory I cannot take it apart while boat is in the water because I think it is under waterline...true? I suppose I could take a bung/plug and remove hose and plug ....quickly but that is frightening to me.
 

Don S

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Aug 31, 2004
Messages
62,321
Re: 99 VP 5.0GL Sea Water Pump Question

Personally never noticed those inserts in the pump fittings, so nothing I can help you with there.
I wouldn't waste my time with any type of in-line sea-****. If you loose an impeller just pull the cap off and replace it. Yea, the water will come in but any ole bilge pump can keep up with that amount. If you want it stopped, just pull the hose off and stuff a rag in it. Valves are just another place to suck air if they go bad, plus they are expensive in the size you need.
Change that impeller everyother year and you will be fine. If you do pickup a plastic bag or something and kill the impeller and your bilge pump fails. Pull the hose and stuff a rag in it.
 

mikeneal

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jan 28, 2004
Messages
710
Re: 99 VP 5.0GL Sea Water Pump Question

My boat the engine compartment is tough and I actually have to pull both hoses and the pulley/pump off the harmonic balancer, can't just remove the cover. You are right though, I could take the hose off and plug it I suppose. I worried about how much it would gush, maybe next time I have boat I will do a quick measurement to see how far under the water line the hose actually is. I see your point about the valve being another point of failure though and I agree. Maybe I will make up a wooden bung to plug the hose and carry a spare impeller. I do have 2 bilge pumps, seems like a good thing to have redundancy with so I guess some water is not a huge deal.
Personally never noticed those inserts in the pump fittings, so nothing I can help you with there.
I wouldn't waste my time with any type of in-line sea-****. If you loose an impeller just pull the cap off and replace it. Yea, the water will come in but any ole bilge pump can keep up with that amount. If you want it stopped, just pull the hose off and stuff a rag in it. Valves are just another place to suck air if they go bad, plus they are expensive in the size you need.
Change that impeller everyother year and you will be fine. If you do pickup a plastic bag or something and kill the impeller and your bilge pump fails. Pull the hose and stuff a rag in it.
 

Don S

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Aug 31, 2004
Messages
62,321
Re: 99 VP 5.0GL Sea Water Pump Question

It's not going to gush water like you think it will. Yea, water will come in, but nothing that will sink the boat if you have a working bilge pump.
IF your pump fails, well, deal with it. But valves are going to be a lot more problems than help. They also sell hose block of pliars at places like Sears and NAPA. A LOT cheaper than plumbing in a brass valve.

Here is those pliars. Top of the list in a google search
"http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/shop/KD-3588.html
 

Lou C

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Nov 10, 2002
Messages
11,802
Re: 99 VP 5.0GL Sea Water Pump Question

Also boating stores sell large wood dowels in large enough sizes, to fit those water intake hoses well and it will not leak at all, I used one when I had to change the thermostat in my 88 4.3 Cobra when it was on the water. If the hose can be pulled up higher than the water level, water may not come it, but I didn't want to take a chance while I was working on it so I used the dowel.
 
Top