Raw water pump

[vistech1]

Hi everyone

I have a 38 year old Arona 185 Diesel engine in my sail boat it has an original impeller pump belt driven with a brass impeller, it has a grease nipple and the shaft is spun through a fibrous packing I have been told that the pump is meant to leak as the water flow cools the spindle and other moving parts.

I have a couple of questions
1. what grease should I use? (I was going to try lanolin grease )
2. are these brass impellers meant to last the life of the motor?as I have been told you cant get any spare parts for the pump)
3. Should I be able to get a modern pump to do the same job as the old pump? ( I have been told no )
4. Should I grease the impeller before I install it back on the motor and run it for the first time? ( I have pulled it apart and cleaned it )
5. What is a good emergency procedure to get water to the engine in case of pump failure.
6. Would I be right in thinking that to much water flow to the engine would be worse than to little?

Thanks for any help

Vistech1

[HappyMdRSailor]

Vistech,

Not familiar with this particular pump, but I will give you my mechanic-y opinions!

While archaic, your setup does sound pretty cool.... We would love a picture! Brass impeller is probably bronze. If indeed this is a metal housing/metal impeller combo, it would be a non contact centrifugal setup... It should last your lifetime, but all things wear out! If you have a standard rubber impeller like the rest of us... 100-300 hours is a good replacement range...

Any fibrous packing holding water at bay should probably have at least a bit of water drip, but I can't imagine that if the pump is not the lowest component so that it wouldn't drip on anything that this pump is meant to drip... So my answer would be probably no dripping... I would think that the grease should be something with molybdenum in it, or teflon... most do...

There are TONS of other more modern pumps you could adapt to retrofit this... (google away) You're mostly looking to keep the same flow rate...

Grease if rubber, no if metal/metal

Pump failure = No engine = no real good solution other than get your pump pumping again...

Too little water flow is way worse than too much....

Take some pictures and post them!!!

Good luck!

[vistech1]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

Vistech,

Not familiar with this particular pump, but I will give you my mechanic-y opinions!

While archaic, your setup does sound pretty cool.... We would love a picture! Brass impeller is probably bronze. If indeed this is a metal housing/metal impeller combo, it would be a non contact centrifugal setup... It should last your lifetime, but all things wear out! If you have a standard rubber impeller like the rest of us... 100-300 hours is a good replacement range...

Any fibrous packing holding water at bay should probably have at least a bit of water drip, but I can't imagine that if the pump is not the lowest component so that it wouldn't drip on anything that this pump is meant to drip... So my answer would be probably no dripping... I would think that the grease should be something with molybdenum in it, or teflon... most do...

There are TONS of other more modern pumps you could adapt to retrofit this... (google away) You're mostly looking to keep the same flow rate...

Grease if rubber, no if metal/metal

Pump failure = No engine = no real good solution other than get your pump pumping again...

Too little water flow is way worse than too much....

Take some pictures and post them!!!

Good luck!

Hi thanks for the info I reinstalled the pump today and seems to be pumping ok although it has come loose on its foot mount so will need to re tighten I added a little lanolin grease to the impeller and also via the grease nipple, it's a pretty cool little engine, I have done my own service on it and hopefully with TLC it will keep going a while, Pics attached of pump in pieces, and screen shots of video of engine















Thanks again.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Ask and ye shall receive!!! Nice pics! Thanks!

Indeed a non contact centrifugal pump.... nothing to wear out here except shaft and bearings... Definitely thinking no leaky from where the pump sits...

Sure is a pretty cool engine.... It should last a lifetime with TLC...

[bobconnie]

If the flow seems low to ya a good machine shop can re adjust the case to rotor clearnces, makeing it a pretty new pump ! Of course with clean water it should last for a lot of years before it needs total rebilding ! Ive done a bunch of these pumps over the years, They are pretty great ! they will out pump a rubber impeler pump and last for almost ever with care and lube ! just sayin it's well worth spending a few bucks on !! Just my 2 cents

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by bobconnie

If the flow seems low to ya a good machine shop can re adjust the case to rotor clearnces, makeing it a pretty new pump ! Of course with clean water it should last for a lot of years before it needs total rebilding ! Ive done a bunch of these pumps over the years, They are pretty great ! they will out pump a rubber impeler pump and last for almost ever with care and lube ! just sayin it's well worth spending a few bucks on !! Just my 2 cents

+1 on bobconnie's thoughts... I have even adjusted clearances on similar pumps myself.... Flat machine plate and some Emery ...