www.iFourWinns.com

Just pulled my impeller last night and found a little wet spot on a hose below the impeller housing. It looks like whatever seals the shaft as it penetrates the housing may need replacing. The shaft doesn't have any wiggle in it back/forth or in/out. The pulley shaft (outside the impeller housing) has a groove where it holds an o-ring, but it itsn't anywheres close to being able to seal the shaft. The inside has an o-ring around the shaft. Has anyone had experience with a leak or an o-ring replacement?
This is where a picture would be worth a thousand bucks, I just can't figure out how to post one!

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Thanks,
Ben

1998 258 Vista 7.4Gi Duoprop

_________________
Thanks,
Ben

1998 258 Vista 7.4Gi Duoprop

My 258 Vista has the 5.7L engine, different from yours but my pump has always dripped. It also has no play, and I cannot justify spending ~$300 for a new pump that has "dripped" for the past 3 years. Sometimes the drip will spray onto the bilge lid (engine cover) and when I open the engine cover, there will be slight spray onto it.

With that being said, I never have any water in my bilge. Usually I take our water cannon (squirt gun) and siphon out any rain water that makes its way down there.

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1997 Four Winns Vista 278
T - 4.3l EFI
Kohler 4esz Genset
379 hours as of 8/8/21

I also had a leak that was traceble to the shaft seal in the pump. I have a 2000 268 Vista with a VP 5.7Gsi. I have the newer-style pump housing with the o-ring instead of the cover gaskets like your pump but the insides look the same. BenTrack in your 1st picture, there is a seal around the shaft that looks exactly like the seal on my pump. I took the hole pump to my VP parts dealer and he said that the seal is what usually goes as there was also no shaft wobble on mine. The new seal was around $7.00. I took the old one out with a pick tool, lubed the new one up with a swimming pool Teflon lube and pressed it into place. No more leak!. I looked at some online parts lists for your year engine to look at the pump parts and it looks like the new seal comes with the impeller kit. Check with your local VP dealer or Four winns dealer. They should be able to help you out. Good Luck!

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2000 268 Vista

Thanks for the info aquamak. I replaced the impeller to see if it would leak like I figured it would, to my surprize, nothing yet! I'll keep my fingers crossed and eyes open. Thanks again.

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Thanks,
Ben

1998 258 Vista 7.4Gi Duoprop

Looks like I have the same issue with that o-ring. I have an 00 5.o Gi. How did you remove the whole housing? I have allen screws backing it up to the pulley so I suppose it comes off there. My Seloc manual does not mention anything about it. I assume those allen screws thread into the harmonic balancer?

Can this be down on the water? I have a leak when the pump is running. I can see it spitting out water drops.

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Alexj



1995 Four Winns Horizon 190
OMC 5.0 RL

Spoke to the marina mechanic today and he said it's pretty common. He said best to replace the whole housing as the shaft often becomes pitted and even a new o-ring won't seal right. Yes this can be done in the water just be ready to raise the raw water line and/or pinch it off.

Thanks a Bunch.

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Alexj



1995 Four Winns Horizon 190
OMC 5.0 RL

I replaced my impeller yesterday and ran the engine to see if it still spitted out some water and it didn't. I made sure that the lube tube was generously used on the o ring and the impeller itself. I also lubed the shaft gasket leading to the water pump. It even sounded different when running. The marina quoted me $350 to change the impeller. I really saved some bucks doing it myself.

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Alexj



1995 Four Winns Horizon 190
OMC 5.0 RL