Replacement Bilge Pump
 

Looks like the Bilge Pump is history. Any suggestions on a replacement?

Re: Replacement Bilge Pump
 

Do you have 3/4" or 1" fittings bd :)
I'd go for at least a 750GPH unit :)
Mayfair and Attwood Tsunami pumps seem to hold up well for the cost.

JMO :)

Re: Replacement Bilge Pump
 

I believe it's 3/4 - I need to verify. I really don't like the location, I may be missing some 'trick' about accessing the pump.

Re: Replacement Bilge Pump
 

They can be a pain for sure.
Once you get it out replace it with a pump that has at least the same GPH rating as the old one.
I always go bigger , but that's just my overkill nature coming thru.:yes_grin:

Re: Replacement Bilge Pump
 

I agree with Colorado.

Re: Replacement Bilge Pump
 

You're not missing any special tricks, bd...they just flat out suck to replace...

I did mine last Summer. Went with the Attwood Tsunami and eventhough it's only been one year, so far I'm very happy. Good luck!

Re: Replacement Bilge Pump
 

Thanks, I was able to reach and unscrewed the old one - Mayfair Marine. I am going to put an electrical tester on the switch and then the leads to the pump just in case....

Re: Replacement Bilge Pump
 

Are you sure it's dead. I thought mine was also dead. I tested it with pulling up on the test switch and nothing. I removed it and wired it straight onto the battery and still nothing. Then I twisted the propeller a couple of times and tried it again, and walla it worked. My guess is that it got stuck probably because it has not ran for a long time. That's one less expense.

Re: Replacement Bilge Pump
 

I replaced my bilge pump this weekend with a 750GPH from Mayfair Marine. It replaced a 500GPH Mayfair Marine pump. Once I had the old one out I was able to observe that the motor was seized or something was stuck in it not allowing it to move.

I installed the new pump, wired it to a float valve and direct with a fuse to the battery. Brown wire from the float valve to the brown wire on the pump, other brown wire on the float valve to the fuse & battery. Black wire on the pump to the ground which was run with the factory wiring. Tied off the 'auto bilge pump' wire (from the bilge accessory switch) and used a screw-in zip tie to keep the wires in place.

Placed a hose in the engine compartment and waited for the float valve to engage.

Works great, but it was tough to get to!

The new pump was $34.33, well worth the cost.

Re: Replacement Bilge Pump
 

And ummm, you want to take the chance that it will work when its needed? I'd spend the $35 & replace it anyway.

Re: Replacement Bilge Pump
 

the second pump in three years i put in was a rule. it was a little more expensive but after the junky walmart special float got stuck up and ran dry for about an hour, decided not to take any more chances.

Re: Replacement Bilge Pump
 

I think mine has been replaced but while I was checking it today I have a question. I have a 99 shabah 202 5.7l. What is the round black thing located recessed in a cutout in the engine bay floor located towards the driver side of the boat. I didn't expect to see a hole cut in that floor with something in it. Also my bilge pump is located more forward in the engine bay and seems to have a very high float level (not that I know any different) Also this weekend after a day on the lake I had water draining for approx. 1.5-2 min out the drain. We did put the tube and wakeboard in the ski locker though after use...

That's more than one question I know. But I am somewhat concerned about the bilge pump. It does run when the float is lifted but the manual switch on the dash does not run it.

Re: Replacement Bilge Pump
 

Can you post a photo? This sounds like the attachment that mounts to the compartment - floor - that screens the water and houses the pump. My float level does not engage until there is ~3" of water in the engine compartment; it then runs until the water level is about 1/2". With 750GPH it ran for several minutes yesterday. My Mariah does take on a decent amount of water during a day at the lake and has for the 12 years I have owned it. Saturday I had a full engine compartment and a non-functional pump!

My understanding is that the bilge pump can traditionally be wired one of two ways: 1) On when the bilge accessory switch is on - off when the switch is off. 2) Connected directly to battery and engaging with a float switch.

If you want to bypass the float switch and go to a 'manual' mode it's easy to do. Brown wire off the bilge pump to the brown wire that is labeled 'auto bilge pump' on the starboard side of the engine toward the rear seat. Black wire to any ground source (black wire bundled with the 'auto bilge pump' will work.) In this mode the pump will be manual on-off based on switching the accessory switch at the console.

At the end of the season I may wire the float switch into the 'auto bilge pump' switch but right now my to-do list still has other things on it.

Re: Replacement Bilge Pump
 

Gahooligan,

A photo would be helpful for sure, but without one I'll give my 2 cents... My two questions for you would be, does your boat have a transom shower (or wash down) and does it have a factory depth finder? All Mariah's in '99 had a factory depth finder if I remember correctly.

Anyway, my guess is the round black thing you're describing it one of these two things. If there is a water hose or on/off petcock on it, it is for the transom shower. If your boat doesn't have a shower, but the small black round thing has only two or three electrical wires coming out of it, its your depth finder transducer. Many of them weren't thru-hull, so I believe Mariah countersunk them in the hull to allow them to get a more accurate reading.

Re: Replacement Bilge Pump
 

It does have a depth finder and it does look like a transducer I would guess it's about maybe 2 inches across with flat top I see no hoes coming off of it unless the hoses underneath the top level of the engine compartment floor

Re: Replacement Bilge Pump
 

You got it, man. The hose would be blatantly obvious -- they didn't route those under the top layer of the compartment floor. Definitely the transducer.