Flushes But Won't Fill- Jabsco Manual Head

J

JoLin

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31399
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It's a Jabsco raw water, manual pump head. Some paperwork on the boat leads me to believe it was installed new in 2004.

Seacock is open, and the intake/discharge valve is set correctly. No water is drawn into the bowl when I pump. If I pour water into the bowl and flip the valve the other way it pumps out fine.

From what I've read, looks like I need to either rebuild or replace the pump assembly (not much cost difference between the 2).

Does my diagnosis sound right? Anything else I should try before I order the parts?

Thanks!
 
I would first try to remove the water intake hose from the seacock (with it closed of course) and slowly open it to make sure there is water coming in and nothing blocking it. I've seen people leave tape on it when painting or even painting it shut.
 
JAbsco manual, sea water heads do best with an annual maintenance... If you have not done any maintenance, and the head is 7 yrs old, you are "due".

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As for a diagnosis, lubricating the pump ( part of maintenance ) would likely be enough to get it working. But since you are breaking it down to lube it, you might as well refresh the seals etc while you are there. It is another one of those cases where the labor is a greater expense than the parts. Service it and get it over with.

At least, that is what I would do. Frankly, that is one system that I really like to keep working well. Maintenance is simple and easy, if perhaps messy. But you do not need to do it often ( every 2 - 3 years should be ok, even though annual is the best plan )
 
The rubber valve plate under the top cover has a metal weight on it, It corrodes and deforms the valve to the point it won't seal, and the pump won't suck in water. You MIGHT be able to clean it up, but it's a cheap part and easy to replace.
 
Thanks, guys. The boat is new to me, so I can't speak to past maintenance. I'll check the seacock, and then just go ahead and repair/replace the pump assembly as needed.

I'll post back when it's fixed.
 
I managed to plug the hose from the seacock to the head in my previous boat by letting someone flush while the boat was grounded on a sandbar (a whole story in itself). It's possible that the hose is plugged but more likely that you just need to service the head.
 
Here's another thing you might want to consider:
I also have a manual raw water head on my boat, it has been working fine, but I rarely use raw water in it anymore.
I keep fresh water in the bowl, flush after use, and refill with fresh water from the shower hose so it's there for the next time.
Not a big deal once you get used to it, and it really just about eliminated any odor coming from the head.
 
quote:
Originally posted by JVM225

Here's another thing you might want to consider:
I also have a manual raw water head on my boat, it has been working fine, but I rarely use raw water in it anymore.
I keep fresh water in the bowl, flush after use, and refill with fresh water from the shower hose so it's there for the next time.
Not a big deal once you get used to it, and it really just about eliminated any odor coming from the head.

Click to expand...

Fine as long as you use enough water to flush the hose from the tank clean. Otherwise, you will end up with permeated hoses.
 
I promised I'd follow up.

After confirming that the seacock was open and clear, it was time to rebuild the pump. I didn't check the rubber valve under the top cover as was suggested. It could have been the problem, but I figured it should all be refurbished.

A pump rebuild kit costs about $50. A new pump costs $60., and also has the twist-lock handle that mine didn't, so I installed a new pump today. One of the easiest jobs I've ever done, and as somebody else stated, it took maybe 15 minutes including mopping up the spilled water.

All is well. Thanks, everybody!
 
quote:
Originally posted by JoLin

I promised I'd follow up.

After confirming that the seacock was open and clear, it was time to rebuild the pump. I didn't check the rubber valve under the top cover as was suggested. It could have been the problem, but I figured it should all be refurbished.

A pump rebuild kit costs about $50. A new pump costs $60., and also has the twist-lock handle that mine didn't, so I installed a new pump today. One of the easiest jobs I've ever done, and as somebody else stated, it took maybe 15 minutes including mopping up the spilled water.

All is well. Thanks, everybody!

Click to expand...


That's great and I didn't know you could buy just the pump. I'll keep that in mind.
 
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