Is an external water pump feasible?

[VicS]

I'm really not just being mean, there is simply no money left in the kitty right now, and I have to be extra careful not to throw good money after bad as well. Because the boat is primarily sailed and the engine probably only runs for a mile or so up river when the wind is awkward I'd like to nurse it along for now if I can until I have sufficient funds to do it properly.

I take the point about photos and will try to take some next time I am at the boat and I'm also grateful for the various offers of possible cheap parts, as well as the advice and information.

I'll try to get the pump off and take it from there.

You've asked a question about a saily boat on the Mobo forum

They dont recognise engines smaller than 10 zillion horse power

[PaulGooch]

You've asked a question about a saily boat on the Mobo forum

They dont recognise engines smaller than 10 zillion horse power

Anything less than 150 HP is a generator, surely ?

[DAKA]

You've asked a question about a saily boat on the Mobo forum

They dont recognise engines smaller than 10 zillion horse power

Oh yes we do

Its a 2 stroke engine (similar to my chainsaw )

[PaulGooch]

I'm really not just being mean, there is simply no money left in the kitty right now, and I have to be extra careful not to throw good money after bad as well. Because the boat is primarily sailed and the engine probably only runs for a mile or so up river when the wind is awkward I'd like to nurse it along for now if I can until I have sufficient funds to do it properly.

I take the point about photos and will try to take some next time I am at the boat and I'm also grateful for the various offers of possible cheap parts, as well as the advice and information.

I'll try to get the pump off and take it from there.

Wasn't being rude or suggesting you are mean, we all know about budgets.

What i really meant was, changing to an external pump to save £50 wouldn't be practical as the external pump would cost much more than that. If yours is totally kaput, an external pump would be cheaper than £900 for a new one.

[robspop]

Wasn't being rude or suggesting you are mean, we all know about budgets.

No, that's fine, I know you're not, and I am really grateful for all the advice (you replied to my first post as well) as although I have stripped and repaired an engine it was many years ago (and I didn't have a bad back then either!) and it was a petrol engine that was in a car. I have no experience of marine diesels at all really and freely admit that I'm looking for shortcuts that I know are not ideal but will tide me over for the time being.

Anyway, thanks again for your help and I will see what I can do next time I have a chance to do some work on it

[aquatom]

If you are going to fit an electric pump it would be advisable to wire it through a relay which is switched from the oil Pressure switch so it only runs when the engine is running or you may accidentally fill your exhaust up with water!

[Dave_Seager]

As has already been said, the price for the impeller at about £30 is fairly typical. The two seals are about £10 each which is a bit steep. However, fitting a complete new pump will cost far more than £50 and involve the risk of further complications.

The original Albin pump is an unusual and clever design as it is actually two pumps on the same shaft. The front one handle the raw water. The rear one circulates the fresh water on a fresh water cooled engine. On a raw water cooled engine it acts as a motor-drive bilge pump and there is a small bleed hole between the two pumps to stop it from drying out.

If you engine is fresh water cooled then you cannot simply fit one new pump as you suggest. If it is raw water cooled, do you plan to buy a replacement bilge pump too?

I think that it would be unwise to modify the engine just to "save" £50.

[Divemaster1]

Oh yes we do

Its a 2 stroke engine (similar to my chainsaw )

Quite similar to my 2-strokes then

[Divemaster1]

Having read the origina thread and this one, it sounds like you may be lucky if the pump seal is the problem as it sounds like the volume is too high and getting through to the rocker cover through the valve lifters which implies that water may be flowing into the combustion chamber ........ but I would definetly try the simple things first as the tend to be somewhat cheaper than the big jobs....