2008 V358 fresh water pump

rberm · **Posted:** Thu May 10, 2012 11:07 am

After coming out of winter storage I am noticing wetness, at the base of the forward birth on the cabin floor. I suspect the fresh water pump or one of the lines connected to it. Has anyone accessed the pump or the lines. Wondering if anyonenhas had issues with the fresh water pump or lines connected to it. Boat is winterized every year, water lines cleared out and filled with anti freeze then recomisioned for spring launch.

aguyindallas · **Posted:** Thu May 10, 2012 12:34 pm

In my 298, the fresh water pump (and tank) were located under the forward berth. You had a panel to remove under the matress to gain access to it. In mine, there are SEVERAL connectors, the pump, and a fresh water filter. Surely, something in there has began to leak. Its likely just a loose fitting connector or perhaps the inline filter.

jsimon · **Posted:** Thu May 10, 2012 1:12 pm

I have accesed mine seval times and it takes removing the drawer cabinet on the front of the v-berth (6 screws). The pump and tank are right there.

Cap'n Morgan · **Posted:** Thu May 10, 2012 1:19 pm

Read This post

And This post

wkearney99 · **Posted:** Sat May 12, 2012 7:23 am

"Boat is winterized"... Sure it is.. I've had mine done by others and have had it done wrong. I've done it myself, and missed a line. So don't just assume it was done right.

That said, the pump is mounted under the forward berth. Taking out the drawer lets you gain access to remove the screws that hold the front panel onto the berth. Once that's off you have plenty of room to get to all the fresh water equipment.

I'd start by cleaning up all the water and then pressurizing the system using the shore water connector at the transom. Then look for leaks. A few strategically placed paper towels will help you see where leaks might be coming from. If you don't see anything when using the shore water connection then it might be the segment of tubing between the tank and the pump. Disconnect from shore water and check again using the pump. You could do the checking with just the pump alone.

And are you sure you haven't over-filled the tank? If you overfill it the tank will bulge a fair bit and water will leak out the water level sensor fitting. I know this from experience..

jnizi · **Posted:** Mon May 14, 2012 9:12 am

One other place to look is the hose clamp where the filling thru hull meets the hose that feeds the water tank. Last year, I had a puddle on my first fill and dismantled the fresh water tank assuming it was there. It was dry but I was able to trace the water source back to the line that was accessible from the partition between the forward closet and the gallery cabinets. With a socket and long extension, we were able to tighten the clamp and all was well.

rjrose · **Posted:** Mon May 14, 2012 8:22 pm

Well the pump dragon bit me. Turned on the the pump to pressurize and water came gushing out. I've had water leakage before but it was caused by overfilling the tank.

I followed the process outlined by Admiral Kearney but with one extra complicator that's been noted here before. The steps on either side of the berth on my boat extend about 1/2 inch across the front panel on each side. So in order to remove the panel I had to REMOVE WOOD! That's right - I had to cut the carpeting and jig saw off about four inches of the step in order to remove the panel. Fortunately, only had to remove wood on one side. This happened to another 348 owner here but I don't recall who.

Upon inspection, the upper housing was cracked. Talked to Shurflo and it sounds like I only need to replace that part. The valve assembly looked OK. Of course, we all know what's going to happen when I put the new housing on and start the pump ....

Sure would have been a good idea to put an access panel for the pump in the mattress pan.

wkearney99 · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 9:07 am

You shouldn't have to remove the wood from the steps. Mine also has the lip of the steps in front of the panel. You have to remove the drawer, then the top screws that hold the drawer box up to the berth above and then the screws down along the inside of the cabinet face. It's a prickly job with unfinished fiberglass edges around... Once all the screws are loose you lift the cabinet front (with the box attached) upward until it clears those steps.

For me it's even worse because I have the forward stateroom wall. This means I have a real time of it getting the drawer out of the cabinet box. This also makes for a contortionist's task getting the cabinet front/box assembly clear of the berth. Cussing a lot seems to help. Heh.

But given that boats are essentially hand made each time there's always the chance that something about yours made it more difficult than mine. Now that the steps are clear the job will be easier in the future, right?

I also wish there was an access panel for all this instead of having to remove the cabinet panel. But then I guess that cabinet IS the access panel. Anything else would end up being too tiny and too far away to allow for enough room to get work done.

Cruisin Home · **Posted:** Tue May 15, 2012 4:05 pm

too bad we couldnt make a small access panel there. I have same boat. I have taken the drawer out to inspect water tank. My water and waste tank guages are entirely messed up. Basically found almost everbody else's are too. We make it a point to mentally remember what we have in them. We also pump out every week like clockwork and fill water everytime we cruise.

sanfordturbo · **Posted:** Fri May 25, 2012 10:39 am

Same problem on my boat. Above posts perfectly describe how to get in there and access everything could be lose or broken.

Here is my post on the very same issue. Pics included.

rjrose · **Posted:** Sat May 26, 2012 8:14 am

As I predicted in my 5/14 post, after putting the new upper housing on the pump, it didn't work. I tested the wiring on the pump - it was dead at the connection but jumping the wires before they enter the lower housing started the motor. So now I've wasted $65 on a housing and have to replace the pump. There is a fully encapsulated circuit board in there that apparently decided to crap out. I love boating!

Aside to Admiral K - I could not lift the panel upward due to the overhang of the berth mattress pan.

wkearney99 · **Posted:** Sat May 26, 2012 8:28 am

Hmmm, i dont have a pan that overhangs. The bed base itself does, but that hinges up and out of the way. Bummer to hear about the pump hassles, but now you have a spare part, or a lucky charm that guarantees it wont ever fail!

rjrose · **Posted:** Sun May 27, 2012 8:01 pm

The saga continues ... After installing the pump and turning it on I waited for water to flow. Nothing. Water level in tank going down. Inspection revealed the marina and me failed to close the drain spigot on the hot water tank. Wonderful!

Closed that and water started to dribble out of the head faucet. No water coming out of the galley sink which is before the head faucet. Shut both faucets and the pump continued to run. No pressurization. Water appears to be flowing through the strainer OK.

I give up. Looks like I'll be talking to the marina guys tomorrow.

rjrose · **Posted:** Tue May 29, 2012 9:57 pm

Finally resolution. Between the tank and the strainer is an "isolation valve" which is a fancy term for a shutoff valve. This valve enables the flow from the tank to be stopped so the strainer can be opened and checked for debris.

We checked the strainer and it was clean. Next we removed the isolation valve. Inside the isolation valve, fiberglass shavings from the various holes that had been drilled in the water tank had become lodged. There were so many shavings that the water flow had become severely restricted. It took me about 5 minutes of picking the shavings out with various tools to remove all the shavings. I'll try to post pix if I can figure out how to.

It took 6 years but the shavings worked their way out of the tank and into the valve. Instead of passing thru the valve and getting caught in the strainer (where they would have been visible) the shavings got hung up in the valve.

I could rant and piss and moan but I won't. In some strange way, this situation reminded of the scene from Slingblade in which Billy Bob Thornton's character discovered that the reason the small engine the shop's best mechanic was working on wouldn't start was because the gas tank was empty.

This scenario reinforces the repair rule of always starting with the simplest solution first and working up from there.

Cruisin Home · **Posted:** Wed May 30, 2012 9:10 am

So let me try and summarize Post mortem to see if I got this whole thing right:

1) leak was found following winter and filling of tank.
2) opened up and found cracked housing
3) replaced housing, pump still not running
4) replaced pump
5) pumping but would not build pressure
6) found water heater valve open, closed it
7) still not getting pressure, pump running, low flow

found valve, cleaned it out
9) everything now ok

Is this sequence right? so the leak was actually from the housing? cause? (improper winterization?) cause of lowflow/pressure was blockage at valve? Did you have pressure last year?

Also I learned something, I didnt know there is a strainer in the fresh water system, I have the same boat/diff year and will be checking this weekend.

dint think it got cold enough in Georgia to do damage although suppose it only takes one night below freezing. It why up north here i do not follow just the drain philosphy, I drain, but then I put a large amount of anitfreeze in the tank and then turn on the freshwater pump and pump it through the entire system/faucets. Cost a bit more money in antifreeze and also in spring takes a couople flushes of system to rid the AF, but it gives me piece of mind. also incredibly easy to do, no monkeying with any valves, etc.

glad it's over for you! Thanks for sharing, it really taught me some things.

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2008 V358 fresh water pump

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