Bilge pump failure


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Belleair302

New member
My Sunsport 310 (MY 2007) decided today to really foul up boating plans. The bilge pump failed as a seacock sprung a leak, after the detailer failed to fully tighten up the fastener to the sea strainer. Much bailing by hand in Dunedin Marina and four full wet and dry vacuum containers worth and it is dry again. My question is has anybody ever tried to replace a bilge pump. Good God is it hard to reach to replace, clearly an afterthought by the design team.

Anybody had experience with replacing these or a rapidly filling bilge underway?
 
Is the pump the Rule 2000 ??? (or similar)

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You will have to splice the wiring (probably) or trace it back to where you can find a connector. The pump should unsnap from the (red) base and you can just leave the base intact and replace the pump unit itself
 

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I replaced mine along with the float switch last spring. It was a major PIA to get to and do. Took me & a buddy several hours once it was said and done.
 
If your motor is fairly easy to get to and around, I would just remove the motor. For someone which has done it many times, its about a 4 hour job to remove and reinstall. Now if it's real hard to get at the motor mounts, then it's a toss up
 
I am told by those in the know, it is a 2.5-3 hour job on a good day. Not easy when looking upside down at the pump and the wiring and fixing.
 
Rule 2000 12V bilge pump replaced along with the float switch and some re wiring. A properly difficult job. Not one I wish to do again.
 
Most the time its the switch that goes bad, I've had a few of those style switches go out. I have a couple mercury type and they never fail, but you cannot get them any more.
 
Some times the float and or pump impeller will get coated with crude and debri from the bilge. It's a good idea to make the bilge part of the cleaning regiment to help in the maintenance to avoid the unwanted premature failures of these items
 
I don't recall who had the bilge that was so clean you could eat off the bilge deck! I wonder if he ever had bilge pump problems? My guess is not. :)
 
I keep my bilge very clean, but no way as clean as the owner up north who was OCD re engine detailing. Life is too short to spend every day hyper cleaning ones bilge.
 
I will assume you are referring to TOOFAST? I appreciate his OCD and do the same thing. My 11 year old boat was in better condition than new when sold, and resale value was never questioned.
It may be a disease, but I cannot boat in something that turns me off. Yes, I have had the same white bilge and also had bilge pump issues, it is all part of the game called boating. Good Luck.

Belleair302 said:
I keep my bilge very clean, but no way as clean as the owner up north who was OCD re engine detailing. Life is too short to spend every day hyper cleaning ones bilge.
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Slightly off topic but still about the bilge pump. When rebuilding and repowering, I was removing the bilge pump hose and it cracked open. The hose looked great and showed no signs just looking at it, but it had gotten brittle. Wound up replacing almost all hoses in the engine room. Upon close inspection they were starting to get stiff
 
Alas hoses do become brittle especially in colder northern climates, or from little use. On an older boat this is a necessary evil but well worth the effort.
 
I was looking in the bilge on a friends 32 Sunsation, and they were nice enough to put each bilge pump on some type of (locking) sliding device that enables you to pull it forward from underneath the motor in order to service it. HINT HINT Formula if you are listening !!
 
One 'trick' that I have used with good success in disconnecting & handling old hoses and tubing is to heat them up with a hair dryer (or heat gun) before attempting to disconnect or handle them. It seems to give the hard plastic enough flexibility to avoid breakage.
 
I do wonder whether boat builders / designers actually discuss with repairers and servicing technicians how to do certain jobs. Audi cars are a major issue to work upon as are one or two other german marques. the Japanese are somewhat more simple. US models I have no idea. If owners go to Formula for a look around maybe ask about certain design features vs servicing problems.
 
Maybe they should speak with Intrepid boat designers. Every pump, wire, hose, etc., is very organized and easily accessible.
 
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