Raw Water Pumps

spsaewert · **Joined:** 31 Jan 2010 21:18 **Posts:** 3

Somewhere along the line my W50 had a Sherwood R30G-1 raw water pump installed.
I replaced it once, got about 750 hrs out of it, had it replaced again by a diesel mechanic (who checked the alignment, tension etc), and it only lasted 250 hrs. I had that one rebuilt and the bearings just died after 70 hours.
Does anyone know if the stock Westerbeke pump lasts any longer than the Sherwood? Its about 2 1/2 X expensive. One other T37 owner thinks he got 1600 hours out of his stock pump, but isnt really sure.

Is a Jabsco any better than a Sherwood?
Cost is a factor as I'm never running w/o a spare again.

Thanks in advance
Steve

Down2TheC · **Posted:** 01 Feb 2010 02:47

We're stock and low hours in fresh water, so I have no knowledge of replacements. But after your experience, I'd suggest you get the Jabsco in as a main, and keep the cheap one as a backup. Unless of course if the more battle hardened members have tips on making the Sherwood last longer. 70 hours must be a failure of the work or something systemic on your unit that's chewing up bearings.

jvoelxen · **Joined:** 21 Oct 2006 15:36 **Posts:** 268

Steve-

I have a jabsco pump on my W50, but I have seen the Sherwood pump also. Visually, it appears to me that the Jabsco is more robust - but an unsubstantiated judgment. My experience is that its better to replace the entire pump, if you start getting seal leakage. That leakage is normally caused by shaft wobble, which means the shaft bearings are shot. The bearing/shaft and seal kit costs almost as much as a new pump bought online (not from Westerbeke). I bought my last pump for about $300; the seals and shaft/bearing kit cost almost as much. I have over 250 hrs on my last pump, and so far so good. I replace the impellor each season as a preventive measure, and have not had any impellor failures, so I can't help you there.

If you decide to switch from a Sherwood pump to a Jabsco pump, you may need to get a new shaft pulley. The shaft on the Sherwood pump I saw had a smaller diameter shaft.

Jim
#191

Velera · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2006 09:38 **Posts:** 656

I would suggest that you keep very close attention to the belt tension on the pump. You want it tight enough so that it does not slip (and create heat which will destroy the bearings -- 75 hours is ridiculous, something else was going on there). I think you will find that the tension on your alternator needs to be a lot tighter than the tension on your pump--it does not take much to keep it from slipping. I got more than 1000 hours out of one Sherwood pump and only about 400 out of another and I think belt tension was the issue. Carry a spare. I have no experience with the Jabsco pump.

Court · **Joined:** 21 Oct 2008 18:33 **Posts:** 22

Has anyone used a Jabsco #51520, it's half the price of the #5320 but may not have ball bearings.

Falco · **Joined:** 23 Dec 2007 23:08 **Posts:** 42

For what it is worth, I had my Jabsco pump rebuilt for about $90. I carry it as a spare and have a new Jabsco in place. I found the new one online (Defender?) and paid $200+ for it. I was in a rush as I had a week of sailing to do and the impeller I was trying to replace came apart as it was stuck on the shaft. I lubed the new one before installing it so I could get the darned impeller off next time a bit more readily. Belt tension could be an issue on the other as it is hard to get the proper tension on the pump and the alternator without an extra set of hands to maintain the tension while you tighten the nuts.

Good luck and let us know how it all turned out.

Tartan37.com

Raw Water Pumps

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