Seawater pump pulley wobbles
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Seawater pump pulley wobbles
I just replaced my 454 merc Gen ? seawater pump (fuel pump attached) with a supposedly new unit. I noted that the pump pulley has a pronounced "wobble." The shaft seems to be straight, but the pulley is like "cocked off." I think I recall a similar wobble on my old seawater pump, but always figured that some mechanic must have dropped a hammer and bent the thing. The new unit seems much more pronouned. Is this normal? Or was I sold a bad unit. Thanks.
#3
Ginger or Mary Ann?
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Previous boat was same way. I was able to clean up the pulley a bit from where it sheared itself on, then press it on just a bit further onto the unsheared bore. Just a 1/8" or so more I think, not enough to put the belt off alignment. Might be able to place a couple washers behind the mounting bracket to move the whole pump out if you have to press the pulley on to far for a straight running belt. Just a thought.
#4
I've seen this several times, pulley can get distorted because it is stamped steel. I put a Gen5 motor in a boat a few years ago and ended up smacking the pulley with a hammer until it ran true. Don't hit too hard just be patient and finess it. BBB
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Options: Beat it, Return it, or live with it?
I 'm trying to decied if I should return the thing, try to straighten it, or just live with the wobble; the wobble seems bad but the belt does seems to track straight on the idler and crank pulley. I really don't want to pull it off again cause it is a pain and will burn another weekend, can you straighten it by pounding it with a hammer while installed? Can that damage anything else like bending the shaft. Did the Parts guys (Lighthouse Marine Supply) sell me a bad / remanufactured part when I thought I was buying new? Or is this wobble common on new pumps?
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BillR
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08-10-2008 11:31 PM