Pump harder to turn after new bearings

[Project Ski]

I just put a brand new set of OEM bearings and seals in my pump and it does not spin as easily as a pump that has been in use for a while. IT spins smoothly and freely but takes much more effort to turn.

Is this normal? Do these things get easier to turn as they wear in?

 

[vomitspot]

my guess is overpacked with grease

 

[felix5oh]

what do you have? They should be sealed bearings. Make sure nothings rubbing.

 

[Project Ski]

yes they are sealed OEM bearings for a Kawi 650 pump.

What do you mean nothing is rubbing? the only thing i could see that is possible to rub is the spacer between the 2 bearings but it is moving freely as it should.

I was thinking they may loosen up after some use but i dont know. This is the first time ive changed pump bearings.

 

[showmepro1200]

They will be a bit harder to turn after you replace the bearings and repack the stator. Thats what I felt after doing mine. But thats somewhat normal, IMO. Ran my SJ for a year after and no problems to date.

 

[Mile9c1]

Sealed bearings rob a few hp.

 

[Project Ski]

what bearings would you suggest then?

 

[hangtime]

Sealed bearings rob a few hp.

:haha: :haha: :haha: :haha: :haha:

 

[Mile9c1]

what bearings would you suggest then?

I don't know anything about Kawasaki's, but the OEM Yamaha pump bearings aren't sealed. And when you put sealed bearing in the Yamaha pumps, they are noticeably harder to turn.

All seals rob hp :biggthumpup:

 

[RiverRat]

I just put a brand new set of OEM bearings and seals in my pump and it does not spin as easily as a pump that has been in use for a while. IT spins smoothly and freely but takes much more effort to turn.

Is this normal? Do these things get easier to turn as they wear in?

I just had mine replaced as well and noticed the same thing. They should loosen up once they get run for a little bit. Same thing with sealed wheel bearings in a motor cycle, they loosen up after while.

 

[Crab]

I have rebuilt 2 pumps and going on 3, after everything is pushed back together you might just pull the shaft and lightly tap on the front bearing from the inside to make sure its not in a bind. If you drove the front bearing on to hard, it may over bind the bearings as the front one only goes to the spacer. In my current setup, the spacer is 4mm shorter to create setback. If I recall, rear bearing first to the seat, spacer, front bearing, seals, collar, shaft, o rings, impeller. You want the sealed bearings in there, there is no other grease in the pump exept for a light coating on everything.

 

[Project Ski]

spacer isnt binding. It was on the initial install, then i backed the front bearing out as you mentioned. PITA

You had to cut your spacer when using a setback prop?

 

[w-nut]

mine was the same when i rebuilt my pump with new seals and bearings. for one thing with new seals they are alot tighter so you will get a wee bit off drag thro them . to me that is a good thing , they are sealing nicely and now water should get in there . it should loosen up when you use it and every thing beds in

 

[Jr.]

I don't belive it's possible to feel a drag differance in sealed vs non-sealed bearings by hand, ...................
What you are feeling here is the drag of the new seals. Once they are run & seated, you will not likely feel as much drag.

 

[Project Ski]

none of the seals touch the shaft. there is a collar that pushes into the seals and the shaft runs through that. There is 1 oring on the shaft that seals to the inside of the collar.

 

[Project Ski]

ok i took the prop off and the cone and pulled the shaft. I think one of the bearings is cocked ever so slightly. The shaft doesnt pull out of the pump very easilly and has it making a noise when i do. Kind of vibrating on the machined part of the shaft (those little ridges).

How do you make sure the bearings are in there perfectly even and true if you cant press them in all the way to the lip? I'm thinking of cutting the spacer so i can press it all teh way in.

But wont that have the shaft stick out the prop side too much? Considering this is an eyball sort of thing since you cant press it all the way in otherwise the spacer binds how do you know where the right spot it? This seems like a crazy system to me.

 

[Crab]

ok i took the prop off and the cone and pulled the shaft. I think one of the bearings is cocked ever so slightly. The shaft doesnt pull out of the pump very easilly and has it making a noise when i do. Kind of vibrating on the machined part of the shaft (those little ridges).

How do you make sure the bearings are in there perfectly even and true if you cant press them in all the way to the lip? I'm thinking of cutting the spacer so i can press it all teh way in.

But wont that have the shaft stick out the prop side too much? Considering this is an eyball sort of thing since you cant press it all the way in otherwise the spacer binds how do you know where the right spot it? This seems like a crazy system to me.

The rear goes in all the way tite, the front goes to the spacer, but don't press it on from the outer edge only the center. Be sure to support the center of the rear one also. Don't cut the spacer unless you know why you are doing it.

 

[adet16v]

I just bought a rebuild kit for my kawi 650 pump. I tore the pump apart today because the bearings were noisy. Man was it NASTY...

The bearings that I pulled out were not sealed, I would assume they were the OEM ones... :shrug:

Here is the kit I got from Rob (Jetskimechanic) and these appear to be sealed

 

[adet16v]

I have rebuilt 2 pumps and going on 3, after everything is pushed back together you might just pull the shaft and lightly tap on the front bearing from the inside to make sure its not in a bind. If you drove the front bearing on to hard, it may over bind the bearings as the front one only goes to the spacer. In my current setup, the spacer is 4mm shorter to create setback. If I recall, rear bearing first to the seat, spacer, front bearing, seals, collar, shaft, o rings, impeller. You want the sealed bearings in there, there is no other grease in the pump exept for a light coating on everything.

could you explain the purpose of shortening your spacer by 4mm? Is this similar to a set-back prop? I dont quite follow but am interested to learn. Thanks

 

[Watty]

I have rebuilt at least 10 pumps in the last year or so, and I can confirm that once a pump is put back together with new bearings and seals, it WILL be physically harder to turn the shaft.

As Paul said, once run for a while, everything will free up and will be as good as gold, providing you put it all back together properly to start with! The manufacturers make it pretty hard for you to put the pumps back together incorrectly, so you shouldn't have too much drama providing all your bearings are going in nice and sqare.