Aftermarket water pump warning to all

[ct1762@gmail.com]

As I was installing my brand new pump on my 3 litre v6, noticed a gap in the pump. To my horror, i could see right through the the 0-ring and tip of one impeller blade! Wish i had caught it before I installed. It's what I get for trying to save $20. each screw was sealed and torqued properly to 75 in/lbs as per my usual specs. It's BRP/OMC from here on out. I go 50+ miles offshore, all the more reason not to cheap out. Lesson learned...

 

[racerone]

I stopped installing non factory impellers long ago.----Found a wee impeller for a 2 HP to be shy about 1 /32 of an inch on width.-----No more stuff from the " hooflungdedung " parts company.

 

[ct1762@gmail.com]

haha. I hear you. But this was the actual housing as you can see from the pic. Got an OEM one today and it's nice and even. ditched every aftermarket part that was on there and used the oem. Not worth a toasted powerhead!

 

[healey8390]

It`s hard not to take the bait with a plethora of cheap parts out there, especially on auction sites. When I did my rebuild I bought a powerhead gasket set for a v4 for $20 but only because I already had a set of oem head gaskets. Sure enough, the head gaskets looked like they were made in a high school shop class and I was glad I had the oem ones. I`m starting to live up to the adage of buy once cry once unless I`m in a bind with $$.

 

[Chris1956]

Gee, Sierra and GLM (and others) make good aftermarket parts. I have never had an issue with either.

 

[ct1762@gmail.com]

Good info right here ! Thanks guys... about to do a v4 crossflow and got momentarily tempted by those dirt-cheap powerhead gasket kits. As Chris said, the GLM ones are good (never used the complete sierra kit) and WSM if i remember correctly.

 

[Scott Danforth]

doesnt GLM stand for Good Luck Marine....

 

[oldboat1]

Need to install with a torque wrench and in a cross pattern or risk breaking housing. (Note the right side.)

 

[ct1762@gmail.com]

Need to install with a torque wrench and in a cross pattern or risk breaking housing. (Note the right side.)

No, it was installed correctly trust me. I use a good torque wrench on all my pumps. if you look at the pics, the left side is mis-matched too much. they always are to some tiny degree, but this one was way off. as I said all screws are torqued to 75 in/lbs in stages, x pattern, and painted with OMC gasket sealing compound.

 

[Faztbullet]

You by chance didn't have the impeller flipped did ya????

 

[oldboat1]

If you look at your pic carefully, it appears there is a crack on the right side at the base. Did it come that way??

 

[ct1762@gmail.com]

You by chance didn't have the impeller flipped did ya????

Nope! The impeller on this one for the v6 loopers can only go on one way, as the recess for the key is only on one side.

The base looks like a crack in the pic, but it's actually a manufacturing defect! Im assuming they use some sort of contraption to sandwich them together after each half is molded separately. Who knows what went wrong that day lol.