OK Just posing a question after the fact. I just changed the livewell pump on my 2003 Gulfstream. WHAT A PIA! Leaning over the bilge hatch opening, trying to get leverage, finally got it loose with a pipe wrench head upside down so I could get two hands on it. My question is...how do the pros do it? Do they climb inside the bilge (I considered doing that but thought I wouldn't get out). I even told my 11 year old granddaughter I have a job for her next time! Just curious, as I said I got it done.
Replacing Live Well Pump
- Thread starter Bumpye
- Start date
Legend
GreatGrady Captain
- Joined
- Jun 29, 2006
- Messages
- 1,462
- Reaction score
- 201
- Points
- 63
- Location
- Southern New England
- Model
- Sailfish
I had the same problem last year on my Sailfish. Tried everything and could not budge it. Luckily I was still in the dealer yard before spring launch and I had them change it. Never found out how they did it so I will be curious to see responses too. I saw a video posted by Fishtails yesterday of a new Marling boat test. GW has made it much easier to access the pumps and overall bilge fucntions.
Knowing "how" it's put together and which way to push the wrench, and how hard you can push without breaking the part or the thru-hull is half the battle. I also did the upside-down monkey hang in the belly of our 282 Sailfish. Strap wrench was weapon of choice for the old pump removal, it's less fussy about how and from which angle you're grabbing the existing fitting.
Once that's off, if you vow to never again screw a pump to the thru-hull directly, and instead mount to the bulkhead just about in line with the existing raw water pump plumbing, then longer term maintenance and eventual replacement becomes less of a chore.
But getting down in there to the bottom of the aft bilge definitely requires some limbering up first!
Bob.
Once that's off, if you vow to never again screw a pump to the thru-hull directly, and instead mount to the bulkhead just about in line with the existing raw water pump plumbing, then longer term maintenance and eventual replacement becomes less of a chore.
But getting down in there to the bottom of the aft bilge definitely requires some limbering up first!
Bob.
Yup I agree-still sore after 2 days. I've worked in the auto repair business for 42 years, so I'm used to frozen bolts and difficulty reaching parts, but this kicked my butt! I know when the bilge pump fails, I'll let the shop do it.
If you think that is a PIA, wait until you have to replace the sea cock the pump is screwed into. A little tip that may save you that headache that I just went through, also a one-armed job through a small opening in the deck. Most sea cocks have a drain plug in them for cold climate storage. Remove that plug, and replace it with a grease fitting(3/8 I believe) and with the ball valve open, pump it full of grease. If the ball valve is closed, you will get a slug of grease in your water line, if it is open the grease is forced into the area around the ball and the shaft. The original fitting on my '93 225 went from an arm wrestle to a one finger move. The ball shaft had actually broken on my 2000 Parker, and I had to replace the whole thing, and installed a grease fitting there too.
You can see an example of a drain plug here:
http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussion/ ... -Installed
You can see an example of a drain plug here:
http://www.pearsonariel.org/discussion/ ... -Installed