Westerbeke W52 - Oil leak at sea water pump

[kevins]

I have a W52 Westerbeke and I consistently get an oil leak where the sea water pump mounts to the engine timing gear cover.

The scenario is as such...
the Sea water pump mounts to the timing cover via an aluminum plate.
First the sea water pump with 4 bolts which holds the sea water pump to the backing plate. There is a gasket which is supposed to seal this connection between the backing plate and the aluminum backing plate. (this gasket is typically the one that leaks).
Then the backing plate has 2 - 5/16 holes in it which are used mount to studs sticking out of the timing cover. This part seems to work, oddly enough. There are just 2 nuts which hold this large mass to the timing cover and a gasket in between the backing plate and the timing cover.

The 2 nuts are recessed into the 1/2 aluminum backing plate so the nuts are flush and a bit recessed into the backing plate once the nuts are secure. They also have 2 locking washers.
In the center of all of this is a larger hole which is used to pass through the connection which turns the water pump and connects to the fuel injector pump which in turn is turned by a gear (if i remember correctly).

So..yes, there should be oil reaching the gaskets because of the hole where the connection that turns the pump.

I have tried to fix it 3 or 4 times and I just had a diesel mechanic try to fix it. He checked to be sure everything was flat and square. He said one of the nuts were a bit loose, which probably contributed to the leak. This was probably my fault. Other than that nothing was odd.

So I imagine the leak with do as it did before...after a 100 or 200 hours it will slowly start to leak and then at 300 to 400 hours I'll change the gaskets and continue on.

Anyone have this issue?

THanks
Kevin

[model 10]

I suppose you tighten it when it starts leaking again? The lousy gasket is so thin you don't have anything to squish anymore so it doesn't help. Make your own gasket out of thicker material and or use a modern gasket dressing.

[kevins]

I think this was an anomaly. The nuts were tight the previous times I did this... At least that's what i remember. Certainly the next time this happens I'll check for loose screws. Both in my head and the engine.

Anyone have a w52 that has seen similar or dissimilar problems?

thanks
Kevin

[shakey doug]

Could the mounting bolts or studs becoming thread bound or bottoming out before enough pressure is being applied to the sealing faces a spring washer or similar may be needed.