Water pump in drive VS. External pump Which is better and why?

[Homerr]

Ok, you have the common sea water pump in your typical outdrive. Then you have a pump that mounts on your engine and picks up water through a fitting mounted on your boat's hull.<br /><br />I've read that you should replace the water pump ever few years. <br /><br />What are the pros and cons of the two pumps?<br /><br />Seems to me an external pump would a whole lot easier and cheaper for most of us to change.<br /><br />Can a person convert to an external pump from a in-sterndrive pump?<br /><br />H.

 

[Tracy Coleman]

Re: Water pump in drive VS. External pump Which is better and why?

Homerr<br />Replacement kinda depends on the type of use, if you like to run into sandbars, or run it out of the water for 30 seconds, you'l need one real often. Normal freshwater use 3-5 years is good, see a lot 5-10 years and older-risky. The pros and cons amount to the one with the newest impeller is the best. Take a close look at some of the engine compartments where you have to remove the rear bench seat, sundeck lid, and bulkheads to see the engine much less the raw water pump. Convert?, read previous sentence. It's too easy to change a lower unit impeller on a Mercruiser, and some OMC Cobras it's REAL easy.<br />Backfire

 

[Homerr]

Re: Water pump in drive VS. External pump Which is better and why?

Thanks for the reply...<br /><br />Yes, some engine bays are darn near impossible to access to say the least about stuffing a pump in there.<br /><br />My fishing boat has enough room to stick twin V8's and more. <br /><br />I just thought a external pump would be easier to deal with and change parts for us 'common folk' who don't have the knowledge or tooling.<br /><br />I suppose I'll learn how to change the impeller in time.<br /><br />H.

 

[DJ]

Re: Water pump in drive VS. External pump Which is better and why?

Homerr,<br /><br />The real advantage of a raw water pump on the engine is that you can change it on the water. It may not be easy, but it can be done.<br /><br />It's difficult to pull an outdrive on the water.

 

[Homerr]

Re: Water pump in drive VS. External pump Which is better and why?

So given the oportunity, would you choose an extarnal over an internal pump?<br /><br />Looks like the obvious would be the external.<br /><br />I'm going to look into an external pump just for the sake of maintainance alone.<br /><br />H.