Major Leak on Mayfair Cartridge!

bassadict69 · November 03, 2008, 09:30:05 AM

My Pro Gator has a 750 gph Mayfair pump set up to pump water into the livewells. Yesterday, we launched, sat around awhile waiting for blastoff then took off to our first spot. The boat felt sluggish! Turned on the bilge pump & it pumped water for about 10 minutes. Opened the back hatch & seen water spraying everywhere out of the livewell pump. It looked to be coming out where the cartridge locks into the housing of the pump.

My bilge pump got a major workout all day yesterday! We had to run it every 10-15 minutes or so & it would always run for at least 10 minutes.

Anyone run into this before? Will replacing the cartridge take care of it or do I need to replace the whole pump?

Ron Fogelson · November 03, 2008, 12:40:03 PM

James sorry I can't know for sure until I see it but it could just be the cartridge but more than likely there is a crack around the housing that holds the cartridge and that would mean a total replacement.

bassadict69 · November 03, 2008, 02:30:37 PM

I may just end up replacing the whole thing & being done with it. I did pull the cartridge looking for a seal of some sort but did not find one.

I would hate to shell out money for the cartridge only to find out is still leaks.

pawpaw · November 03, 2008, 04:36:41 PM

I think I am missing something here. If the pump is pumping water into the boat wouldn't just turning it off or unplugging it stop that? I had the fitting where the hose attaches break off mine a while back but it was just not keeping my livewell full. It should be easy to tell if the housing is busted, which is what it sounds like to me, I don't think you would get that much leakage around the pump. You might check the drain/fill valve while you are at it.

Ron Fogelson · November 03, 2008, 04:40:34 PM

Hi Pawpaw, yep just shutting it off would have stopped the leak, but..... "there is always a but

" BA was fishing a club tournament with us and needed the live wells running.

bassadict69 · November 03, 2008, 06:55:13 PM

Actually, the only time the pump is used it to fill the livewell. Mine does not have a recirc function or whatever. All I can do is close the drain (totally seperate hose), turn on the pump to fill the livewell, then turn it off, & turn on the bubble box thingy. The only time that pump runs is to first fill the livewell.

Water was shooting out of that thing like it was under pressure!

Pump off...pump on...it all leaked the same! It was leaking in two or 3 spots right where the cartridge meets up to the housing. The cartridge locks into the housing with a twist. It was tight, that is the first thing we checked.

We had ran several miles to the lock before noticing it, otherwise we would have put the boat back on the trailer to try to figure out the problem.

Ron Fogelson · November 03, 2008, 07:08:19 PM

Quote from: bassadict69 on November 03, 2008, 06:55:13 PM
Actually, the only time the pump is used it to fill the livewell. Mine does not have a recirc function or whatever. All I can do is close the drain (totally seperate hose), turn on the pump to fill the livewell, then turn it off, & turn on the bubble box thingy. The only time that pump runs is to first fill the livewell.

Huh,,,, I didn't know that. Might have been the pressure from the boat being in the water, just like a hole in the bottom of the boat the water is going to want to get in.

bassadict69 · November 12, 2008, 06:13:24 PM

Looks like I can buy a complete pump on E bay for pretty cheap...Brand new!

I got out there just now, removed the large plastic nut off the back of the hull that holds the pump on & there is some hard white caulk or something caked on thick around the threads right where the threaded tube goes into the back of the boat. The pump is still in there solid! Do I just cut off that white stuff to break the pump loose?

fishrman · November 18, 2008, 03:55:11 PM

If you can twist the pump housing, there should be some screws on the back where you can disconnect it and leave the intake through the hull. If not tap it out with a rubber mallet. They have a good supply of mayfair pumps at Travis boating. reguardless, dont forget to resilicone at the hull opening.

bassadict69 · November 18, 2008, 04:23:06 PM

They have it siliconed like there is no tomorrow! I called the manufacturer of my boat (Pro Gator) & talked to the owner. He said it was sealed up through the hole with marine silicone...I can tell you it is some good stuff. I have almost managed to get it loose by putting a tube against the tube & beating it with a hammer. When I can get someone to pull & twist from inside the boat, I will knock it the rest of the way through the transom.

I found a brand new pump on Ebay for $20 plus about $9 shipping, brand new still in the bubble pack. Definately alot cheaper than buying somewhere in town!