www.iFourWinns.com

Well, I think my freshwater pump went out this weekend. The girls let it run dry for I don't know how long but it doesn't pump enough except to trickle out of the faucets. I cleaned out the in line screen (which was pretty nasty) and that made no difference in the performance. Does anyone have experience with changing this pump that could give me some advise? It is to the right of the freshwater tank in the v berth and from the looks of it near impossible to get to. I see no access except to remove the drawer under the v berth bed. You can't see anything with your arm in there so I am not looking forward to that. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Chad - I replaced my pump last season under warranty. It was easier to just do it myself than have someone come out to do it. The current comparable pump to the one that came with my boat has some new technology and works flawlessly. What year is your boat? In mine, it was a simple unscrewing and removal of the molded fiberglass liner under the berth that stows the tables...

If your boat is older than '08, Bill K has experience accessing that area and may chime in. I believe he detailed it in the V358 thread somewhere so perhaps try a search. Once you have access to the pump it's a fairly straight forward swap, although I vaguely recall having to splice some wires rather than just plug and play. I think I have some pix on the computer at home and will take a look later today.

Does the pump now always stay on or still only cycle on with demand?

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Previously:
2008 V358/Volvo 5.7 GXi Inboards

My boat is an 07'. I found the thread where Bill explains how to access the area and it sure doesn't look very fun. The pump runs constantly and never really gets any pressure built up.

Gotta ask the obvious (in hopes of saving you the trouble of pump replacement)... are you certain there's a good amount of water in your FW tank? The gauge isn't always reliable at low levels and, as you likely know, when the water level is low the pump will stay on.

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Previously:
2008 V358/Volvo 5.7 GXi Inboards

If the pump is running then you might only have to replace its impeller. From what you describe I'm willing to bet yours is toast. You'd have to get access to the pump to see the make and model of it. There could be one of several different brands and models used. Most have a wet-end rebuild kit available, for a lot less than the cost of a whole pump. No point in replacing the motor portion if it's still working.

Replacing it would be pretty simple. The wet-end of the pumps are usually held together with a couple of bolts or screws. Nothing terribly complex. The pump itself is typically screwed down to a plywood mounting board. You would probably want to remove the pump from the base in order to gain full access to the pump. I suppose you "could" rebuild it in place. But given the rather tight quarters present in that area I wouldn't recommend it.

If the area under your forward berth does not look like the above picture then you'd have to follow my instructions on removing the drawer front frame. I do like how they added that storage area and improved access to the pump. Not enough to buy a newer model, of course, but something I'll certainly considering when eventually buying another boat.

Some pumps have a certain kind of release clamp on the water lines to/from them. Make sure you figure out how to release said clamps before breaking them. Typically a flip-up arm or a c-clip sort of gizmo. Alternatively you could just release the inline water line connections. Those release by pushing inward on the tan collar (into the fitting) and then gently pulling out the tubing. Think of a kids 'chinese handcuffs' puzzle and you'll understand how they work. The tubing pulls out with the collar and that tightens the connection. Pushing inward on the collar loosens the connection and frees the tubing. Yes, it'll be a bit exasperating to figure out the first time...

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-Bill Kearney, 2005 348 Vista

I found my problem last night. One of the quick connect fittings came apart in the bilge by the hot water heater. We didn't notice the problem until I was able to be on the boat without a bunch of outside noise and noticed the bilge running after I added water to the tank and turned the fw pump on. The pump still works and I just reconnected the line and pressure was ok. I did end up removing my freshwater tank completely and cleaning it out. There was something pretty nasty growing in there almost like a red alge or something. I will be reinstalling the tank tonight. It was much easier to do than I originally thought.