TOPIC: Any reccomendations for a Merc 500 water pump?

Anyone have any do's or don'ts for changing the water pump in a 1964 merc 500?


Thanks,

it is straigt forward job.

Make sure you shift into forward before you drop the lower unit .When you remove your impelor the key way that drives the impellor Isnt part of the drive shaft .Its got a louse flat piece with the key on it . Be ready to catch that when you pull the old impelor off so it doesnt get lost or drop into the housing .Dont forget to put that piece back on when you put your new impellor on Otherwise it wont be driven .You can put a dab of grease on the shaft to help hold that bugger on there while you start to drop the impellor on .Before you reassemble coat the inside of the pump houseing with some grease .When you put your cover back on you have to sometimes angle the rubber vanes back Make sure you angle them in the correct direction as it will be turning .The drive shaft spins clock vise so make sure the tips of the vanes are trailing in that direction .Sometimes you have to push each vane back while keeping a little preasure on the cover till they are all in .Clean up the edges of the lower unit housings where they mate as well as anything else that slides into something .Reinstall with the motor down not tilted up .It makes things fall into position better .Dont force anything . If it doesnt slide together find out why .After you get a bolt in test to see if you have Forward Netral and reverse .If you do Throw rest of your boats in .If you didnt put in Forward before you took it apart Chances are your shift lever jumped in the lower unit and you wont have reverse .Oh Remeber or mark that trim fin on the lower unit above the prop .Put it back on in the same position or angle . Otherwise your steering could pull one dirrection or the other .That fin helps overcome Torque Steer ..Hope that helps alittle . Sorry if you knew alot of it Just thought ild throw it out there if you didnt ..
Larry

Just turn the driveshaft in the normal direction of engine rotation , while pushing the pump housing down.

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That is the only way to assemble it and the easiest.

thanks for the advice