Date:         Fri, 27 Aug 1999 18:59:15 -0300
Reply-To:     Malcolm Stebbins <Malcolm.Stebbins@MSVU.CA>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Malcolm Stebbins <Malcolm.Stebbins@MSVU.CA>
Subject:      Sink water pump fix (longish)
Content-type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

Well no one claimed the post on fixing the submersible sink water pump so I
cannot give credit where credit is due, but I used someone else's
ideas/motivation to "fix" my submersible sink water pump.

First, it is a "no loose" situation. It's broken so what harm can I do!  For the
record this was performed on a Canadian 91 Westy (syncro).

If your submersible sink water pump motor does not run, check that your
pump is getting 12 volts, if not, then your problem may not be in the pump.  If
the pump is getting 12 volts, then I'd suggest taking the top of the pump off
first.

I removed the submersible sink water pump (carefully noting which wires go
where).  At the top of the pump, at the seal, I used a hack-saw to cut a deep
groove in one side AT the top seam (you may be able to get it to come off
without the hack-saw).  I then could get a flat head screw driver in there to
CAREFULLY pry the top off.  Like the  earlier post, water came out of the top
- where the wires are.

Now with the water out of the top, the motor worked fine.  You can test it at
this point.  If you're lucky - you can re-assemble it and go camping.  See
below on re-assembling.

My motor worked, but did not pump water, so I carefully pried off the bottom,
again using a flat head screw-driver to CAREFULLY pry the bottom off the
pump.  I 'breaks' the seal but if you do it gently, is is repairable.

My problem was that the spindle (drive-shaft) that comes out of the bottom of
the motor (half round shaft) is made to go into a like fitting on the back of the
impeller.  The back of my impeller had worn so that the half-round drive shaft
 could not get a purchase on the impeller to spin and pump the water.

At this point I could have epoxied the drive shaft into/onto the back side of
the impeller, but I thought that this would be too permanent. So I drilled out
the back of the impeller just a bit (to clean it up), and I cut some hard rubber
to fit into that drilled-out hole (this has to be just deep enough to let the
impeller ride inside the botton cover).  I then drilled a VERY tiny hole in the
center of the hard rubber doughnut (that I had just made) for the spindle (drive-
shaft) to go into.  I then super-glued the rubber doughnut into the drilled-out
cavity on the back of the impeller, and super-glued the drive-shaft spindle into
the center hole. I put the bottom plate back on (held with broccoli rubber-
bands) to keep the impeller centred.  I let it dry for about an hour.

I hooked up the 12 volts and the glue held and I could now get water to the
sink.

If this fails again, I'll epoxy it all next time.

To re-assemble, I put the dy-electric (spell) grease on the contacts and then
I used copious amounts of automotive goo (or goop) to seal everything back
up PLUS the white wire shaft that goes down into the top of the the pump (to
keep future water out).  I also used broccoli rubber-bands to keep it all
together while the goop dried.

So far it is working. but I have not given it any long term test.

Again I would like to thank the anonymous list member who gave me the
courage to try this.

BTW, I can buy a new pump for CDN $75 - but that would be no fun and
certainly not the TLC that I like to lavish on my 91 syncro westy.

Hope this helps.   Malcolm S