Hardin Stainless pumps...

mnm99

Well-Known Member
Oct 2, 2015
2,445
Long Island
Boat Info
2004 340 SeaRay Sundancer
Engines
Twin 8.1 Merc
20161103_193632.jpg
Well in the past there were mixed reviews about these pumps leaking. I bought them this last season without a problem. Installed the pulley with an installer, not a press. I just went on there site and something interesting is now noted. They don't sell the pumps without a pulley unless your a dealer..Hmmm I wonder why. Well this is why I believe.. Here is there statement and instructions. I bet most of there leak complaints were from people not installing the pulley correctly. I know..Some may think it's just a way to make money. Maybe so, but it still makes sense.

NOTE: AT THIS TIME THE GEN 7 SEA PUMP WITHOUT PULLEY (625-4102) IS ONLY SOLD TO AUTHORIZED DEALERS. RETAIL CUSTOMERS CAN PURCHASE THE MODEL WITH PULLEY PRE-INSTALLED (625-4101) BY CLICKING HERE.

4. How does my pulley install?
A: You will need a simple professional pulley installation and removal tool. This tool is commonly found at any auto parts store. YOU CAN NOT PRESS THE PULLEY ON THE SHAFT. YOU MUST USE A PROPER PULLEY INSTALLATION TOOL TO INSTALL THE PULLEY. PRESSING THE PULLEY ON THE SHAFT WILL DAMAGE THE BEARINGS AND VOID THE WARRANTY!

http://www.hardin-marine.com/p-1577...sea-pump-for-mercury-350-496-and-502-mag.aspx
 
A GM power steering pump kit is needed to remove and install the pully.
Merc dosent give you the pully with the new pump either
 
I had both of my Harding pumps fail this summer with low hours on them. Both were bearing failures. Both times Hardin swore that I must have damaged the bearings when I installed the pulley. I used a PS pulley press so I guarantee I couldn’t have been more gentle to the bearing when installing the pulleys. Interesting to me is that I changed the impellers in both pumps last spring. I am wondering if the pulling action of prying the impeller out and pressing the new one back in put too much load on the bearings. It doesn’t seem like it should but that is the only thing that changed and both pumps failed within a week of each other. They always come out a little tough from the little bit if corrosion on the shaft.
In the end Hardin sent me 2 new pumps on them and I upgraded to their pulleys so that if I have a problem in the future they can’t blame it on the installation as it was done by them this time.
 
You cant "press" them on ,it destroys the seal and bearing. You need the power steering install kit to install those types
The impeller just slips on , never pressed on/into the housing
 
I had both of my Harding pumps fail this summer with low hours on them. Both were bearing failures. Both times Hardin swore that I must have damaged the bearings when I installed the pulley. I used a PS pulley press so I guarantee I couldn’t have been more gentle to the bearing when installing the pulleys. Interesting to me is that I changed the impellers in both pumps last spring. I am wondering if the pulling action of prying the impeller out and pressing the new one back in put too much load on the bearings. It doesn’t seem like it should but that is the only thing that changed and both pumps failed within a week of each other. They always come out a little tough from the little bit if corrosion on the shaft.
In the end Hardin sent me 2 new pumps on them and I upgraded to their pulleys so that if I have a problem in the future they can’t blame it on the installation as it was done by them this time.

Yea a little confused with the PS pulley press? There should be no pressing? I used something like this. Is this what you used?
puller 1.jpg
puller.jpg
 
That’s exactly the same puller I have. The pulley goes back onto the water pump shaft by threading a bolt into the threads in the end of the shaft and then a nut pulls on the bolt and presses the pulley onto the shaft. No stress on the bearings at all.
 
May be a stupid question but.... If these pumps are that delicate, why use them?
 
That’s exactly the same puller I have. The pulley goes back onto the water pump shaft by threading a bolt into the threads in the end of the shaft and then a nut pulls on the bolt and presses the pulley onto the shaft. No stress on the bearings at all.
Cool. Have you had a problem again with the 2 new pumps?
 
Cool. Have you had a problem again with the 2 new pumps?
So far so good but I only put about 40hrs on them after replacment.
 
May be a stupid question but.... If these pumps are that delicate, why use them?

I bought them as an upgrade to the merc part. The merc part has a brass housing. The housing gets scored over time and the pump loses pressure because of the scoring. The Harding pump bodies are stainless so they are supposed to last longer and they have stainless wear plates so that when you do get scoring, you can replace the wearplates and be back to new. I had about 200hrs on the pumps when I replaced the impeller last spring and the wear was minimal on the housing and wear plates. I wouldn’t have bought them if I knew there was going to be a bearing problem. I will be interested to see how the bearings do in these replacement pumps I got.
 
I have around 50 hrs, Most at 3000-3500 rpm. I did a bunch of trips. So far so good. We'll see how it looks next season.
 

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