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  1. #1
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    Question Thru-Hull Livewell Intake Pump/Fitting

    I posted a more thorough and detailed version of this issue on "General Bassboat Topics" Saturday but didn't get much in regards to relevant comments. Maybe I type to much in an effort to be clear on my issue. To make a long story short, my Johnson pump HOUSING that is screwed into the thru-hull fitting busted somehow. I'm guessing the extreme cold got it. I just replaced it last year when I bought the boat. But back then the thru-hull fitting felt loose in the silicone. I've been told I must replace the entire thru hull again because the housing screws come from under the fitting and are not meant to be separated like mine is. My thru hull is solid as a rock. I'm irritated that I may have to redo all that silicone.
    The reason I'm posting on BassCat forum is because I believe this Johnson housing/fitting is standard installation by BassCat. Are there lots of complaints about this Johnson SPX Flow housing falling apart? I just want somebody to reassure me or tell me otherwise in regards to replacing everything. The actual pump works fine.

  2. BBC SPONSOR Bass Cat Boats's Avatar
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    #2
    We have had excellent success with the Johnson (SPX now) pumps and have used them almost since inception. We left and went to Zurn on time in the 1970’s and returned to Mayfair/Johnson/SPX depending on the year.

    Usually they fail from a battery contacting them on install, or someone stepping on them in the bilge. They are by far the best pumps we have tested.

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    #3
    Thank you BassCat. We had a few record breaking days of cold and I guess some water froze and busted it out. It seems brittle to me but I haven't done comparisons either.

    I found a spare housing that came with a spare pump when I returned from lake. It is the package that DOES NOT come with the thru hull fitting. This housing came WITHOUT screws in it's base (unlike when you buy the thru hull fitting with housing already screwed into it). I have a couple of inches clearance between underside of thru hull fitting and bilge floor. Is it possible to screw a new housing onto the thru hull with the proper tool? I was thinking like a small ratchet type screwdriver that could get under there and turn a screws upward into housing base. I know I can get the original screws with red broken plastic from broken housing out somehow.
    My thru hull fitting is rock solid and I'd hate to have to remove and re-silicone everything. I had a mechanic (that sold me the package with thru-hull/pump/housing) tell me it can't be done. But when I got home from lake and saw my spare housing I thought otherwise. Surely someone has tried this before. I just need to know people have done it.
    Thanks as always.
    See current pic with orange wine cork stuck in there to get me on the water for weekend. Notice positioning of broken screws and how I'd need to remove and screw new ones back up into housing.

  4. BBC SPONSOR Bass Cat Boats's Avatar
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    #4
    The base comes with the pump assembly. If you have a Johnson pump it is old and the construction materials changed in the early 1990’s to address onboard charging and gasses deteriorating the housings.

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    #5
    Yes I have an unused base that came with a pump. It's identical to the busted one (accept no screws in the bottom yet). I bought it last year at BPS. I've never had an actual PUMP issue. Just the base/housing busting. Regarding the pic and message above your reply, can I screw a new base/housing into the existing thru hull?

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    #6
    Kevin, I wouldn't chance the tightness in trying to get one screwed into the base. I would remove the silicone on both sides, remove the through hull and replace with a new unit. You're dealing with a place that is vulnerable to leaks, and if it does leak, your day on the water will go bad.
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  7. Member
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    #7
    I've given it a solid effort with the tool pictured. It's tougher than I thought because I'm struggling to get screw bit fitted and also have space to turn. The fitting is right above a thru hull transducer. BUT I'M STILL TELLING YOU ALL I THINK IT CAN BE DONE I'm not yelling just wanting to be accent my thoughts. I'll spend a $100 on a specialized tool that can get under there and turn screws in and out before having to remove thru hull and re-silicone. And I'm still surprised somebody else hasn't wanted to do what I'm doing for the same reasons.

    Pictured tool was purchased at Harbor Freight. Anybody know of a little better tool (thinner and maybe battery powered) that could do this

  8. BBC SPONSOR Bass Cat Boats's Avatar
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    #8
    We have used a 1/4” ratchet wrenches on tighter fits.

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    #9
    Ok. Here are exact specs of tool I used and pictured. Is the 1/4 inch ratchet you mention shaped differently or smaller?


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    #11
    Got to put my replacement housing to the test this weekend. It had been pouring rain so lots of water was constantly dripping and flowing to bilge area anyway so I had to keep staring at it while transom intake hole was submerged but boat still attached to trailer. But saw no water flowing out of housing. I was even more assured the following day . The tool BassCat linked above is absolutely necessary. And even after having that 1/4 inch ratchet I still needed to have my Phillips bit grinded down in order to get my hands under there. It also help to put (I used) electrical tape as tight as possible under bit so you don't have to have your index finger under bit and can give a little upward pressure on the screws. In reflection, I spent a ton of time doing this by not having the necessary tool in the first place. I don't think I could have done it without disconnecting intake hose and removing my two bilge pumps. But I was organizing pump wiring anyway and also managed to remove some other junk that shouldn't be down in there. I can definitely see why several people told me to just replace thru-hull fitting and housing all at once. But it can be done this way.