Ca...Ca....Cavitation!

[Matt_E]

So I sucked up a small piece of soft driftwood into my pump last Saturday. No problem, I pulled it out.
However, it appears I get some cavitation now that I didn't have before. I get that slipping feeling down low as well as some increased vibration from the pump in the mid range. Top speed and accel there are still fine.
I took the pump out yesterday to inspect....the impeller (Concord 13/16 cutback) looks brand-new, as does the wear ring (about less than 1mm clearance). The stator had some dings last year (when it wasn't cavitating). Now it has maybe two more. They are small dings, but make me wonder. Because overall, at least 4 of the 6 vanes now have damage on the leading edges, from small to medium (1/4 inch deep, 1/2 inch wide)

Oh yeah....when I put my ski together for the season, I neglected to seal the midshaft carrier housing with silicone (or anything else, for that matter).
It hasn't given me trouble thus far, but you never know.
Anyhow, I fixed that deficiency yesterday.

I got a perfect stator on my wife's square, so I might try that.

Opinions?

 

[Matt_E]

Damnit! Now that you mention it, my pump shoe has a small piece missing, right between grate and plate.
I really don't want to have to replace that. It looks like such a bitch.
Will silicone in between the two stay there? (Regardless of the shoe being broken).

 

[sflsurfrider]

ive filled a missing chunk of pumpshoe with silicone b4. no probs w/ it.

 

[ski4]

or dab some 5200 in there, wehn i put my pump shoe in i used that to seal the whole damn thing

 

[Matt_E]

Yeah, I'd be leaning towards 5200. However, I can't get that locally anymore since I moved.
I'll use silicone then. Any preference on what type?

 

[ski4]

my home depot sells 5200

 

[SuperJETT]

Wal-mart has 5200 also.

 

[Matt_E]

That's where I used to get it. Heck, even Walmart had it. Here (Moscow, Pullman) no one sells it.

 

[ski4]

that sux

 

[sflsurfrider]

5200 is good, but it takes forever to cure unless you get the fast cure. hopefully it doesnt break the shoe some more the next time you go to remove the grate. maybe marine-tex would be better than 5200.

 

[ski4]

oh good call

 

[Matt_E]

I'll play stupid...what's Marinetex? Is it silicone?

 

[douglee25]

I'll play stupid...what's Marinetex? Is it silicone?

It's a hard epoxy coating that is used on marine applications.

See http://www.marinetex.com/

Doug

 

[ski4]

marine tex is great for small repairs and or chips etc, can get it in black or white maybe more colors, cures fast and is like nails.

kinda hard to sand in my trials with it though

 

[oxnard111]

I have never used 5200 before, but have heard it crazy strong, which makes me wonder, wouldn't you not want to use 5200 to seal up a whole pump shoe? Seems like if you ever needed to replace it again that i would be a son of a b to get back out

 

[WaveDemon]

I have never used 5200 before, but have heard it crazy strong, which makes me wonder, wouldn't you not want to use 5200 to seal up a whole pump shoe? Seems like if you ever needed to replace it again that i would be a son of a b to get back out

that's the problem, getting it back out. I think you could use 5200 if you bought an aluminum shoe since it shouldn't break.

 

[Mile9c1]

Silicone will hold just as well as 5200 IMO... just don't use the weak clear crap.

 

[Matt_E]

I'll try it...(how about black RTV?)

You know, my pump shoe always has had a small piece missing. This past weekend, I didn't just suck up a small piece of wood. I just remembered that I hit a log when I screwed up a log jump Banane01
Now the missing piece appears to be larger.
I'll bet that's my problem.

 

[sflsurfrider]

how would hitting a log cause a vibration? a log sounds to big to squeeze through an intakr grate.

 

[Blaster94]

I cast a vote for marinetex. Be warned, it is a very addictive product.