1998 450DA Vacu-flush pump replacement cost $$$ ?

DjDaoust

DjDaoust

Member
Nov 4, 2015
213
La Crosse, WI
Boat Info
1998 450 Sundancer - 3 Boys & A Blonde
Engines
Cat 3126's
Having issues with our rear head's vacu-flush pump; barely keeping up when it does work. Does anyone know the cost of a replacement? It's the one located in the bilge to the far starboard of the Cat 3126.
 
Have not replaced one, but plenty of folks have maintenances the heck out of them. What are the issues you are having? Or have you been down that route?


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Main issue is when I go to flush, nothing happens. We've tried to tap the unit while flushing to free up the brushes, but now that doesn't even work. Assuming the pump is bad, as it is cycling really slow when it is working (rarely).
 
Just repaired mine by installing a new vacuum sensor (snap valve). About a $175 part but easy to install. My symptoms were: when flushed vacuum pump would not come on. tap on side of tank or pump and it would run. The new sensor fixed it.
 
The first thing I would do would be to cut the wiring loose from the motor and connect a jumper from your generator battery (only because it is the closest battery to the pump). This will tell you if the motor will run. If it does, then, then no vacuum is a result of a bad bellows, bad duckbills or the vacuum switch mentioned in the previous post.

A rebuilt kit for the bellows, o-rings and duck bills is about $150. A new motor is about $225 and a complete new pump is about $650 (exchange).
 
Both of my vacu-flush pumps would "stick" in the "on" position and run at random. I actually wound up with a cracked holding tank at the end of the season last year (not related to the pump issue). I had to replace the tank anyway so I got a quote to replace both pumps and upgrade to a more powerful system. The cost to do so was not much less than ripping the entire system out and replacing both heads with Thedford macerating heads, new plumbing and electric, etc. No more pumps in the bilge and no worries about who does the "unthinkable" anymore. Worth the money to rid my family of my OCD-related freak-outs about people going to the bathroom on the boat.
 
Where do you guys order these pump and head parts from? I've been paying the marina to do these repairs but I'd like to know for future happenstances!
 
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