I have a weepy Sherwood water pump on my M25-XP that I'd like to replace with an Oberdorfer N202M-16. However, I'm having a tough time finding a supplier that has them in stock; and they are either not sure when stock will arrive, or are admittedly guessing near/end of July.
So far, I've tried:
• Parts and Pumps Online
• Catalina Direct
• Fisheries Supply
• Diesel Parts Direct
• Ace Power Parts
• BMP Industrial Supplies
• Motor, and Marine Pump Direct.
The squeeze-play is on a bit as I have a haul-out scheduled for July 6 (3 weeks away) and I'm loath to push that back as it is eating into the sailing season and the Admiral is getting ansy.
My preference would be not to purchase a $1,665 USD $herwood from Catalina Direct, or to try a rebuild kit for the Sherwood as I would have no idea what I'd be getting myself into (read: impending fiasco).
So, I have two questions:
1. Can anyone recommend another trusty supplier not on the aforementioned list that I should check with for an Oberdorfer?
2. Does anyone have any intel on, or experience with, the JPR-WB7108 (Sherwood knock-off, including goofy bolt access) from JMP Marine? My thinking is that it may be good enough until I can get an Oberdorfer, and then the JPR would become a stand-by should the Oberdorfer need to come out of service for some reason. In another post, one @KeelsonGraham talks about installing one about 9 mos. ago and says, "It does the job just fine in UK sea temperatures (65 Fahrenheit)." Any other insight on the quality and performance of this item?
Thanks much for your thoughts/input.
Try this:
Marine Direct
https://marinepumpdirect.com/
mpd@marinegate.com
Trans Pacific Distributors
1941 Walters Ct.
Fairfield, Ca. 94533
Ph.707-426-5143
The JMP isn't really a knock off Sherwood. It is an all brass version of the sherwood with some other engineering improvements. If you can't find the oberdorfer you want, the JMP would likely be worth sticking with. They don't use the same sherwood impellor though so make sure to buy a few spars when you buy the pump.
I switched to an Oberdorfer but still don't know that I have enough raw water flow, so the JMP is one I have considered to buy as it would be the same flow rate specified by Universal when they marinized my 4 cylinder m35.
ric : Have you tried DEPCO? 800-445-1656?
Thanks for the input, gentlemen.
@Noah - Yes, I did contact them. They are out of stock and will email me when stock is available.
@waughoo - Yeah, perhaps "knock-off" is a wee bit of a stretch but hey, they did copy Sherwood's ingenious, PITA impeller cover bolts placement! If they copied anything, it should have been the impeller!
@Ron Hill - I've got an email into them and awaiting a reply. Keeping my fingers crossed.
Dumped my crappy Sherwood when it stopped holding a prime. I love my Oberdorfer. Good luck finding one.
Kirk
I just bought a N202M-16 a few weeks ago from Ken Kloeber who uses this site. He may be out of stock now too, but you could try emailing him or he might see this and respond.
Ricowr,
Over the winter I removed my OB to rebuild/repair. Thought I was in a Depco catalog but turned out to be an OB catalog lol! OB/Ingersoll Rand got back to my request for help and pointed me to Burt Process Co who cover the US Northeast. They had stock and were more interested in selling me a new one instead of rebuilding. I think they are in Ohio. Customer service at OB/IR may be able to point you to a more local distributor.
I ultimately called Depco and they were great! Did the rebuild, good pricing and customer service. Of course they are across the continent from you.
I too got my OB from Ken when I replaced my Sherwood, he provided the studs too!
Good luck,
Ed
Thank-you, Ed Shankle and Jon W for you input here. I will reach out to Ken to see if he happens to have an OB on hand. Otherwise, I will definitely give Depco a try.
Much appreciated.
@ricowr
I am currently out but expect to have an N202M-16 in a week or so.
This is not the first time that Gardner Denver/Ingersoll did this to owners.
I should be careful here cuz another division of IR is a client. :shock:
Back in 2019 or so when Oberdorfer sold out and was moved from NY to IL, they made zero attempt to plan the transition, and production went down the toilet for a season.
In February, they moved from MI to IL, and, instead of running the plants in parallel as was planned until production/stock was up, they decided to close the MI plant and cause this clown show. :clown
- Ken
Quote from: ricowr on June 15, 2025, 08:05:48 AMThank-you, Ed Shankle and Jon W for you input here. I will reach out to Ken to see if he happens to have an OB on hand. Otherwise, I will definitely give Depco a try.
Hey @Ken, thanks much for jumping in on this thread. Fortunately for me, I scored a N202M-16 from a marine shop about 50 kms (30 mi) from home. They happened to have three in stock! As I write, one is on a Purolator truck to my home.
That aside, I do have a related question for you. I've read in another thread on the forum that someone purchased a pump from you along with four mounting studs and nylon lock nuts. Can you tell me what the advantage is of that as opposed to using SS hex bolts/split washer/washer combo?
Thanks much.
Richard
1992 C34 MK 1.5, #1181
White Rock, BC
BTW, if anyone is currently looking for an Oberdorfer N202M-16 in the PNW area, Trotac Marine in Victoria, BC (https://trotac.ca) has two in stock. Cost is $499 CAN ($363 USD) which is a pretty good price point.
Richard
White Rock, BC
1992 C34 MK 1.5, #1181
Richard
Straight from Kubota, the gear cover had studs (the land was for either an optional mechanical hour meter or hydraulic pump on tractors/industrial equipment.)
Universal kept the studs for the Ob pumps and one of the Sw pump models. And removed them for the Sw 903 pump.
The s/s ones were originally meant only to switch from the Sw to Ob pumps (for who had no studs) because I prefer permanent one-and-done vs. screwing in/out of the aluminum gear covers. Some who have steel studs remove them in favor of the s/s ones - some use just the nylock flange nuts (which eliminates lockwashers.) To get the correct double-ended lengths I had to order "a big bunch" at a time from the UK so I just include a set as a YBYC option.
Note, If you're moving from the 903/908 pump to the N202, you should use 4 instead of 2 fasteners. Also I recommend the Kubota gasket over the Wb/Universal one. It's beefier so it's more likely to survive a pump R&R.
Here's the studs on a gear cover that I refurbished (for a BC guy whose exploding alternator bracket cracked his.)
PS:
Remove and deep six the cir-clip that holds the pump shaft.
And dab a bit of TefGel or SuperLube gel on the shaft under the impeller hub to help keep them from getting too familiar with and "attached to" each other.
A handy way to reinstall an impeller is to use a zip tie to compress the blades.
If you pull the shaft, put some gel on the end so it harmlessly passes thru the two lip seals.
Ah, yes, that makes good sense regarding the studs and saving the gear cover. Are those wedge studs similar to the one shown below? Or is it more of a screw-in/LokTite kind-of-thing?
I will follow your advice on the cir-clip/gel application. I also took your advice from another thread that recommended using a genuine Kubota Hour Meter gasket for mounting the pump; today I picked one up at a local Kubota service/dealer shop.
You've been extremely helpful here, Ken. Taking the time to share your experience and wisdom is much appreciated -- thank-you.
Cheers,
Richard
Richard
Apologies for not answering sooner. The notices of new message posts coming thru to me is haphazard at best.
They are M6 double-ended, unequal length thread, stainless-steel studs.
The OEM Kubota studs have an interference fit, but I just use red locktite to hold these.
I use two lengths - 25mm for the Ob flat base pumps and 30mm (a bit long, 27-28mm would be better) to use with the L-clips on the Sw 903/908 pumps or Ob 908 pump. I buy them wholesale 50 a bag.
PM me if you want a set of studs/nuts (I have no clue how long it takes to get across the border.)
Or you can get the Kubota steel studs p/n 15221-88210.
McMaster-Carr also has the nuts p/n 94710A103 and 27mm studs p/n 5580N112
-Ken
Reply 5, Kirk said his Sherwood would not hold a prime. Helped a C30 (1988) friend this weekend and that may be his Sherwood problem. What is the fix to prime the pump short of changing to an Ob pump?
He would like to sail sooner than waiting for a new pump. If the problem is loss of prime, will this continue to happen.
Checked the impeller and no missing vanes.
I don't know if the engine is a M25 or M25XP. I expected to see the same engine
as I have since we both have 1988 Catalina's. Mine is the bronze color, his is the silver blue color.
Time didn't allow for checking for plugged lines or plugged heat exchanger.
I know I'll get some good suggestions, thank you.
Phil
Phil,
What is your friend's priming problem, is he losing the prime while the motor is running or is he unable to get a prime when starting? The number one thing that causes priming problems is an air leak, it either won't allow the pump to create a prime when starting or it brake the prime while running.
Thanks Kevin, I'll check that out when I can get back to the sail club and we have more time. This is a new problem for me. I need some direction. As Ken says, I don't want to go at this as a "wack-a-mole project. As for so many of us, this is a wonderful place to start when you need guidance finding your way through a boat problem.
Phil
Losing prime on the C30 is not the norm, but it is also not unusual to hear that. I don't know why it occurs but some have reported it.
It possibly seems to occur after the hose drains on a tack — maybe it fills with air and the impeller isn't making a good seal to re-prime - I dunno. I've heard of it on Obs so I doubt the pump brand is necessarily the cause.
Have him check for wear on the pump cover, impeller fit. If the cover is loosened/removed seawater should flow to it when the seacock is opened.
Is it a 903 or 908 pump model?
Coat the pump body and cover with SuperLube gel and see if she primes.
The engine (25 or xp) wont make a difference on the pumping.
M-25s and some XPs were copper bronze and later (Westerbeke) ones and XPAs XPACs were Ice Blue.
Ken
Ken, thanks for the reply so quickly. I'll take this information to the Sail Club in the morning and apply it. So good to have a few ideas for chasing down these problems. I appreciate your wisdom and that of others on our website.
Problem solved ! After checking the impeller on Sunday, we were out of time to do any more investigation as to why we didn't have water flowing out of the exhaust. Got back to the BOAT today armed with some new knowledge thanks to our 34 website. Before pulling the water pump apart, some investigation was done and a fish was found stuck in the intake before the filter.
All is well. Thank you for the help
Phil
Not the first time I have heard this happening. Not on our website, but my slip neighbor had it happen to him TWICE! How did you find it?
I'm reeling over that fishy line which sounds like a trolling owner casting a wide net, and chumming the forum and angling to lure members into a clickbait!
That's a new data point to add to the "checklist"!
Eons ago I was delivering a C-42 Pullman from Worton Creek to Great Neck LI and stopped in Atlantic City to wait out some heavy weather. We checked the filter every day before firing up and my bro pulled an eel out of it!
Intake hose before the filter had a fish stuck in it. A blast from a water hose cleared the fish and got things right.