Water Pump Re-Build Seal Removal

Les Luzar · March 18, 2013, 05:26:54 PM

I was helping a C-34 friend re-build a Oberdorfer water pump, but we are having a hard time removing the inner seal. Any suggestions on how to remove the inner seal? We banged the outter seal out with a lot of effort, but the inner seal is not budging.... Any ideas would be appreciated.

Les Luzar · March 18, 2013, 05:35:31 PM

Here is a picture of the inner seal that we have been attempting to remove. It has been really mangled in our attempts to bang it out.... How can we remove it? This is a spare pump we are trying to rebuild... I read the "Rebuilding a Water Pump w/Flix but it starts off after the seals are already removed and I am stuck on this step. Any good way to remove that darn inner seal?

Clay Greene · March 18, 2013, 06:35:40 PM

Yeah, it's a real pain. I used a flat head screw driver from the other side and tapped it out with a hammer. It was tough to get contact on the seal. Can you get a grip on it from the engine side with pliers? Others may have a more elegant solution.

Stu Jackson · March 18, 2013, 06:55:43 PM

Get a saw.

Les Luzar · March 19, 2013, 09:43:25 AM

Stu,
Like a hack saw blade? or dremel cutting tool?

Stu Jackson · March 19, 2013, 10:12:35 AM

I would think a dremel would be a tad difficult to get in there. Just a hack saw blade or one of those kinda U shaped ones where you can disconnect the blade, stick it through the hole in the pump, reconnect it and saw away.

Clay Greene · March 19, 2013, 10:26:45 AM

Or you could just keep pulling with a pair of needlenose pliers - eventually the seal will collapse and it will be easier to pull out of there. But no doubt that it is difficult - it's not called a "seal" without good reason.

I need to remind myself that the "Oberdoerfer" on the seals face toward each other (name on the outside seal faces inward and name on inside seal faces outward).

Also, I found the advice helpful (from either Stu or Ron) to use a board on top of the inside seal for tapping it into place and then using a deep socket of the same diameter to tap it the remaining way. You only need to use the board for the outside seal.

Les Luzar · March 19, 2013, 11:30:06 AM

OK. Got it. Those are good ideas. Thanks. I will give it a try.

Les

Ron Hill · March 19, 2013, 03:36:48 PM

Les : You surely did not read my article on how to rebuild an Oberdoffer!!

You can try the saw or Dremel tool, but be very careful NOT to score the inside of the pump or you'll NEVER get a seal!!!

In my rebuild article, I went thru a step by step narrative on what you need to do and how to do it. I also showed a picture of the special tool I made and how to make one.
It's in the Mainsheet tech notes - May 2002.

The answers are there, but you have to read them!! Good luck

Stu Jackson · March 19, 2013, 04:52:31 PM

Here's some more info on this work, with a link to Ron's tool, too.

http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,6766.0.html

Ron Hill · March 19, 2013, 05:17:47 PM

Stu has a nice link, but go to the Mainsheet tech notes of May 2002. You'll see a picture of my special tool and how to easily make it.

Again it is super important NOT to score the inside of the Oberdoffer or you can scrap the pump body!!

Les Luzar · March 21, 2013, 03:49:03 PM

Ron/Stu,
Thanks. I will check it out.

Les

Stu Jackson · April 05, 2013, 10:33:16 AM

Quote from: Ron Hill on March 19, 2013, 05:17:47 PM
...go to the Mainsheet tech notes of May 2002. You'll see a picture of my special tool and how to easily make it.

It's also on the C34 Tech wiki, here, scroll down: http://www.c34.org/wiki/index.php?title=Raw_water_pump,_impellers_and_cooling_system

I also added it to the Oberdorfer rebuild topic (search "Oberdorfer flix" to find it).