Solas 144mm 'Mag' pump Review
This new pump from Solas has understandably created alot of interest. For the first time there is a Big Hub 12v 144mm 'mag' pump for superjets that is much less expensive than the available alternatives from Skat Trak and Maxx. At approximately 500., it is less expensive than used mag pumps from skat and only about 150. more than the TBM big hub pump cone (or R&D, Blowsion), which was the previous low dough big hub option.
When I first saw this pump being sold earlier this year overseas, i knew that it would probably be the most popular new product when available here. I immediately started to research about this pump and Carl from Cold Fusion was the first that I knew to get one in the U.S. and try it out. Carl is no stranger to mag pumps and obviously he knows alot about product design, etc. and so he was perfect person to get more info from about this pump. He was very impressed with the quality and performance of this new pump. As he explained to me, the Solas pump is completely made of stainless steel and is an 'investment grade' casting. This is a high quality casting, unlike the sand casting most of us are familiar with (think rideplate or stock pump). Once the mold for the casting is perfected, then each pump is more or less identical and will perform the same.
At World Finals, Solas had this pump on display and I was able to see one in for the first time. I ordered them right away. When you hold this pump and look it over, you immediately notice several things. First is it main disadvantage, it is heavy, being made of solid stainless steel. The oem yamaha pump stator vane section is cast aluminum and weighs 3 lbs. The Skat 144mm mag pumps are made by boring out the oem pump and inserting a new SS vane section with a billet aluminum hub and weigh about 4lbs. 12oz. The Solas pump weighs 8lbs. 10oz.
Next you will notice the quality of the casting and machining, this is a high quality product. The only roughness noted is near the center of the vanes where the molds probably overlap. I do not think this is any issue at all and could easily be sanded down but not necessary.
The reduction nozzle will fit right in place just like on a stock pump, but there is a gap when viewed from the inside. Carl just siliconed this up without issue, so if it is good enough for him, most will be fine with this approach. Brian at Thrust had some aluminum rings made to close the gap and that will work also. Impros made SS spacers that achieve the same result as well. JetManiac has either orings or spacers as well.
These pumps are designed to use big hubbed impellers just like other 'mag' pumps so impellers from solas, skat, and hooker will all work. Your stock wear rings, driveshafts, and nozzles are all compatible with this pump.
I will be building the pump shortly and will post pics, etc. afterwards.
In conclusion, this is a quality pump that will be the value choice for many. The lighter skat pump will still be the choice for others who want a setback pump and/or a lighter pump especially for flatwater use.
Edit: added some more pics of oem pump stator, solas, and skat trak setback for comparison
Edit: Finally got to build the solas pump. Assembly was very straightforward with no issues, it was just like building a stock pump. The only odd thing noted is the pump cone. It is larger in diameter than the pump by approximately 1mm. It could easily by modded to match perfectly, but strange that solas didn't notice or fix. I doubt that it is significant issue to flow.
The provided pump cone is a little longer than the standard medium pump cone on the skat pumps. Skat offers 3 sizes of pump cones for tuning. I dont know if solas will offer different sized cones or if the octane pump cones will work.
Edit: Impros is now making a custom shorty cone for solas pumps, which we are stocking as well.
This new pump from Solas has understandably created alot of interest. For the first time there is a Big Hub 12v 144mm 'mag' pump for superjets that is much less expensive than the available alternatives from Skat Trak and Maxx. At approximately 500., it is less expensive than used mag pumps from skat and only about 150. more than the TBM big hub pump cone (or R&D, Blowsion), which was the previous low dough big hub option.
When I first saw this pump being sold earlier this year overseas, i knew that it would probably be the most popular new product when available here. I immediately started to research about this pump and Carl from Cold Fusion was the first that I knew to get one in the U.S. and try it out. Carl is no stranger to mag pumps and obviously he knows alot about product design, etc. and so he was perfect person to get more info from about this pump. He was very impressed with the quality and performance of this new pump. As he explained to me, the Solas pump is completely made of stainless steel and is an 'investment grade' casting. This is a high quality casting, unlike the sand casting most of us are familiar with (think rideplate or stock pump). Once the mold for the casting is perfected, then each pump is more or less identical and will perform the same.
At World Finals, Solas had this pump on display and I was able to see one in for the first time. I ordered them right away. When you hold this pump and look it over, you immediately notice several things. First is it main disadvantage, it is heavy, being made of solid stainless steel. The oem yamaha pump stator vane section is cast aluminum and weighs 3 lbs. The Skat 144mm mag pumps are made by boring out the oem pump and inserting a new SS vane section with a billet aluminum hub and weigh about 4lbs. 12oz. The Solas pump weighs 8lbs. 10oz.
Next you will notice the quality of the casting and machining, this is a high quality product. The only roughness noted is near the center of the vanes where the molds probably overlap. I do not think this is any issue at all and could easily be sanded down but not necessary.
The reduction nozzle will fit right in place just like on a stock pump, but there is a gap when viewed from the inside. Carl just siliconed this up without issue, so if it is good enough for him, most will be fine with this approach. Brian at Thrust had some aluminum rings made to close the gap and that will work also. Impros made SS spacers that achieve the same result as well. JetManiac has either orings or spacers as well.
These pumps are designed to use big hubbed impellers just like other 'mag' pumps so impellers from solas, skat, and hooker will all work. Your stock wear rings, driveshafts, and nozzles are all compatible with this pump.
I will be building the pump shortly and will post pics, etc. afterwards.
In conclusion, this is a quality pump that will be the value choice for many. The lighter skat pump will still be the choice for others who want a setback pump and/or a lighter pump especially for flatwater use.
Edit: added some more pics of oem pump stator, solas, and skat trak setback for comparison
Edit: Finally got to build the solas pump. Assembly was very straightforward with no issues, it was just like building a stock pump. The only odd thing noted is the pump cone. It is larger in diameter than the pump by approximately 1mm. It could easily by modded to match perfectly, but strange that solas didn't notice or fix. I doubt that it is significant issue to flow.
The provided pump cone is a little longer than the standard medium pump cone on the skat pumps. Skat offers 3 sizes of pump cones for tuning. I dont know if solas will offer different sized cones or if the octane pump cones will work.
Edit: Impros is now making a custom shorty cone for solas pumps, which we are stocking as well.
Update on solas pumps:
As mentioned above, different impellers will require different amounts of spacing to install properly. We have been using oem prop spacers (2mm) for some and custom ordered 3mm spacers for others.
The biggest installation issue that has been found so far:
http://www.x-h2o.com/threads/...mp-help-PLEASE
The issue is with the spacing of the bearing hub relative to the pump body. The solas pump has the center hub a little forward (about 5mm as measured by carl at cold fusion) as compared to the oem pump stator.
This makes the same oem driveshaft effectively longer when mounted in the solas pump. It doesnt seem to be an issue in oem hulls since the spline underlap is large enough to accomodate the difference, but many/most a/m hulls seem to be designed to increase spline overlap as compared to oem hulls so many guys have had issues installing in solas pumps in a/m hulls.
You can often fix the issue with a combination of moving midshaft housing forward with a Cold Fusion spacer, removing thrust washer behind coupler, and moving midshaft farther forward relative the housing. We are also building custom length shorter driveshafts for solas pumps to fix this issue altogether.
In spite of this issue, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive on the quality and performance of these cost effective pumps.
As mentioned above, different impellers will require different amounts of spacing to install properly. We have been using oem prop spacers (2mm) for some and custom ordered 3mm spacers for others.
The biggest installation issue that has been found so far:
http://www.x-h2o.com/threads/...mp-help-PLEASE
The issue is with the spacing of the bearing hub relative to the pump body. The solas pump has the center hub a little forward (about 5mm as measured by carl at cold fusion) as compared to the oem pump stator.
This makes the same oem driveshaft effectively longer when mounted in the solas pump. It doesnt seem to be an issue in oem hulls since the spline underlap is large enough to accomodate the difference, but many/most a/m hulls seem to be designed to increase spline overlap as compared to oem hulls so many guys have had issues installing in solas pumps in a/m hulls.
You can often fix the issue with a combination of moving midshaft housing forward with a Cold Fusion spacer, removing thrust washer behind coupler, and moving midshaft farther forward relative the housing. We are also building custom length shorter driveshafts for solas pumps to fix this issue altogether.
In spite of this issue, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive on the quality and performance of these cost effective pumps.
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it seems....
