Shaft bearings SHOT!!! Now stuck shaft...ugh!

[dan144k]

When refilling pump cone and bearings with grease, how much is enough?
Would not want to overfill and blow out a seal from heat and expansion, or under-fill either.

Probably want to wait till after warranty to change from grease.

I saw the 1/3 full in my manual. Newer manuals also list a yamaha marine grease. Original grease was yellow, recommended replacement grease was blue. Unable to get to manual to give exact grease spec.

 

[paul075]

Paul075, It was very easy. The hardest was to find the plugs that have the allen key top - most have a raised wrench flat top that would interfere with water flow. They came cheap from a hydraulic supplier. Here is how:

1. With the cone still installed I marked a spot on the top where the fill plug would go.
2. Take off the cone
3. propped it up at one end so it is mostly level, file a small flat spot and then and drill a 1/8" pilot hole (actually any small size). I used a drill press but a hand drill would work.
4. drill the hole out to the proper size for 3/8" pipe tape
5. Thread the hole. Pipe tap makes a tapered hole. I wanted the plug flush so I would tap the hole a bit and then test fit the plug to see if it would thread in flush. Then tap some more until it finally did.
6. Clean up all the shaving. Blow the old grease out of the bearings using compressed air and holding it all in a kitchen bag so it doesnt make a mess.
7. I reassembled the cone with a touch of sealant.
8. Fill about 2/3 full with oil tipping it up to get the oil flowing into the bearings.

I used amsoil 80w90 gear oil but any good synthetic outboard leg oil would work great. The leg oil may have better water leak handling properties, not sure. Hope this helps. Cam.

ps I would have put a drain hole in too but since you have to remove the housing to get at it the drain is of no advantage. If a guy was really slick he could put a drain hole and a 2/3 level hole and fill it from the bottom like an I/O leg.

Thank you for answering my question Cam. I was just making sure you did not weld a bung to the inside of the cone. I am glad there is enough metal to make the plugs work.

 

[tdonoughue]

Perhaps a silly question:

Doesn't adding a plug throw off the balance of the impeller system? Seems as if it would, which would lead to premature bearing wear, right?

 

[paul075]

Perhaps a silly question:

Doesn't adding a plug throw off the balance of the impeller system? Seems as if it would, which would lead to premature bearing wear, right?

The cone does not spin. Only the bearings inside.

 

[paul075]

When refilling pump cone and bearings with grease, how much is enough?
Would not want to overfill and blow out a seal from heat and expansion, or under-fill either.

Probably want to wait till after warranty to change from grease.

Service manual says 1/3 full. It is not normal marine grease and is very hard to find that is why we are talking about converting to gear oil.

 

[Lspeedss]

Very nice with the diagram. Thanks
Steve

 

[KXCam22]

Paul, the casting is about 3/8" thick. The lack of grease supply was one of my prime reasons to switch. I had to buy a 5 gal bucket of the grease. The AP#0 grease is just a thin grease that will flow into the bearings but no special lube properties. You can make it using amsoil grease and amsoil 80w90 mixed to make a slurry. I was planning to do this but once I had the cones off decided to stick with oil. Cam.

 

[paul075]

Paul, the casting is about 3/8" thick. The lack of grease supply was one of my prime reasons to switch. I had to buy a 5 gal bucket of the grease. The AP#0 grease is just a thin grease that will flow into the bearings but no special lube properties. You can make it using amsoil grease and amsoil 80w90 mixed to make a slurry. I was planning to do this but once I had the cones off decided to stick with oil. Cam.

Cam I just ended up making the slurry. took the cones off and no water inside. Cleaned out the old and mixed walmart blue marine grease and synthetic SAE 90 marine gear lube I use for my F70 outboard. What I made was a lot thinner than what was in there. Going to try it this season and replace it once a year.

 

[Gym]

Cam I just ended up making the slurry. took the cones off and no water inside. Cleaned out the old and mixed walmart blue marine grease and synthetic SAE 90 marine gear lube I use for my F70 outboard. What I made was a lot thinner than what was in there. Going to try it this season and replace it once a year.

@paul075 did you replace the cone seals or were they in good shape?

 

[paul075]

@paul075 did you replace the cone seals or were they in good shape?

they were in good shape

 

[tdonoughue]

Ok, I have looked back a bit over the thread and I am a little confused.

Do you have to pull the shaft to check and repack these? It says the cap is to be 1/3 full, but if AP#0 is thin and runny, will it not pour out before you get it on unless you pull the shaft? But then the pics show one with seemingly regular grease it in that would not pour out...

 

[motorboater]

@leeatmg SALTWATER! And never pulling the pump to lube it. I'm still questioning how I need a new impeller. Can these things be seized on the shaft?

Yes they can seize on the shaft, and end up looking like this when you finally get it off...

 

[Lspeedss]

What the?...looks like there was some cutting going on in efforts to get the impeller off. I had no idea they would put up such a fight.

 

[Murf'n'surf]

I lost my entire shaft, housing, impeller and all seals and bearings on my Starboard pump. All of that and new seals and bearings on the Port pump cost me $1300.00. Only $250 was labor.

 

[txav8r]

Apologies @KXCam22 ... I thought you put a zerk fitting, which is a grease fitting that a grease gun fits. I remembered it was a bath, just thought you had a zerk instead of plug.

 

[motorboater]

What the?...looks like there was some cutting going on in efforts to get the impeller off. I had no idea they would put up such a fight.

Yup. Cut the fins off one side to get in to the threaded hub, split it, and work it off. Managed to save the shaft though.

Bummer on your large parts list @Murf'n'surf. Not a bad price though to replace basically everything. Try that on on I/O!

 

[Zeus2013]

So what is the best way to avoid the impeller from seizing to the shaft? Do you take it off at the begining of the season to add some anti-seize?

 

[Gym]

So what is the best way to avoid the impeller from seizing to the shaft? Do you take it off at the begining of the season to add some anti-seize?

That's not a bad idea @Zeus2013.

 

[motorboater]

I added anti-seize to the new ones which should prevent future issues. The Solas units also have a cone with a rubber seal in it that keeps sand and stuff out of the threads. The OEM impellers dont.

 

[paul075]

Ok, I have looked back a bit over the thread and I am a little confused.

Do you have to pull the shaft to check and repack these? It says the cap is to be 1/3 full, but if AP#0 is thin and runny, will it not pour out before you get it on unless you pull the shaft? But then the pics show one with seemingly regular grease it in that would not pour out...

You don't have to pull the shaft out but all the bolts are out at that point. the grease I made was thinner than what was in there but it still didn't run out faster than I can put the cone on. oil is probably a different story