2007 Ski Nautique Circulating Pump leaks
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Boat Maintenance
Forum Discription: Discuss maintenance of your Correct Craft
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=50467
Printed Date: January-15-2025 at 6:47pm
Topic: 2007 Ski Nautique Circulating Pump leaks
Posted By: SkiDoc
Subject: 2007 Ski Nautique Circulating Pump leaks
Date Posted: February-03-2022 at 12:23am
| After starting up my boat today (on a lift with a hose attached to a FlushPro device) before skiing tomorrow, I noticed a leak that appears to be coming from the bottom of my circulating pump at the gasket interface with the engine. It is brisk dripping, but not quite a steady stream. I'm not really sure what the circulating pump does, but the engine temperature has been behaving normally. It rises to 158° as the boat warms up appropriately at idle, and it maintained that range under way and while skiing last week. Is this an immediate engine threat, or can I operate it and ski until I get the time and knowledge to fix it? How do I fix this? Thanks in advance! |
Replies:
Posted By: pjsmoreno
Date Posted: February-03-2022 at 8:55am
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Make sure it is leaking at the block for it could be dripping
down from behind the pulley. If it is coming from there then the bearing is worn
out and will need to be replace the circulating pump. If the circulating pump is leaking at the engine block, try
tightening the bolts. If that doesn’t work then the gasket is bad and will need
to be removed pump and place a new gasket along with Permatex 80011
Form-A-Gasket #2 Sealant or some orther type of gasket sealer. Would I take the boat out while it is still leaking? For me
no. Due to possible overheating the engine. |
Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: February-03-2022 at 9:20am
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You didn't mention what you have for an engine in the boat. Chevy 5.0, 5.7 or maybe a 6.0 with a closed cooling system The most foolproof safe answer would be to fix it before using it, but if you take it for a ride and monitor it, it may hang in there or as rpm's and flow increase at higher speeds, it may get worse. I'd probably go skiing to perform some more troubleshooting and quantification of the leak but that's a judgement call on your part  Assuming it's a raw water cooled 5.0 or 5.7 Chevy, you have a weep hole on the bottom of the pump that will leak if the seal is leaking or the back cover on the pump can leak or you can have a leak where the flanges mount to the engine. Your description sounds like one of the mounting flanges but it can be deceptive. I'd probably check that the mounting bolts are tight but not tight enough to snap one off The pump is fed from the raw water pump and moves water through the engine and back out to the thermostat housing. It helps give even circulation through the engine. If you need to replace the whole pump or a gasket or 2, the hardest part of the job is belt removal, disconnecting hoses and getting the interference out of the way, then you have 4 bolts holding the pump to the engine, then cleaning the gasket surfaces and bolting the new pump and gaskets on. Being in Long Beach makes me think of salt water and corrosion related issues that might make things a little harder. |
Posted By: SkiDoc
Date Posted: February-03-2022 at 2:57pm
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Thanks for your replies! The engine is the PCM Excalibur 5.7 with an open system that I use exclusively in salt water and flush religiously after every outing. Still, salt water is a cancer. I canceled our ski outing this am. I had hoped the leak was a gasket, but hope wasn't good enough when I learned more about the possibility of the bearings being an issue. Is there is a way to distinguish between gasket failure and pump failure short of removing the pump? I'm no mechanic, but with help from this forum (and others) I've replaced the thermostat, starter, steering cable, Zero Off antenna, spark plug wires, plugs, cap and rotor, and have done work on both of the fuel pumps. So far so good. But this one looks like, as you said, the serpentine belt needs to be removed, then re-tensioned, and the pump doesn't appear very accessible. I'm willing to give it a try but I feel out of my league...again.
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Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: February-03-2022 at 4:39pm
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Well I guess my assumption about the engine and where it's used was a good one Just like mentioned on your PN thread, your pictures and video over there don't work. One way or another, the pump will be coming off the engine to fix your leak wherever it is whether it's gaskets, seals or the back cover. Just to use impressive sounding words like "preventive maintenance", I'd probably buy a new pump and install it, since you mention the dreaded salt water "cancer" Here's a link down below to a parts manual from 2008. If you look at pg 48 fig 22, the exploded view will be helpful and the next page has part numbers for the pump etc. along with a belt routing diagram. You can cross reference the pump part number to other companies beside PCM, like maybe the Indmar one you referenced on PN, or Sierra or some brand The tensioner is relatively easy to release the tension for belt removal. It's spring loaded and with a long wrench you apply force against the spring and the belt will be loose and come right off (easier to do it, than it is to explain the process). Same routine for installation You use a 15 mm wrench and turn clockwise to remove the tension on your setup. See page 45 of this link for some help with the belt. They forgot to tell you which way to turn it though http://www.planetnautique.com/CorrectCraftManuals/2007/2007PCMOM.pdf" rel="nofollow - belt link With the other stuff you've done, you should be able to handle this job without much fuss, just remember............make sure those gasket surfaces on the engine are clean |
Posted By: SkiDoc
Date Posted: February-03-2022 at 9:40pm
Thank you, again. Not to get too wordy, but I really held out hope that my rudimentary understanding of the leak didn't threaten the engine since I figured cooling water was still flowing. I planned to have an eagle eye on the temperature gauge, and the risk was low that a little February skiing wouldn't wreck my engine (until I learned about the bearings). One of the 5 people I disappointed by canceling today said not to worry, "It's just a ski run." Not sure he's getting invited again. Thanks for the warning about the gasket surfaces...I ran into that little surprise when changed out the thermostat. I did a lot of scraping. I'm figuring if I'm going this far, I should change out the impeller, too. Last changed in 2019 (but not by me). I know, I know. I've seen the controversy about how often to do this, but...jeez, that belt and those bolts into the block. Does this add to the complexity or should I just take more Xanax, calm down, and do it all? I'm way out of my comfort zone, but I've overcome that before. Thanks! |
Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: February-04-2022 at 9:05am
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More Xanax.........and go for it
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Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: February-05-2022 at 11:47am
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And if you want some instructions and pictures for your raw water pump, here's a link to an old thread at the other place you're getting advice from. Different model year but same pump and same procedure.
You'll need less Xanex now
http://www.planetnautique.com/vb5/forum/nautique-topics/maintenance-technical-discussion/19999-changing-impeller-on-2009-pcm-excalibur" rel="nofollow - link
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Posted By: SkiDoc
Date Posted: March-10-2022 at 11:38pm
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Thanks everyone for guiding me through this. Short story: The project was successfully completed yesterday. To recap in painstaking detail: I ordered the new circulating pump and impeller on Feb 4 from Nautique Parts. The box arrived on Feb 28 looking like the USPS had dragged it all the way from North Carolina to California and maybe drop-kicked it through a couple of states. Nautique Parts responded and were willing to replace it, but it seemed ok once I opened what was left of the box. So, I finally got a block of time 2 days ago and started in. 1. I loosened the red circulation pump pulley bolts first in order to take advantage of the tension of the serpentine belt (didn't want it spinning while applying torque). 2. Pulling the serpentine belt was a piece of cake. Attach a 15 mm socket to the nut on the tension pulley and turn clockwise. The whole pulley (wheel) moves to port and down to relieve tension. Slip the belt off. 3. Finish removing the red circulation pump pulley (4 bolts). 4. Remove upper and lower hoses on the starboard side of the pump. Simple hose clamps. Water starts to drain into the bilge. (I had tried to keep the bilge dry in case anything dropped. I keep my bilge plug in because I'm on a floating lift--tides, you know--and if the lift sinks with the plug out, game over). I also have an open cooling system (suck up raw water). 5. Using a socket wrench extender remove the 4 bolts attaching the circulation pump to the block. More water drains. 6. Remove the pump. I discovered rust and evidence of a leak on the back plate of the circulation pump. Diagnosis is confirmed. 7. Compare the old pump to the new pump. 8. Freak out. They look very different. The new pump has a brass-looking plug where my old pump has a barbed hose adapter. The housings are very different. Stop. Take pictures. Email Phil at Nautique Parts (he's the one who said he'd send a new pump if mine was damaged). 9. Turn to raw water pump for impeller replacement. 10. Remove pulley (should have paid more attention to Keno's link above. This isn't necessary. Using a socket extender through the gaps in the pulley you can remove the cover without removing the pulley). 11. Remove pump cover. Impeller stayed in the housing and didn't come out in the cover with the twist that was recommended. No biggie. Pulled impeller out with needle-nose pliers. 12. Replaced O rings on pump housing and bolts. **Bolts also have external lock washers. 13. Lubed all with Jabsco Impeller oil and lathered impeller in dishwashing liquid as recommended in link above. 14. With impeller in housing, twisted impeller into pump in the direction of water flow. 15. Replace housing with "TOP" up. Got a little over-confident and skipped over that at first. Oops. 16. Start snugging bolts and preparing to torque as directed. 17. Freak out. **A lock washer had gone missing in the now-wet bilge. Even I know enough not to torque 3 bolts when only 2 have the lock washers. Dig around in murky water searching for lock washer, carefully drain bilge, say bad words when I can't find the washer. 18. Run to hardware store for 3 new stainless steel lock washers since they didn't have the same size as the 2 remaining lock washers. 19. Torque bolts to ~9 ft. lbs., replace pulley, spin, and it seems good. 20. Since I started later than I wanted and it was getting dark, pack up to return next day. 21. Email from Phil at Nautique Parts confirms the new circulation pump is the same as mine. Turns out mine has a barbed hose adapter in the upper port for the heater hose. He advises (a) to remove it and use it on the new pump or (b) get a new one at any auto parts store. I chose "a". Back to hardware store for 7/8" box wrench (crescent won't fit in the clearances) to remove the hose adapter and 7/8" Allen wrench (for brass plug removal). 22. Remove hose adapter from old pump and screw it into the new pump (after removing the brass plug--duh). 23. Apply gasket sealer #2 and gaskets to pump (not Permatex; it wasn't available. Learned that #2 sealer doesn't dry solid. News to me.) 24. Using very fine sand paper, gently smoothed up gasket surfaces on the block. 25. Applied gasket sealer to the block and then contorted and twisted and banged my head against the rope pylon (more bad words) while trying to align pump with the block. 25. Tightened the 4 bolts holding the pump to the block in a crossing pattern. Did not torque. There was conflicting advice about this. 26. Replace red circulation pump pulley. Still not sure which size Allen wrench was correct. None fit well. 27. Wound serpentine belt in pattern displayed on engine, then repeated #2 above and slid the belt onto all pulleys and checked alignment. 28. Looked for extra parts and found none. 29. Hooked up fresh water and started the engine. 30. I kept a pretty low profile fully aware of the vague instructions to "close the engine cover" (which is really hard with a freshwater hose attached to the water intake). I'm pretty sure that if something isn't connected correctly a pulley or 2 might start wobbling and go flying out. 31. Nothing flew out and nothing leaked. The water temp came up to my normal operating temp. 32. Miller time. Thanks again for all the help! No Xanax required. Hoping to ski next week. Will check it at higher rpm's before getting too excited.
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Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: March-11-2022 at 6:17am
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Good job, good writeup But........what does this mean? What's the conflicting advice?
30 ft lbs is the number generally used for these bolts You obviously tightened them to some value or maybe 4 different values depending on how accurate and repeatable your feel was.
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SkiDoc wrote:Posted By: SkiDoc
Date Posted: March-11-2022 at 1:04pm
| I guess it was more vague than conflicting. I'll torque them to 30 ft. lbs. today! Thanks again! |